The fan screening of the film Raanjhanaa (2013) took place in a Mumbai multiplex to celebrate its 12th anniversary, organized by DIY Solutions. The event was attended by several members of the cast and crew, including actors Dhanush and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, child actor Naman Jain, director Aanand L Rai, writer Himanshu Sharma, and lyricist Irshad Kamil. Although Sonam Kapoor was unable to attend, the team honored her by placing a picture of her on a seat.
After the film screening, stand-up comedian Devansh Singh entertained the audience with his humor. Laksh Maheshwari then shared the storyline of the film in his signature style and hosted a discussion. One of the film’s most memorable moments, featuring the young and adult Kundan crossing paths and exchanging glances, has become iconic over the years. Aanand L Rai shared the behind-the-scenes story of how that powerful climax scene was conceived on the very day of the shoot.
When asked whether the scene was part of the original script, Aanand explained, “The emotions were always in there, but we came up with the visuals at the last minute. Himanshu and I had a bit of a tiff! I didn’t have that part of the ending scripted, and it was the final day of shooting in Banaras. The night before, he confidently assured me, ‘I’ll have it ready by morning.’ I told him I had to start shooting at 7:00 am!”
Laughter filled the room as Aanand continued, “At 6:00 am, I woke him up, knowing he probably hadn’t finished writing. I asked him, ‘Did you write anything?’ and then insisted, ‘You need to finish it, or I’m not leaving Banaras!’”
Two hours later, Himanshu arrived at the shoot location, looking a bit disheveled. “I was filming a scene with Naman where he asks, ‘Do the gods themselves come down to ask for alms to save their wives?’ I asked him if he had written anything. He replied, ‘I wrote a little.’ When he shared the scene with me, I knew it was exactly what I wanted, though I felt frustrated at the same time. As a director, you have your pride! But when he finished his narration, I still managed to say, ‘That’s great’ before walking away.”
Aanand further added, “Those lines sparked the visuals I needed. I called Dhanush and asked if he could come for an hour after lunch to shoot. He agreed and asked what the scene was about. I told him we only needed him for one shot.”
This candid look at the film’s creation highlights the unpredictability of filmmaking and the importance of teamwork in bringing stories to life.
