Celebrating 25 Years of Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai: A Look Back with Rakesh Roshan
After 25 years, Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai remains a significant milestone in Bollywood history. The film won nine Filmfare Awards, making it the second-highest award winner, just behind Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which took home ten. Director Rakesh Roshan expressed his happiness about this recognition, noting that although he had received awards for his past films, none of those honors came during his time as a director.
Rakesh Roshan shared, “Winning awards for your film is an incredible feeling. There are films that do well at the box office but don’t receive awards. Then there are those that win awards but aren’t hits. Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai achieved both milestones. It was a box office success and also garnered numerous accolades. To have three family members—my brother Rajesh, my son Hrithik, and myself—win awards for the same film is something truly special.”
The film featured Hrithik Roshan in a unique double role, which stood out during a time when films with similar concepts were not doing well. Rakesh Roshan explained the distinctiveness of these roles: “In our film, the two characters played by Hrithik were never seen together. One dies, and the other takes his place. Unlike typical double roles where one character is good and the other bad, both of Hrithik’s characters were good people who approached life differently. The story revolves around Ameesha Patel’s character, who finds herself drawn to the lookalike of her deceased boyfriend, creating a heartfelt narrative about love and loss.”
Reflecting on the decision to cast Hrithik, Rakesh recalled, “On the day I finalized the story, Hrithik was sitting right beside me. Since the story called for a new face, we immediately decided he would take on the role. Contrary to rumors, Shah Rukh Khan was never a contender for this film; he was actually considered for another project of mine.”
The success of Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai was not without its challenges. Shortly after the film’s release, Rakesh faced threats from underworld figures who believed he had promised Hrithik for their projects. He stated, “I never hinted that Hrithik would work with them. I kept refusing to accommodate their requests for dates. Once I committed his schedule to other producers, I stood firm and didn’t give in to their demands. The pressure during that time was immense, and it made the creative process difficult.”
As Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai celebrates its anniversary, it stands out not just as a commercial success but also as a film that launched Hrithik Roshan into stardom, leaving a lasting impact on Bollywood.
