Nikkhil Advani Opens Up About Past Clash with Karan Johar: Reflects on Misunderstandings After Kal Ho Naa Ho's

Renowned filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, celebrated for directing the iconic Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), recently shared insights about his professional fallout with producer Karan Johar and other industry challenges. In an honest conversation with Digital Commentary, Advani opened up about emotional clashes, misunderstandings, and career struggles.

Advani reminisced, “I was very close to his father. It wasn’t a creative clash; it was more of an emotional clash. ‘How could you listen to other people who are saying this about me?’” He revealed that post-Kal Ho Naa Ho, a lack of recognition and rising tensions pushed him to leave Dharma Productions. Feeling overshadowed, he decided to prove his storytelling prowess with Salaam-E-Ishq, which featured multiple love stories.

However, the failure of Salaam-E-Ishq brought challenges. Advani admitted to making choices under pressure, such as taking on Chandni Chowk to China, to revive his career. Reflecting on those times, he said, “There was a three-year period where people stopped taking my calls because my films weren’t working.”

Advani also discussed the strength of industry friendships, highlighting the enduring bonds of Ajay Devgn-Rohit Shetty and Karan Johar-Aditya Chopra-Shah Rukh Khan. Comparing his own experience, he confessed drifting apart from close collaborators like John Abraham and Anil Kapoor. “Me and John drifted apart for a few years… I didn’t talk to Anil Kapoor or Govinda for 10 years,” he said.

Despite these setbacks, Advani and Abraham have rekindled their bond, now sharing conversations about football, politics, and fitness. Their latest collaboration, Vedaa, which premiered in 2024, marks a fresh chapter in their professional journey.

Through his candid revelations, Nikkhil Advani offers a glimpse into the highs and lows of filmmaking, proving that resilience and relationships define a director’s journey in Bollywood.