Shah Rukh Khan has given several memorable performances over the years, but one of the most special characters of the actor is ‘Aman’ from Kal Ho Naa Ho.
Its director, Nikkhil Advani, recently revealed that the actor had read the first page and glanced at other pages of the script rather than reading it. He did it because he trusted Karan Johar’s writing and Advani’s direction.
Nikkhil Advanidebuted as a director with the King Khan starrer, but the superstar expressed full faith in him. He recalled the incident in a conversation on Cyrus Says YouTube channel: “Shah Rukh went to Yash Johar and said, ‘I will do another film with Dharma Productions only if Nikkhil directs it.’
Before the film, Advani was an assistant director on the sets of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, sharing a close bond with him. So, the faith of the actor did wonders for the filmmaker, helping him begin his career on a big note.
He admitted the immense contribution of King Khan and said, “I owe Shah Rukh a lot — I owe him my entire career as a director.” The director also shared that Khan was keen to explore different roles apart from love stories during that phase and they discussed it a lot on set.
Although Karan Johar wrote the plot for the film, he gave the responsibility to Nikkhil for directing it, which was a big opportunity for him. Despite it being the first project, the Pathaan actor didn’t step back. Instead, he didn’t read the script properly because he trusted their vision.
Advani recounted, “Shah Rukhread the first page, glanced over the interval point, and then skipped to the last page. He didn’t read the entire script. He simply said, ‘I know Karan has written it, and you’re directing it, so I’m in good hands.'”
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) still remains an iconic film and Khan’s character Aman made us laugh, blush, and weep while watching the film being etched in our memories. Eventually, it became a massive success at the box office and gained critical acclaim.