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Karan Johar recalls facing Saroj Khan’s anger on DDLJ sets: "She literally pushed me; I was scared for my life"
Karan Johar admits in an interview that working with Saroj Khan on Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge left him traumatized.
Filmmaker Karan Johar recently revisited an unforgettable incident from the sets of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. He revealed how a production goof-up led to an explosive confrontation with late legendary choreographer Saroj Khan. Speaking in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Karan admitted that his experience working with Saroj Khan left him deeply shaken, confessing that he was “traumatized” by her reaction and firmly believed that she never liked him.
When Karan Johar faced Saroj Khan's anger
At the time, Karan was working as an assistant to director Aditya Chopra on the iconic Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer. The incident occurred during the filming of the song Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna, when the production team suddenly realized they were short of red scarves meant for background dancers. With more dancers than available fabric, he attempted a quick fix to avoid delaying the shoot. He recalled, “I, to save the situation, went to Jojo, Saroj ji’s assistant, and very cleverly said, you know, Jojo, I think achha lagega (it will look good), unko bolo, apna ek haath pocket mein rakho (tell them to keep one hand in their pocket), stylish lagega, cool lagega (it will look cool, it will look stylish). Because I didn’t have any more cloth.”
The workaround appeared successful until Saroj Khan arrived on set. Karan said she immediately sensed something was wrong. Recounting the moment, Karan said, “She literally pushed me. She said, ‘Tu jahaan jana chahe, ja, Goregaon ja, laal kapda la, warna main shoot nahi karungi’ (Go wherever you need to go, go to Goregaon, bring the red cloth, otherwise I will not shoot).” Karan recalled, “I still remember the visual of us running on the streets of Goregaon saying, ‘Laal kapda! Laal kapda! (Red cloth! Red cloth!). I was scared for my life. I was traumatized, traumatized, you know, and she was really scary. Like, she was the best. She somehow did not like me. She never liked me.”
Saroj Khan passed away at the age of 71 on July 3, 2020, following a cardiac arrest, leaving behind a towering legacy in Indian cinema.
Karan Johar's work front
Karan Johar continues to remain active as a producer, with projects like Nagzilla with Kartik Aaryan and Chand Mera Dil starring Lakshya and Ananya Panday.
