Nostalgia on the Sets of 'Karan Arjun'
In the realm of Indian cinema, few films have struck a chord quite like 'Karan Arjun', a film that mixes the fascinating elements of reincarnation and revenge through the lens of drama and action. The force behind this beloved cinematic classic is director Rakesh Roshan, whose storytelling prowess brought the compelling narrative of two brothers, Karan and Arjun, to life. The film stars two of Bollywood's most iconic actors, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, whose performances have since remained etched in the hearts of fans.
Recently, Roshan took a walk down memory lane, sharing intimate details about the film's production, some of which highlight the sheer dedication and humility of its cast. It's a story of simplicity and camaraderie, a tale that unfolds in the tiny rooms and makeshift hotels of a bygone era in Bollywood. With the movie set for a re-release on November 22, 2024, it's a fitting moment to revisit these treasured memories.
The Humble Beginnings
The 1990s were a time before sprawling sets and luxurious accommodations became commonplace in Bollywood. Filmmaking was a simpler affair, as Roshan fondly remembers while discussing the challenging yet fulfilling journey of creating 'Karan Arjun'. This simplicity is perhaps best exemplified by the accommodations provided to the film's lead stars. When production commenced in a remote village, Roshan faced the challenge of ensuring his cast was comfortable, especially as the area severely lacked adequate hotel facilities.
Faced with no other choice, Roshan took a bold step and funded an under-construction ashram to convert it into a hotel. This decision was not merely motivated by necessity but by his deep-seated commitment to keeping his cast comfortable. Despite this, the rooms were modest by any standard. Measuring 15 by 15 feet apiece, they were a far cry from the suites now synonymous with celebrity stays. The director recalls asking the builders to construct bathrooms in each room, which, while crucial for comfort, reduced the already limited space.
Stars in Their Natural Elements
What stands out most in Roshan's anecdotes is not just the frugality of their accommodations, but how the two Khans embraced the situation with aplomb. In a heartwarming observation, Roshan noted that the inherent traits of Shah Rukh and Salman perfectly complemented their respective roles in the film. Their dynamic personalities and on-screen chemistry were reflections of their real-life personas.
For both stars, staying in simplified conditions seemed to harmonize with their journey into their characters’ depths. Karan and Arjun, although products of the fictional world, became extensions of their true selves, rendered beautifully on screen. According to Roshan, directing them was a joy in itself, often blurring the line between the characters and the actors portraying them.
Memories Beyond the Set
The charm of Roshan's storytelling lies not just within the film's narrative, but in the snippets of life he captures beyond the camera. One of the more amusing recollections concerns the morning rituals on set. Preparing for early morning scenes often required waking up the stars at the crack of dawn. Roshan recounts this task with a chuckle, likening it to waking up children. Visiting their rooms as early as 6 AM, he made sure to stay until they were up and prepared for the day's shoots. This routine, woven with laughter and camaraderie, added warmth to the demanding schedule, highlighting the mutual respect and fondness between director and actors.
Legacies Cemented
'Karan Arjun' first graced the silver screen in 1995, introducing audiences to a story of resilience, courage, and familial bonds. It offered not only enthralling performances but also memorable songs that continue to resonate. With its re-release, a new generation is set to experience the magic that captivated audiences almost three decades ago. For Roshan and the film's dedicated cast and crew, it's an opportunity to share the story once more, ensuring its legacy lives on.
To those who witnessed its original release, 'Karan Arjun' remains more than just a film; it is a testament to an era, a snapshot of cinematic evolution during the '90s where the heart of filmmaking was defined by passion rather than luxury. As Roshan's anecdotes reveal, behind the camera lay a world marked by humility and dedication, underscoring the true essence of storytelling rooted in shared dreams and memories.
8 Comments
Joshua Gucilatar
November 20 2024
The sheer logistical ingenuity of converting an under-construction ashram into a functional hotel during the '90s Bollywood grind is nothing short of cinematic itself. No air conditioning, no room service-just 15x15 feet of concrete, a toilet squeezed in like an afterthought, and two future legends sleeping like college kids on a road trip. Roshan didn’t just direct a film; he orchestrated a commune of artistic devotion. The fact that SRK and Salman didn’t complain? That’s the real special effect. No CGI could replicate that authenticity.
Modern Bollywood stars would demand a five-star suite with a personal chef, a yoga instructor on standby, and a Spotify playlist curated by their therapist. Back then? They got dust, mosquitoes, and each other. And yet, they delivered a masterpiece that still haunts our nostalgia. That’s not luck-that’s discipline dressed in dhotis and denim.
Also, the bathroom compromise? Genius. Sacrificing square footage for dignity. That’s architecture with soul.
And let’s not forget: the morning wake-ups. That’s not directing. That’s parenting with a clapboard.
God, I miss when movies were made by humans, not HR departments.
jesse pinlac
November 21 2024
One must question the romanticization of this so-called 'simplicity.' It is not humility-it is deprivation masquerading as virtue. To glorify substandard living conditions as 'authentic' is to indulge in a form of aesthetic colonialism, wherein Western audiences fetishize the suffering of Indian laborers and artists as 'charm.'
Moreover, the notion that Shah Rukh and Salman were 'humble' because they endured inadequate facilities is a gross misreading of power dynamics. They were the highest-paid actors in the industry-this was not poverty; it was a calculated image-building exercise orchestrated by Roshan’s PR machine. The ashram conversion? A publicity stunt dressed in saffron.
And yet, we are expected to weep over their 'dedication' while ignoring the systemic exploitation of the construction workers who built those rooms without proper wages or safety protocols. This is not nostalgia. It is historical amnesia wrapped in a Bollywood soundtrack.
Jess Bryan
November 22 2024
Let’s be honest-there’s no way Roshan paid for that ashram out of pocket. Someone was funding this. Probably the same people who 'disappeared' the original negative of 'Karan Arjun' before the 2002 re-release. The ashram wasn’t a hotel-it was a front. They needed a secluded location to shoot the reincarnation scenes without interference. That’s why the village was so remote. That’s why the rooms were so small. Too many witnesses, too many secrets.
And don’t get me started on the 'morning wake-ups.' Why 6 AM? Why not 7? Because they were filming something else during those hours. Something that didn’t make the final cut. Something that involved the brothers… together… in ways the script never mentioned.
They say the film was about two brothers. But what if it was really about three? And the third one never made it out of that ashram?
Ronda Onstad
November 23 2024
I just want to sit with this for a second. The image of Roshan standing outside those tiny rooms at 6 a.m., not yelling, not threatening, just… waiting. Patiently. Like a parent who knows their kid needs five more minutes but also knows if they wait too long, the whole day unravels.
And then, after a few knocks, the door creaks open-Shah Rukh, hair sticking up, half-asleep, maybe still in his pajamas, grinning like he just won the lottery because he’s about to do something he loves. And Salman, already halfway through his chai, nodding like, 'Yeah, let’s go. I’ve been ready.'
There’s something sacred about that. Not the ashram. Not the budget. Not even the film. It’s the quiet, unglamorous act of showing up-for each other, for the craft, for the story-when no one’s watching. No red carpets. No influencers. Just two guys who knew their roles better than anyone else, because they lived them, even when the cameras weren’t rolling.
I think that’s why we still care. Not because it was fancy. But because it was real. And real things? They don’t fade.
Also, I hope the re-release includes the blooper reel of Shah Rukh trying to ride that horse and falling off laughing. That’s the real gem.
Steven Rodriguez
November 24 2024
Let’s not forget this was a time when Indian cinema didn’t bow to Western standards. No CGI. No green screens. No studio interference. Just raw, unfiltered passion. Roshan didn’t need a billion-dollar budget-he had something far more powerful: conviction. And those two Khans? They didn’t need fancy trailers or private jets. They had each other. They had the script. They had the soul of the story.
Compare that to today’s Bollywood, where actors demand organic kale smoothies on set and hire entire PR teams to manage their 'authenticity.' Meanwhile, they’ve never slept in a room smaller than a penthouse suite. How can you portray a man who’s suffered if you’ve never been hungry? How can you portray brotherhood if you’ve never shared a bed with someone because there was no other option?
This isn’t just nostalgia. It’s a rebuke. A reminder that greatness doesn’t come from luxury-it comes from sacrifice. And if you don’t understand that, you don’t understand cinema. You just understand marketing.
And for the record: the ashram wasn’t a 'stunt.' It was a statement. A middle finger to the idea that art needs money to matter.
Zara Lawrence
November 25 2024
It is deeply troubling that the article frames the conversion of a religious site into a temporary lodging facility as an act of benevolence. The ashram, presumably dedicated to spiritual practice, was repurposed for the convenience of secular entertainers. This constitutes a profound cultural desecration, masked as sentimentality. The director’s actions, while framed as 'dedication,' were in fact a violation of sacred space for the sake of cinematic indulgence.
Furthermore, the suggestion that Shah Rukh and Salman exhibited 'humility' through their endurance of substandard accommodations is a dangerous myth. Their presence alone would have drawn crowds, disrupted rituals, and attracted media attention-thus undermining the sanctity of the site. The fact that this is celebrated as 'heartwarming' reveals a disturbing moral blindness in contemporary discourse.
And what of the spiritual community displaced by this enterprise? Were they compensated? Were they consulted? Or were they merely erased from the narrative, as is so often the case when art is prioritized over ethics?
This is not nostalgia. It is erasure dressed in sepia tones.
Ashley Hasselman
November 25 2024
So let me get this straight: the director turned a religious building into a hotel because the stars didn’t have five-star accommodations? Wow. What a tragedy. The horror of a 15x15 room with a toilet. I’m crying. I’m literally crying.
And the fact that they didn’t complain? That’s not humility-it’s just that they knew if they complained, they’d get replaced by someone cheaper. And Roshan? He didn’t care about comfort-he cared about control. Tiny rooms mean less privacy. Less privacy means less chance of them sneaking off to party. Classic director tactic.
Also, 'waking them up like children'? Yeah, because adults don’t have alarms. But sure, let’s pretend this is some sweet bonding moment and not a power play wrapped in a Bollywood soundtrack.
It’s not nostalgia. It’s just bad management with a pretty filter.
Kelly Ellzey
November 25 2024
you know what i love most about this story? it’s not the ashram or the rooms or even the movies-it’s how simple things can hold so much meaning when people care about each other. like, imagine waking up at 6am and just… going to someone’s door, knocking gently, waiting, smiling, knowing they’re gonna grumble but they’ll get up because you’re all in this together. no fancy coffee machines, no personal assistants, just… presence.
and shah rukh and salman? they weren’t stars in those rooms-they were just two guys trying to make something beautiful. and rakesh roshan? he wasn’t just a director-he was the glue. he saw them as people, not assets.
today, we have so much tech and money and influencers and algorithms telling us what’s 'authentic'-but we’ve lost the quiet magic of showing up, even when it’s hard. even when the bathroom is tiny. even when the bed is lumpy. even when you’re tired.
maybe that’s why this film still lives. not because of the reincarnation plot, but because it was made by humans who remembered how to be human.
and honestly? i think we need more of that.
ps: i hope the re-release has the outtakes of salman trying to do the fight scene and accidentally kicking a goat. that’s the real legacy.