Karan Arjun completes 25 years, and this has been a special film in Indian cinema for many reasons. This movie for the first time brought two competing superstars together on the silver screen. It was a treat for both Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan's fans to see their heroes play the roles of brothers.
The film also gave Bollywood its evergreen leading pair of Shahrukh and Kajol, and some memorable songs. Although the film's narrative was the tried-and-tested formula of exploring the reincarnation theme, director Rakesh Roshan's story was refreshing because of the twists and turns in the plot.“When I had written Karan Arjun, I knew I had to write a different kind of a story from all the work I had done. Reincarnation as a topic was doing the rounds since the black and white era but when I decided to make a film on the theme with two brothers, I faced a lot of criticism and rejection. So, I wrote the movie with a different lens like that about a mother-son bond. I had immense belief in the story and somehow knew that my audience would feel and believe every dialogue narrated by the characters. The reaction the movie received then and even today is still overwhelming. The fact that a mother’s dialogue like “Mere Karan-Arjun aayenge” got the status it has, is all because of the conviction it was delivered with. If at that time they returned from an unimaginable place, it would have been accepted by the audience. Conviction is the one element that is behind the success of the movie and the milestone being celebrated today," reveals the director.
However, the biggest selling point of the film was the coming together of the two Khans, both of whom were and have remained superstars of the industry. Talking about working with SRK, Salman says, "Karan Arjun is a special film. It is the first time that Shah Rukh and I came together on-screen. I have so many beautiful memories attached to this movie. Karan Arjun is a complete entertainment package and even 25 years after its release, fans can sit together with their families and enjoy it. The songs, the plot and the dialogues are relevant even today."
Watch Karan Arjun on March 21 on Zee Cinema, 9 pm