Karan Johar on using ‘Keh diya na bas’, ‘mazaakiyaan’ and other K3G references in Rocky Aur Rani: ‘I can’t say it’s original but it works every time’

“I was like, ‘Got it. You have to say, ‘Keh diya na bas keh diya’. She (Jaya) was like, ‘What are you saying?’ Then we decided on the spot, it wasn’t designed earlier. It just came on the set, and I thought, ‘Who better than Jaya Bachchan mouthing that line?’,” shared Johar.

KJo also shared that Ranveer’s Rocky saying, the ‘mazaakiya’ dialogue was also not a part of the script and Ranveer had “subconsciously improvised” it since he is a huge fan of Hindi cinema.

Ever since the film’s song ‘What Jhumka’ has come out, viewers have been drawing parallels between Rocky looking at Rani while she dances and Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) looking at Anjali (Kajol) in K3G. Speaking of the similarity in both the shots, Johar shared, “I just realised after I shot it that… me as a filmmaker doing what I do. I just knew I wanted them to have that moment when she was dancing and he was staring at her. When we were shooting it, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is Shah Rukh looking at Kajal. I am repeating myself.’ But at that point in time, I didn’t know better. It had to be this and nothing else. I was like, ‘What else can I do?’ Sometimes, I believe just for the sake of being different, you land up being different but then don’t land. Some clichés are meant to be repeated. I can’t say it’s original but it works every time.”

Karan also accepted that the hand-holding during the funeral scene “was a full copy of K3G moment.” He even shared that he drew inspiration for the character of Rani’s mother, who speaks some fancy English words, from Moira Rose, a character from the CBC sitcom Schitts Creek. He said, “I was obsessed with Moira Rose and I am obsessed with Schitts Creek, she was my inspiration.”

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is getting repeat audiences in the cinema halls. It is doing well at the ticket counters and has crossed the Rs 100 cr mark in the domestic market. Globally, the film has crossed the Rs 200 cr mark. Karan marked the achievement by expressing gratitude towards everyone who was involved in the making of the film.