EXCLUSIVE: Shah Rukh Khan, Senior Director, Hoon Na, was originally titled Hum Tum, REVEALS Farah Khan

At a time when male directors were making the law, Farah Khan came in and was very well positioned in the industry. It was 15 years ago, when his first director, Main Hoon Na, was out (that day) and had beaten several records. Four films already under his belt, the qualified choreographer who became a filmmaker redefined the way in which the industry perceives filmmakers. Not only that, she has also reintroduced masala movies in her own way to Bollywood. While Main Hoon Na is celebrating a decade and a half today, we talked to Farah, who not only revealed that the film had a different title at the beginning, but that she also shared many fun little things. Read more …

Main Hoon Na has just completed 15 years. Let's go back in time. How was the film conceptualized?

I wrote the screenplay keeping Shah Rukh in mind. I wrote it for him. I was very clear about the fact that my first film was to be with him. Although I have had many offers from various actors and producers, I have not moved. In fact, I waited three years for Shah Rukh to begin my film, from the moment he said yes. I wanted to make a young and fun movie on campus with SRK, which was different from the other romantic movies he was part of. I clearly did not want to make the typical romantic film and also present it as an action hero. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai had just been filmed six years before this film. I have therefore written the entire history ulta to suit a person of his age. I wrote the script so that the reason for an actor of his age to join the university does not seem illogical. In addition, I always noticed how good Shah Rukh was with the action, but at that time he only played romantic roles. In my film, he was this macho hero who is also funny and cute. Main Hoon Na has somehow marked the return of the masala films of the 70s.

How many screenplay changes has the film undergone?

We continued to write drafts, but the first time I told him the idea, I remember we were filming for Mohabbatein in Oxford. He had me wait for months for the narration. We had to travel from London to Oxford, which was two and a half hours by car. He therefore asked me to travel with him and the scenario sunao . I had my handwritten script that was very long actually (laughs). By the time we arrived, he heard the entire script and immediately stated that he would not just do it, but would also produce it. I was flying then! But even then, we only started three years later.

Why?

At that time, he had already engaged in many films. There was Kal Ho Naa Ho, K3G, Asoka, Chalte Chalte. So every time he started a new movie, my heart was wondering, "When will my movie start?"

But you and him go back a long way …

(cut) Yes, that's for sure. I've always been sure that once the script approved, it would definitely do it. There was no doubt about it. So many people have said to me: " Woh nahi karega, latka hara hai tujhe ", but I had full confidence in him.

Is it the first title you have chosen?

No, I had another one. He was originally called Hum Tum. I did not register the title because it was one of the names we played with. When we started writing dialogues, I told my writers to write so that Shah Rukh's character told his brother to trust him. It was then that they came with Main Hoon Na. And I said to myself "it must be the title of the film". Many people have heard and said it sounded like the title of an art film (laughs). But I was pretty sure about that.

One of the most iconic scenes that people still remember is the scene of rickshaw hunting.

That was absolutely the idea of ​​Abbas Tyrewala and I laughed. I wanted my action to be fun. I did not want anything bloody or bloody. It had to be accessible to children and women. Throughout the movie, that's why you see that the action is very child-friendly. We died while turning this scene. It was a seven day shoot where we had to make Film City our Darjeeling. So everyone was wearing sweaters and woolen clothes in the heat.

The film also proved to be one of the best rude this year. Did it give you a sense of validation?

Until the weekend, I was only sitting in the bedroom and I was crying because a very big newspaper had published a front-page review giving it half-stars. So I thought it was over for me. Initially, I thought that everything would be fine and that people will like it, but the critics have left me unmotivated. I was in tears until one of the distributors called me and asked me to go see Chandan in Chandan. I lived right next to the temple and I remember taking my two friends out of the building. You will not believe me – people were screaming, clapping and laughing. They were going crazy in front of the Sushmita entrance scene and I realized that the mbades were enjoying my movie. Of course, he made very good numbers too. But this criticism written by Mayank Shekhar completely destroyed my confidence.

SRK was also undergoing surgery for his back injury while shooting.

Yes, he had a terrible back injury that started in Darjeeling. In fact, we took nine months late before resuming filming. In between, he finished Kala Ho Naa Ho and he could do it because it had no action. Just after wrapping KHNH, he was operated on for a titanium disc. Once again, he came back and started doing everything. In this way, Shah Rukh is the best.

Fun incidents that you remember but did not tell you about from shooting …

There were so many. This was one of the best pictures for all the unit. We took over the entire St Paul School in Darjeeling and every weekend we had our own talent show in the lobby. Everyone had the right to participate and it was very entertaining. We would encourage or hoot them by throwing them balls of paper. We felt like we were literally back in college. Plus, poor Zayed is being beaten and beaten by me every day (laughs). He was driving me crazy. He would continue to learn the scenes months in advance, but once on the sets, he would do his own dialogues. If you remember the scene where he has a huge monologue about his father, he learned it for months and during filming, he stated that his father was in the navy and not in the army . It was ridiculous. In addition, Amrita Rao had a cycle sequence in the main song of Hoon Na and she suddenly told us that she did not know how to ride a bike. I told him, "You have three hours to learn it". Obviously, she could not if eventually she stands next to Shah Rukh who is riding a bike.

When do we see you and Shah Rukh meeting again for a movie?

I always finish my script. We are on the dialogue project which will take another month and a half. We will think of casting only after that. But I like to work with Shah Rukh. There is nobody better than him. I would really like to make a movie with him. Why not?

Will your next film with Rohit Shetty put him on the stage?

I do not know for the moment. It also depends on what he plans to do now.

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