Filmmaker revisits a chaotic on-set moment that left a lasting impact
February 10, 2026: Long before becoming one of Bollywood’s most powerful filmmakers, Karan Johar faced a nerve-wracking experience as an assistant on Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Recalling a memorable incident during the shoot of the iconic song Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna, Johar said a last-minute shortage of red scarves for background dancers sparked chaos on set. Tasked with handling costumes, he tried to manage the crisis by improvising a dance move to hide the missing fabric, hoping the quick fix would pass unnoticed.
The situation escalated when legendary choreographer Saroj Khan arrived and immediately sensed something was amiss. Johar recounted how she confronted him sharply, warning that the shoot would not continue unless proper costumes were arranged. What followed was a frantic dash through Goregaon to procure red cloth, an episode Johar admits left him terrified and “traumatised,” though he later acknowledged Saroj Khan’s unmatched professionalism and brilliance despite the harsh lesson.
Released in 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, became a landmark in Hindi cinema. For Johar, the film was not just the start of a storied career but also a crash course in discipline and pressure on film sets. Saroj Khan, who passed away in July 2020, remains remembered as one of Indian cinema’s finest choreographers, whose exacting standards shaped generations of filmmakers and performers.