'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' was once sold for just $5,000
What's the story
Renowned filmmaker Karan Johar has made a grand return to the Cannes Film Festival after 12 years. The director is at the festival to promote his latest production, Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan.
At Cannes, Johar shared a surprising memory about his hit film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
He revealed that the European rights of the film were once sold for just $5,000.
This deal was made in 2002 when the director visited Cannes with his father, Yash Johar.
Reminiscence
Johar reflected on humble beginnings
At the time, he thought the amount was very low, but his father told him, "We have to make a start somewhere," which left a lasting impression.
Johar recalled that his father wasn't alive to witness how big K3G became in the coming years.
Despite its massive success globally, it all started with a small deal and a big dream. He spoke about how the film, featuring some of India's biggest stars, went on to create a movement for Bollywood.
Business move
Johar discussed his decision to sell stake in Dharma Productions
Notably, in 2024, Johar sold a 50% stake in his production house, Dharma Productions, to Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla for ₹1,000 crore.
On this, Johar had said they needed funds for the growth of the company.
"I didn't want to do collaborative projects so that all the profitability stays with Dharma Productions. Our biggest hits at that time all had partners because we couldn't finance those films on our own ability, because we were new."
'Devdas'
A red carpet moment that created waves with global media
While discussing Cannes memories, the famous filmmaker also mentioned Devdas stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.
He said they walked the red carpet in 2002 and created a major buzz. Calling the female star "the queen of Cannes," he added that her appearances bring a lot of media excitement every time.
It was one of the early instances of Indian cinema making noise internationally, especially with such powerful personalities involved.