It's almost 14 years since the release of KaranJohar Movie Kal Ho Naa Ho.The movie was directed by the Very first-time director Nikhil Advani. While it was a dream come true for the debut of an array for Nikkhil, Karan, who was the writer and the producer of the film, "deeply disappoint" for not directing.
He says, "It was hard. When I look back, I feel I should have never given anybody else the opportunity to direct this film. Now I would never make the mistake of writing a film and giving it to another director. Today when I write that I'm the director of this film and that film, and I don't have Kal Ho Naa Ho. It bothers me. I just feel terrible I didn't direct it. I don't know why I gave it away. It should have been me all along. I deeply regret that the film does not have my name on it as a director."
One of a marvellous film production houses in the country, Karan further writes that he was advised by his close friends to do the film himself but somehow, couldn't bring himself to do it. About this, he says, I felt it was karma. The film was not mine anymore. It was his. I was almost going to call him for a discussion once. Then I stopped myself. I wanted to say that Nikhil, I think I should direct this film."
Karan had directed two truly successful films before Kal Ho Naa Ho in the form of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.Karan says, "It had to happen because there was an inherent conflict between the writer of the film who was on set and the director who was executing it, but more than anything else because we had a history before that; then we rose above it."