As the movie is set to soon complete 21 years, we give you some interesting trivia on its making...

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Revisiting Mohabbatein: Looking back at the making of the SRK - Big B - Aishwarya Rai multistarrer

Team CE

Updated:29th Jul, 2021 at 7:39 AM

The film ran for 3 hrs 46 min, making it one of the Top 10 longest Hindi movies from Bollywood.

The other films in the top 10 are LOC Kargil, Mera Naam Joker, Sangam, Lagaan, Khatarnaak, and Khatarnaak.

Karan Johar had designed clothes for Amitabh Bachchan’s character in the movie. Big B’s look was more Indo-western with those long length Bandhgalas.

Shamita Shetty and Kim Sharma’s role were earlier offered to Karishma Kapoor and Kajol, but they rejected it.

Sridevi was supposed to play Amitabh Bachchan’s love interest in the movie but after she rejected the role, the makers decided to remove the character from the movie.

Shah Rukh Khan agreed to do the film without looking at the script first.

Longleat, a country house in Wiltshire, England, was used as the location of Gurukul. Oxford and Cambridge Universities were also used for filming.

Shah Rukh Khan’s name in the movie was inspired from his son Aryan.

All the six newcomers started rehearsing for the film six months prior to shooting.

Originally, Aishwarya Rai's character was meant to be a guest appearance. However, after the film released, her role became so popular that the makers decided to market hers as a regular casting.

Mithun Chakraborthy was signed to play a special appearance. He was signed to play Shefali Shetty army husband. Aditya decided to scrap the role due to the length of the film.

Uday Chopra wanted Rinke Khanna opposite him in the film. But Aditya Chopra insisted a new comer be launched opposite him. Shamita Shetty was then cast.

Aditya Chopra had written a role opposite Amitabh Bachchan. When Sri Devi rejected the role, he approached Madhuri Dixit.

. Aishwarya Rai's face was not shown with her in the trailer prior to the movie release. She being lesser popular back then, many speculated the character as Kajol or Madhuri Dixit.

Amitabh Bachchan was out of work and with no makers approaching him, he approached Yash Chopra for some work, and was offered a role in the movie.

This movie was a solid boost to Amitabh Bachchan’s second innings back in the 2000s.

Mohabbatein was Aditya Chopra’s second directorial venture after 'Diwali Dulhania Le Jayenge'.

Yash Chopra's favorite scene was where Shah Rukh is looking at the sky crying, blaming himself for the 3 boys getting thrown out of Gurukul.

While filming 'Aankhein Khuli', Jugal Hansraj fractured his ankle, when trying to leap over the dancers and carry Kim Sharma. They filmed some of the close-ups with him wearing a cast.

Sameera Reddy was approached for the film but she declined as she was not ready for films. Preeti Jhangiani was then signed for the role.

Sachin Tendulkar was signed to play Amitabh Bachchan's step son in the film. His role was later dropped from the script.

In the 1990's Gulshan Kumar had launched a film titled ' Mohabbatien ' to be directed by Yash Chopra. The film was shelved.

Priyanka Chopra was approached by Yash Chopra for Shamita Shetty' s role. But she had to decline as she was still under contract for the Miss World pageant.

Rani Mukerji was offered the role of Megha but she refused it since she did not want to play the role of a spirit after playing one in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. The role was subsequently played by Aishwarya

Director Vipin Handa wanted to direct a film titled 'Mohabbatien' in 1997. It was to be Muslim social starring Twinkle Khanna, The film idea got scrapped.

Aditya Chopra had claimed that if Mohabbatein was to be made in 1980s, the film would suited Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan.

Since the 1970s, Yash Chopra had wanted to make films like Chandni, Vijay & Mohabbatein and had registered the titles. Yash Chopra had intended to make Vijay with Amitabh and Chandni with Rekha.

Jugal and Jimmy were relaunched in the film though they had done some films before.

Shamita Shetty made her debut in this film appearing alongside Shahrukh Khan but she was not his love interest. Seven years earlier her elder sister Shilpa Shetty also made her film debut opposite SRK

The film released alongside Mission Kashmir; ironically SRK and Amitabh were offered Mission Kashmir too.

The playback for all youngsters was done by newcomers.

Srk played an older character in the film for the first time, unlike his other films.

Uday. Jugal. Jimmy were supposed to act in the three Khans' style - Uday as Salman, Jugal as Aamir and Jimmy as SRK.

Mohabbatein's soundtrack was composed by Jatin–Lalit and lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi.

Mohabbatein marked the first collaboration between Bachchan and SRK.

After Mohabbatein, SRK and Aishwarya Rai appeared in Devdas (2002). Just before Mohabbatein, they played siblings in Josh (2000).

Produced on a budget of ₹19 crore (US$2.7 million), Mohabbatein was billed as one of the most expensive Hindi films to that point

With a worldwide gross of ₹90 crore (US$13 million), the film became a major critical and commercial success. It was the highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year worldwide.

SRK won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his performance and also received a Filmfare Award for Best Actor nomination.

5 million soundtrack albums were sold. Yash Chopra earned an advance of ₹75 million for the music rights.

The film's background score features leitmotifs that relate to each of the main characters (each couple having unique theme music)

In the movie, the festival of Holi occurs before valentines day, a sequence which is not possible.

Aditya Chopra was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Director and the film was also nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Film.

With Mohabbatein, Bachchan was finally able to shed his 'hero' image and to play older, more mature roles.

The railway station scenes were shot at Apta Railway Station in Panvel, Maharashtra.

The scene where Karan asks for friendship from Kiran was shot at Birla Mandir in Hyderabad.

Here are a few more memorable snapshots from the musical...