Karan Johan: I wanted to do love song that would pay homage to my guru Yash Chopra

On Wednesday, Dharma Production released the first single Tum Kya Mile from their upcoming Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani directed by Karan Johar. Ahead of the song's release, the filmmaker penned a detailed and heartfelt note on Instagram. 

He wrote, "I remember at the very onset my instinct was that I wanted to film a love song that would unabashedly pay homage to my guru Yash Chopra. The thinking evolved mind would say “you can’t match it or even dare to emulate it" but the fanboy and the ardent lover of snow, chiffons, the stunning locations of Kashmir and sheer romance got the better of me." 

Thanking those involved in the project, he further wrote, "Pritam Dada and I yearned for a song for the ages from the ages and it had it be unapologetic or it wouldn’t be true. My deepest gratitude to Vaibhavi Merchant who got the Memo better than I did and completely took charge and being a Yash Chopra lover herself. She gave her heart to our song."

Revealing that this was the first shot Alia took after giving birth to her daughter, he said, "I remain in apology for freezing her in Manish Malhotra chiffons. In sympathy I fell drastically ill through the shoot (a karmic punishment perhaps) Ranveer was nervous as this was his first lip sync mountain love song but he was a real trooper. So we are back to the valleys for an ishq wala lip sync chiffon saree song. I hope you feel the love as much as we felt the cold."

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani marks Karan’s return to the director’s chair after seven years. Although he directed shorts in Netflix anthologies Lust Stories and Ghost Stories, the last feature film helmed by him was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016).

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is scheduled to be released on July 28.