Karan Johar’s directorial debut “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukherjee, will be screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2028 to celebrate its 30th anniversary, which will also feature Johar.
Johar had received the invite earlier this week at a meeting held with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Screen Scotland’s interim executive director David Smith at the Mumbai office of his banner, Dharma Productions. The conversation focused on Scotland as a location and partner for Indian film and TV, including production and co-production as well as talent development and cultural exchange.
Swinney said, “It was a pleasure to meet Karan Johar in Mumbai and I am delighted that he has accepted the invitation of the Edinburgh International Film Festival to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, which holds a special place in the hearts of communities in Scotland and beyond. I look forward to welcoming him to Edinburgh.”
Swinney said that during his visit to India he met with members of the country’s film industry, including Dharma, about future collaborations. “Scotland’s screen industry has tremendous potential as a creative partner for Indian film and television, offering the infrastructure, expertise and world-class filming locations to support a wide variety of productions,” he said.
In the film, widower Rahul (Khan) is led by his young daughter to her college best friend Anjali (Kajol), who secretly loved him before he married Tina (Mukherjee), while Salman Khan plays Anjali’s fiancé.
Before “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, no major Indian production had been shot so extensively in Scotland. Johar’s unit filmed at Eilean Donan Castle, Glen Coe, Tantallon Castle and Inchmahome Priory, and the Scottish scenes became central to the film’s look. The film was successful in establishing a lasting connection between the country’s landscape and mainstream Indian cinema.
Other guests will also attend the anniversary screening. Dates for the 2028 edition have yet to be announced.
“At EIFF we’re always thinking about the future and what’s next. So we took advantage of an opportunity like this to sow the seeds for a celebration of a famous, much-loved film at our festival, a film that stars some of the most iconic stars of Scottish and Bollywood cinema on screen. We can’t wait to have something truly special for our 81st edition in 2028. But in the meantime, watch this space for more news on our 80th edition next August. Look at it,” said EIFF CEO and Festival Director Paul Ridd.
Ahead of this, the festival will celebrate its 80th anniversary when it runs from August 12-18, 2027. Submissions for that edition will open in January, with more details coming in the coming months.
The milestone edition follows the revival of the festival in 2024 under Ridd and festival producer Emma Boa. EIFF is supported by Screen Scotland.