After Twinkle Khanna turned down Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Karan Johar helms ad featuring her alongside husband Akshay Kumar
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 20, 2018)

It is no secret that Karan Johar had envisioned Twinkle Khanna in the role of Tina for his directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). While the story of Khanna turning down the coveted role has since become part of film lore — the actor-turned-author even jokes that Rani Mukerji has her to thank for the breakthrough role — Johar recently fulfilled his dream of directing his good friend. The director shot a commercial featuring Khanna and husband Akshay Kumar under his banner, Dharma 2.0.

Talking about directing his muse for the first time, Johar reveals that Khanna's honesty as an artiste makes her a director's delight. "Tina is as candid in front of the camera as she is in real life and that honesty makes her connect with the audience. I've always wanted to work with her since my directorial debut. It's a happy coincidence that I got to direct Tina around the same time that we celebrated 20 years of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai," said Johar. Shot at Mehboob Studio, the ad also marks Johar's first collaboration with Kumar as a director.

Khanna, on her part, was happy to reunite on-screen with her husband. She quipped that Kumar was a natural fit for the Adani Wilmar ad for a brand of rice, given his culinary skills. "Our kitchen is more Akshay's domain than mine. He likes cooking and I like eating, so it's a good equation."