The mood would be grateful, given that in such times we have amazing things to commemorate. But it doesn’t feel like 20 years have gone. I was 18 and this film was a learning experience under Aditya Chopra. I’ve found good friends in Jimmy and Preeti. You don’t get to make such memories and such films often.

On one hand you had the whole strict Gurukul and Mr Bachchan. Then there was the middle ground in Shah Rukh Khan’s character. In us, there were the wide-eyed youngsters. We were told to lose weight, get small haircuts, sleep well and look fresh. All six of us have good memories, it was a lot of hard work but good fun too.

I remember, right from the rehearsals all six of us did, to the first scene, with the three of us looking out of the window — Uday, Jugal and I. Initially, people were saying ‘You should reduce the film’s length’, but Aditya was clear, ‘I’m making a film, trying to tell a story, I don’t want to cut anything. If it works, it works, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.’

I never auditioned for Mohabbatein. Aditya saw me in music videos, and my dad and I went to meet him in his office. The film was a training ground. We were young on set and had fun. I remember Mr Bachchan would sit with us and say, ‘I enjoy spending time with youngsters, not the oldies’.

It is a very surreal feeling. I was so raw at that time, but it was a beautiful experience. I loved the end product on the big screen. I made some beautiful friendships, and am still in touch with most of them. I was someone who always loved watching Yash Chopra’s films, and it was a dream debut. I couldn’t ask for anything better