Karan Johar offered Rs 25 lakh for ‘Time Machine’ script starring Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla, writer Karan Razdan says: ‘Sona kharidne aye ho ya pital kharidne aye ho’ |

Filmmaker and writer Karan Razdan wears several hats in the film industry, but few know that he was the writer behind the ambitious but stalled film Time Machine. Project, starring Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla And directed by Shekhar Kapur, it created significant buzz before being abandoned. Razdan elaborated on why the film was shelved. Speaking about the story, Razdan expanded on a revelation made by veteran art director Bijan Das Gupta in a 2021 interview. The film revolved around Aamir Khan’s character who accidentally travels back in time and lands in the era of Mahabharata. Explaining the sequence, Razdan said in an interview with Bollywood Hungama, “The character doesn’t know how to operate the time machine. Oh machine ko leke ud jata hai. He lands in the past. When he wakes up, he hears the sounds of war. He looked down and saw a terrible battle going on. Lord Krishna saw him. The protagonist asks the Lord, ‘Ye kya ho raha hai?’. Lord Krishna replied, ‘Mahabharata lodi ja rahi hai’! He was surprised, ‘Oh, this is Mahabharata!’“He also revealed that the hero’s journey was driven by a deep personal desire. “He wanted to meet his mother and father. Paresh Rawal and Rohini Hattangadi played his uncle and aunt. ND Balraj and Gulshan Grover were their son and prince. They mistreated the hero and he was the servant.”Razdan also recalled how the idea for Time Machine arose from a personal tragedy shared by him and director Shekhar Kapur.“Shekhar Kapoor lost his mother while I lost my father within six months of each other. This is when we were doing Dushmani work. We were sitting and we wished to meet our dead parents once more. This is where Shekhar got the idea of ​​time machine and we built it. I wrote the story, screenplay and dialogues in just three months. Shekhar was so charged that he took Laxmikant-Peyrelal on board. I explained the idea to them and later to Anand Bakshi Sahib at his residence. I also narrated to the entire cast including Aamir, Paresh Rawal and others. Paresh told me, ‘Climax narration ke wakt mujhe nikalana padega’. I asked him the reason. In reply he said, ‘Jiska climax sun lia, oh picture chali na hai’! He believed it. I immediately told him, ‘Toh Phir Bhag, Mere Baap’! After the narration was over, everyone was accused.”Asked if the project could still be revived in today’s era of large-scale filmmaking, Razdan revealed that several prominent producers had shown interest over the years.“Manmohan Shetty, Ramesh Taurani and Karan Johar wanted to make it. I even sent the script to Karan but he quoted a ridiculously low price.” He then recounts his conversation with Dharma Productions, where Duo Hansraj He was the head of story department at that time.“Jugal was looking after the story department of Hansraj Dharma. Shekhar spoke to Jugal and the former asked me to meet later. I told Jugal that I would narrate myself. But Jugal said that would not be possible as Karan preferred to read the script. Then I was told that I would be offered Rs 25 lakh. I was shocked.” Come on?Razdan also expressed disappointment with how the talks unfolded.“Karan Johar didn’t even come face to face. Also, Shekhar’s involvement should not be forgotten. It’s basic courtesy.”He also revealed that producer Feroze Nadiadwala had also explored the possibility of reviving the project.“Feroz Nadiadwala wanted to make it. I gave a complete description at Guddu ji’s (Rakesh Roshan) house. Hrithik was also there. But the matter could not be taken forward as they did not know who would direct it. Shekhar made it clear that since I was involved as a writer, I should not dictate what I needed to write.”Razdan revealed that the name of another famous filmmaker was eventually considered, but he wasn’t sure it was the right fit.“Rajkumar Santoshi’s name came up. But I didn’t agree because it’s not her genre.”