Karan Johar Reveals Saroj Khan Traumatised Him During Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Here’s What Happened

Karan Johar recalled his days from the sets of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and what happened with a last-minute costume mishap.

By Meghna Rajpal Updated February 10, 2026 11:05 AM

Karan Johar Reveals Saroj Khan Traumatised Him During Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Here’s What Happened

Bollywood director Karan Johar has been in the industry for several decades and has seen many ups and downs. And narrating one such time of his life, the filmmaker said that he was on the receiving end of choreographer Saroj Khan’s temper while working on Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s iconic film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. He said that she scolded him in front of the entire crew and that he was left traumatised by the experience.

Karan Johar About Saroj Khan

During a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India, Karan Johar recalled his days from the sets of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and revealed how a last-minute costume mishap with the ‘Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna’ song landed him in a tough spot with choreographer Saroj Khan. For the unversed, he was working as an assistant to Aditya Chopra on Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. It started when the production house ran short of red scarves for the background dancers, which was a last-minute demand as per Johar.

Standing with more dancers than scarves, he came up with a fix to tackle the situation. He said, “I, to save the situation, went to Jojo, Saroj ji’s assistant, and very cleverly said, you know, Jojo, I think accha lagega, stylish lagega, cool lagega. Because I didn’t have any more clothes.” His solution worked only till Khan walked in and immediately sensed that something was off. Once she realised that Karan was behind it, she scolded him in front of the entire staff.

Also Read: Karan Johar Reveals Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar Made Him Question His Abilities As Filmmaker!

Looking back, he said that she pushed him to run on the streets of Goregaon for the red scarves, no matter how hard it got. Karan Johar said that he was scared for his life at this point, as she really traumatised him after this incident. He also revealed that the choreographer never liked him. Saroj Khan, 71, died on July 3, 2020, after a heart attack. She was taken to Mumbai’s Guru Nanak Hospital a month before her death after complaining about breathing problems.

Also Read: What Saroj Khan Has To Say About Bollywood’s Casting Couch Will Shock You!

First Published: February 10, 2026 11:05 AM

Meghna Rajpal

Patriarchy's worst nightmare (with a cute smile). An introvert walking around with Bollywood Music in the background who will avoid meeting you in public. I write about pop culture, fashion, and everything controversial.