Kunal Kohli re-defined romance in Hindi cinema
Kunal Kohli re-defined romance in Hindi cinema
Director Kunal Kohli, often hailed as Bollywood’s ‘King of Romance’, was the creative force behind four YRF blockbusters, including the Filmfare Award-winning Hum Tum and the fantasy gem Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic.
Kunal Kohli carved a prime position for himself in the world of romantic storytelling.
His mother, Yash Kohli, was an ardent admirer of Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor, and thus named her son after Shashi Kapoor’s child, Kunal.
Prior to venturing into television, Kunal directed over 20 music videos, collaborating with singers such as Alka Yagnik and Bally Sagoo. He made his television debut with the serial Trikon, and soon after, entered Bollywood with Yash Raj Films’ Mujhse Dosti Karoge released in 2002 and featuring Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukerji, and Kareena Kapoor. Whilst the film underperformed in India, it found success overseas.
He won National recognition with the 2004 released Hindi film Hum Tum, a refreshing romantic comedy featuring Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji. The film Turned out to be a major hit and earned Kunal Kohli the Filmfare Award for Best Director, beating none other than Yash Chopra’s
“Veer-Zaara”.
Kunal followed this with the 2006 released thriller-romance Fanaa, fearuring Aamir Khan and Kajol, which was a resounding success both domestically and internationally.
Later, Kunal Kohli floated his own production house under the banner of Kunal Kohli Productions, debuting with Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic released in 2008. He has since explored multiple creative avenues, including writing, acting, and even directing South Indian films such as Next Enti.
Among Bollywood’s most influential romantic comedies, Hum Tum redefined love stories for a new generation. So impactful was its narrative that it found a place in film critic Shubhra Gupta’s book 50 Films that transformed Bollywood. Yet, its journey to success was far from easy.
At that time around, Yash Raj Films was recognised for grand, traditional love sagas. When Kunal Kohli approached Yash Chopra with a
light-hearted,
Western-style romantic comedy, the veteran filmmaker was sceptical.
He later recalled that Yash Chopra had joked over his earlier film Mujhse Dosti Karoge, saying Hum Tum looked like
Mughal-e-Azam in comparison, a remark that reflected his doubts on a dialogue-driven film with no heavy drama or action.
To test the young director’s conviction, Yash Chopra sanctioned a modest Rs 7.5 crore budget, significantly lower than other YRF projects like Dhoom or Veer-Zaara, and warned that he would not lend his name as producer if the film failed to impress.
With this challenge, Kunal Kohli shot across Delhi and Amsterdam with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji, working under immense pressure.
Saif Ali Khan initially hesitated, unsure of the director’s faith in him. However, the final result silenced all doubts.
When Yash Chopra watched the completed film, he was deeply moved. He reportedly embraced Kunal Kohli and said, “You were right, he was wrong. This is a beautiful film — and he will proudly put etch his name on it.
Hum Tum turned out to emerge as a box office triumph, earning over four times its budget and securing Kunal Kohli’s legacy as one of Bollywood’s most innovative storytellers.
News Edit KV Raman
