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“Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” Karan Johar’s first film as director, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, will screen at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2028 to celebrate its 30th anniversary, with Johar set
to attend.
Johar received the invitation earlier this week at a meeting he hosted at the Mumbai offices of his banner, Dharma Productions, with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and David Smith, interim executive director of Screen Scotland. The talks centered on Scotland as a location and partner for Indian film and TV, covering production and co-production as well as talent development and cultural exchange.
“It was a pleasure to meet Karan Johar in Mumbai, and I am delighted that he has accepted the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s invitation to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ which holds a special place in the hearts of communities across Scotland and beyond. I look forward to welcoming him to Edinburgh,” Swinney said.
Swinney added that during his India trip he had met with members of the country’s film industry, Dharma among them, about future collaboration. “Scotland’s screen industry has tremendous potential as a creative partner for Indian film and television, offering the infrastructure, expertise and world-class filming locations to support a wide range of productions,” he said.
In the film, widower Rahul (Khan) is steered by his young daughter back toward Anjali (Kajol), the college best friend who quietly loved him before he married Tina (Mukerji), while Salman Khan plays Anjali’s fiancé.
No major Indian production before “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” had shot as widely in Scotland. Johar’s unit filmed at Eilean Donan Castle, Glen Coe, Tantallon Castle and Inchmahome Priory, and the Scottish scenery became central to the film’s look. The film went on to forge a lasting link between the country’s landscapes and mainstream Indian cinema.
Other guests will also join the anniversary screening. Dates for the 2028 edition have yet to be announced.
“At EIFF we are always thinking about the future and what’s next. So we jumped at an opportunity like this, to plant the seeds for a celebration of a legendary, much-loved film at our festival, a film featuring Scotland and some of the most iconic stars of Bollywood cinema on screen. We can’t wait for what promises to be something truly special for our 81st edition in 2028. But in the meantime, watch this space for more news of our 80th next August,” said EIFF CEO and festival director Paul Ridd.
Before then, the festival will celebrate its 80th anniversary when it runs Aug. 12–18, 2027. Submissions for that edition open in January, and more details will follow in the coming months.
The milestone edition follows the festival’s revival in 2024 under Ridd and festival producer Emma Boa. EIFF is backed by Screen Scotland.
