Darshan Jariwala, who played Ranbir Kapoor’s father in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, has opened up about the chemistry between Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif during the making of the 2009 film. In a chat with Siddharth Kannan, the actor spoke about how actors often draw from their own lives and emotions while playing characters, before recalling the atmosphere on the sets of the film.
Jariwala was part of Rajkumar Santoshi’s romantic comedy, which starred Ranbir and Katrina in the lead roles.
Darshan Jariwala Says Ranbir Kapoor And Katrina Kaif Drew From Their Own Lives
Speaking about where an actor gets the material for a performance, Jariwala said that performers often borrow from their own experiences and emotions. “Ek actor apna material kahan
se laata hai? Apne aas-paas ki aur apni khud ki zindagi mein se. Kuch purist ise emotional memory bhi kehte hain. Koi alag theory mein unka naam kuch alag hai, lekin mera jo niji tajurba hai, mera jo niji emotions hain, jo niji bhaav hain, jazbaat hain, wahi main mere kirdaaron mein daalta hoon.”
He then connected that idea to the chemistry visible between Ranbir and Katrina in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. “Toh hua hoga wahi, kyunki jo aap screen pe dekh sakte the, woh kahan se aaya? I think usmein toh koi do baat nahi hai ki woh chemistry thi, toh woh dikhi set pe.”
‘We Were All Together During The Ooty Shoot’
Jariwala went on to recall the 40-day schedule in Ooty and said the cast and crew spent a lot of time together during the shoot. “Hum sab saath mein hi the. Woh jo poore 40 din Ooty ka hamara jo shoot tha, toh we were all together.”
Ranbir-Katrina’s Romance Became A Talking Point
At the time Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani was filmed, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif’s personal lives were already making headlines. Katrina was rumoured to be dating Salman Khan, while Ranbir was in a relationship with Deepika Padukone.
Ranbir and Katrina eventually began dating, although that happened after their respective relationships with Deepika and Salman had ended. Later, in 2016, in a chat with Vogue, Ranbir admitted to falling in love with Katrina on that set. “It had simple storytelling, it had heart, and I also fell in love during that film, with Katrina,” he had said.
Interestingly, Salman Khan also starred in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani in a cameo. Darshan Jariwala, however, did not claim to know what was happening privately between the three stars. When asked about any nervousness or tension on the day Salman was on set, he simply said, “Woh toh mujhe maaloom nahi hai.”
Years later, the two actors moved on to different relationships. Ranbir Kapoor began shooting Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra with Alia Bhatt in 2018 and the two fell in love while working on the film. They eventually married in April 2022. Katrina Kaif, meanwhile, went on to marry actor Vicky Kaushal on December 9, 2021, in an intimate ceremony in Rajasthan.
