Imtiaz Ali is a rich man today only because of Shahid Kapoor! Don’t believe us? Join the director on the latest episode of Mid-day’s Sit With Hitlist series as he reveals how the ‘Jab We Met’ actor became his self-appointed financial advisor. Shahid and Imtiaz collaborated for the first time in 2007 when the filmmaker was to cast him for a different script, but they ended up working on this narrative which became iconic.
‘Jab We Met’ revolves around Aditya Kashyap (Shahid), a heartbroken tycoon, who aimlessly boards a train after attending his ex-girlfriend`s wedding. On board, he meets Geet Dhillon (Kareena), a spontaneous girl who plans to elope with her lover and gets pulled into her rollercoaster life, gradually falling in love with her as she shows him a more fulfilling and entertaining way of living.
Geet was a chatterbox, crazy young girl and Aditya was the stark opposite. The well-known saying `Opposites attract` truly worked for the plot. The film`s songs were also a hit. From `Ye Ishq Hai` to `Mauja Hi Mauja, `Tum Se Hi` and `Aaoge Jab Tum`, every track from `Jab We Met` weaved magic. Over the years, the film has developed a cult status, and rumors keep circulating time and again about a possible sequel.
Imtiaz recalled, “Shahid has guided me quite a lot. He also told me very significantly, ‘Yaar dekhi na, abhi hamari picture thodi chal gayi hai. So, abhi jo doosri picture iske baad jab aap banayenge na sir, don`t fix price right now. Because I feel this film is climbing. I said, ‘I can ask for X number of lakhs’. He says, ‘Haan, maybe you`ll get twice that. And who knows, maybe you`ll get Rs 1 crore also’. Don`t fix it without calling me. Because he thought log isko bewakoof bana denge. Shahid was like a self-appointed guide.”
Imtiaz’s next after ‘Jab We Met’ was ‘Love Aaj Kal’ starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone,
“I waited and Dinu (Dinesh Vijan) suffered. You ask him. He`ll never forget this. He`s like, ‘Sir, the number you said, my head hit the roof’. I said, ‘Blame Shahid Kapoor for this’,” added the filmmaker.
