Dharmendra and Shabana in the scene. (Courtesy: Twitter)
Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani opened to mixed reviews. The film stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan in the lead roles. While a large section of the audience has been going gaga over Ranveer Singh's super energetic performance as Rocky Randhawa, some people have found Alia Bhatt adorable as Rani Chatterjee. However, all these conversations got sidelined when Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi's kiss took centre stage. Ever since the film released on Friday in theatres, the kiss between two senior actors in the film has been keeping the Internet abuzz. Recently filmmaker Karan Johar addressed this much-talked about kiss during his conversation with film critic Anupama Chopra for Film Companion. Asked if Karan Johar took time to convince Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi for the scene, Karan Johar said to Anupama Chopra, "Shabanaji (Azmi) is a trooper. She's a master actor. She's a "baap" actor as they say. There's no debate, no question. Dharam ji was like, 'haan theek hai karna hai, fine'. (It was) two great veterans, performing with absolute aplomb, no questions asked. It was glorious to see them."
Karan Johar also added that he wanted it to be "just a peck" and "nothing more than that." In the film, Dharmendra is shown in a wheelchair. He walks up to Shabana Azmi only twice in the movie. First, while he sings Abhi na jao and the other time when he sings, Aaj Mausam. Many people pointed out the lack of logic in the scene and questioned how Dharmendra could walk in those two scenes. Karan Johar argued, "My logic is love makes him walk. Love can move mountains. Why can't it make a man walk?"
A day before, film veteran Dharmendra also gave an interview to News 18 and shared his thoughts about the "kiss". He said, "I am hearing that Shabana and I have surprised the audience with the kissing scene, and at the same time they have even applauded it. I think people weren't expecting it and it came very suddenly which is why it created an impact. The last time I did a kissing scene was in Life In A Metro with Nafisa Ali and at that time too people had appreciated it."
Dharmendra added, "When Karan [Johar] narrated the scene to us, I did not get excited. We [Shabana Azmi, Karan Johar and Dharmendra] understood it and I realised that it was something that the film required and wasn't forcefully put in and I said I will do it. Also, I believe there is no age for romance. Age is just a number and two people irrespective of age will show their love for each other by kissing. Shabana [Azmi] and I both did not feel any kind of awkwardness while doing it."
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani released in theatres on Friday. The film marks Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt's second collaboration after Gully Boy. The film also marks Karan Johar's return as a director after seven years.