Nearly three decades after its release, DDLJ continues to be a defining film in Bollywood history. But while its visuals felt dreamy on screen, Karan Johar, who worked as an assistant director on the film, recently revealed just how scrappy and hands-on the shoot actually was—especially during the Switzerland schedule.
KJo on His Assistant Director Days
In a conversation with Jay Shetty on his podcast, Karan reflected on his time as an assistant director on Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, calling the year-long experience the “best learning” of his life. With no extra hands on deck, the team handled everything themselves—from buying accessories for the female actors at railway stations to arranging costumes. Recalling their shoot in Switzerland, Karan revealed that the entire unit consisted of just 21 people, all travelling together in a single bus. Director Aditya Chopra would often spot picturesque locations on the go, prompting the team to hop out and shoot on the spot.
Stars Carried Equipment, Kajol Changed Behind Trees
The filmmaker further recalled the bare-bones, all-hands-on-deck spirit of filming Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in Switzerland. He shared that when shooting on the go, Kajol would change sarees behind a tree while Shah Rukh Khan would switch outfits wherever possible. With no dedicated crew to assist, even the lead actors pitched in—carrying equipment up mountains and helping set up shots. “Everyone was a team,” Karan said, highlighting how different things were back then compared to the well-resourced film sets of today.
No Entourages, No Stylists
KJo also reflected on how filmmaking has evolved, noting that unlike today’s large teams and actor entourages, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was made with minimal resources. He recalled that Kajol’s hair and makeup artist couldn’t get a visa for the Switzerland shoot, so he ended up brushing her hair on set while her mother did her makeup. Sharing a memorable moment from filming “Tujhe Dekha To,” Karan revealed that Kajol was meant to wear a saree in the snow—but when the time came, no one on the crew actually knew how to tie one.He shared that during the shoot of Tujhe Dekha Toh, no one on set knew how to tie a saree. He improvised using memories of his mother, resulting in Kajol’s blue saree looking more like a kaftan. Despite the challenges, he said, they had the best time making the film.
