Nikkhil Advani made inroads into Bollywood with a very different genre of filmmaking than the one he’s dabbling in now. From being an Assistant Director on the sets of Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to producing shows like Rocket Boys, from jumping into direction with Kal Ho Naa Ho to now helming upcoming shows like Freedom At Midnight, Nikkhil has found a voice of his own
In an exclusive interview, as his directorial debut Kal Ho Naa Ho completes 20 years, Nikkhil Advani talks about his journey, turning producer, and what he learned from his mentors, Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. Excerpts.
Working with Dharma Productions for the seven years I did, and then working with Aditya Chopra and Yash Raj Films, definitely allowed me to become a more astute producer.
When I’m working with younger directors at Emmay Entertainment, allows me to helm, guide, and steer their projects in a direction that’s required in terms of production, music, and wherever they need my assistance and support.
The biggest learning I got from Karan and Adi was how to assess a script in terms of characters, moments, and beats. When I do a Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway or an Airlift, I always think of how Karan and Adi would approach it from a production point of view.
When you’re working with Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Kiara Advani, or Sidharth Malhotra, my dealing with them is informed by how Karan and Adi dealt with their cast, technicians, and filmmakers
