By: Abid
Kareena Kapoor has clarified that she has not been ousted from Kal Ho Na Ho, but rather that she did not accept the role.
In a report to the media, she has openly stated that "Itīs just that I demanded my market price from Yash-ji (Johar). I would have asked for much less than that, but then what he offered me was far less than that. I told Yash-ji, if Karan had been directing the film, I may not even have asked for any remuneration, but the film was being captained by a new director and so, I should be paid a respectable figure. This project was planned even while Yash-jiīs K3G was being made, and believe me, they had, at that time, committed to pay me much more."
According to Kareena, "What hurt me the most was when Yash-ji said, We wonīt be able to afford more than this. After making the kind of money he did in K3G, I donīt think the affording part had any meaning. I guess, they had already made up their minds; they, perhaps, didnīt want me in the project in the first place and my price was made an issue just like that."
Nikhil Advani, Karan Joharīs assistant, who was very much involved in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, will be directing Kal Ho Na Ho, which features Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and now Preity Zinta. The film is rumoured to have Shah Rukh Khan playing a cancer patient.