When Sooraj Barjatya Was Told 'Go Away, This Is For Paapi Log' At Club; Farah Khan Surprised, Dialed Karan Johar
Sooraj Barjatya recalls his one-time visit to a Mumbai nightclub, where a patron told him, "Yeh hum paapi logo ke liye hai."
Anyone familiar with Sooraj Barjatya’s brand of cinema wouldn’t picture him stepping foot inside a nightclub. Known for his wholesome family dramas, the filmmaker has stayed far from the party circuit—and by his own admission, he’s never visited one. Except for one amusing incident when curiosity got the better of him, and it ended with him being politely asked to leave.
In a recent interview with Mid-Day, the Hum Saath Saath Hain director shared how, years ago, he decided to visit a Mumbai nightclub while prepping for Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, which starred Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, and Abhishek Bachchan. Accompanied by his wife, Sooraj walked in, only to bump into Farah Khan, who couldn’t hide her shock.
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“Farah was so surprised and excited that she yelled, ‘What are you doing here?’" Barjatya recalled. Farah didn’t stop there—she immediately dialed Karan Johar to share the surprise. “She immediately called up Karan, and was like, ‘Karan, look who is here’," he added with a laugh.
Trying to blend in, Sooraj sat quietly in a corner, observing the scene around him. But soon, a man dancing in the club approached him. Barjatya shared, “A man who was just dancing in the club, walked up to me and asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ I said, ‘I am just here to observe things.’ He was like, ‘No, you go away from here. Yeh hum paapi logo ke liye hai.’" Taking the hint, Barjatya left, thinking, “Maybe, I am not meant to be here."
Sooraj Barjatya made his directorial debut at just 24 with the romantic blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), a film that not only launched Salman Khan’s career but also revived the romance genre in Indian cinema. His storytelling focused on clean, emotion-driven narratives, steering clear of the typical glitz and boldness seen elsewhere.
He followed up with Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), which became a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever. Through its portrayal of family, rituals, and relationships, Barjatya established a formula that resonated with audiences across generations.
Over the years, he delivered more family-centric successes like Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), Vivaah (2006), and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), often collaborating with Salman Khan and sticking to his signature style: stories celebrating togetherness, moral values, and emotional bonds, all set within grand but grounded backdrops.
Even with evolving trends in Bollywood, Sooraj Barjatya remained steadfast in his approach. His most recent film, Uunchai (2022), marked a slight shift—focusing on friendship and aging—but retained his hallmark emotional core.
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