The 2007 film Jab We Met is self-explanatory. Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s final film as a couple, directed by Imtiaz Ali, received widespread acclaim from both critics and audiences. Aditya (Shahid Kapoor), who has lost all confidence in life, and Geet (Kareena Kapoor Khan), a spunky, talkative girl who lives her life to its fullest, are central to the story. On a train ride, the two meet, and their lives are forever changed.
As this blockbuster film completes 15 years since its release today, we think of recalling some interesting yet unusual facts about ‘Jab We Met’ that you might be interested in knowing.
● ‘Punjab Mail’ & ‘Ishq Via Bathinda’ and not ‘Jab We Met’ was the original name of the film.
● Imtiaz Ali had originally planned to cast Bobby Deol and Ayesha Takia as the lead characters. Bobby Deol was signed by the producers in 2005. Bobby advised them to contact Preity Zinta. She accepted but said she wanted six months to prepare.
● Kareena Kapoor, Imtiaz’s first preference, responded by telling the producers she would only sign on if Bobby Deol was replaced with her then-boyfriend Shahid Kapoor. Even without trying to inform Bobby Deol, the producers concurred and removed him.
● Geet was inspired by a chatty girl whom Imtiaz Ali encountered on a bus in Delhi.
● Remember Hotel Decent’s shady receptionist? Teddy Maurya was working as an art director in the movie when he was requested to portray the role. Many actors supposedly turned down the role due to the lack of screen time. Not only did he play the receptionist, but he also played security personnel in the same film!
● Ratlam sequences have never been filmed in Ratlam. The locations for the sights were shot in Lonavla, Shimla, and Manali instead.
● Following the film’s massive success, many moviemakers decided to recreate it in their native language, however, the movie was only decided to make in Tamil as ‘Kanden Kadhalai.’
