The Edinburgh International Film Festival will host a 30th anniversary screening of “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” in 2028, with director Karan Johar due to attend. His directorial debut stars Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, with Salman Khan playing a supporting role. Additional guests will join the celebration, though dates for the festival’s 2028 edition have not been announced.
The invitation was extended earlier in the week during a meeting at Dharma Productions’ Mumbai offices, hosted by Johar. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Screen Scotland’s interim executive director, David Smith, joined discussions about opportunities for Scotland to work with India’s film and television industry.
Those talks addressed production, co-production, talent development and cultural exchange, alongside Scotland’s potential as a filming destination. Swinney welcomed Johar’s acceptance of the festival invitation and said the film remained meaningful to communities in Scotland and beyond. He also said his visit to India included meetings with film industry representatives, including Dharma, about possible future collaborations.
Scotland has a significant connection to the film. Before “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” no major Indian production had filmed so extensively in the country. Johar’s team used locations including Eilean Donan Castle, Glen Coe, Tantallon Castle and Inchmahome Priory. Those landscapes helped define the film’s visual character and established an enduring association between Scottish scenery and mainstream Indian cinema.
The story follows Rahul, played by Shah Rukh Khan, a widower whose young daughter guides him back toward his college best friend, Anjali, played by Kajol. Anjali had secretly loved Rahul before he married Tina, portrayed by Mukerji. Salman Khan appears as Anjali’s fiancé.
EIFF chief executive and festival director Paul Ridd said the festival embraced the chance to celebrate a much-loved film that showcases Scotland alongside some of Bollywood’s most prominent stars. The anniversary event will form part of the festival’s 81st edition in 2028. Ridd also pointed to further announcements about the preceding edition.
Before welcoming Johar, EIFF will mark its own 80th anniversary with a festival running from August 12 to 18, 2027. Submissions for that edition will open in January, with additional information expected in the coming months. The milestone follows the festival’s 2024 revival under Ridd and festival producer Emma Boa. Screen Scotland backs the festival.
