SRK-Kajol-Rani’s Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hain is almost ready

The much awaited animated version of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai titled Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hain is almost ready and is being scheduled to release soon to commemorate 10 years of the film. This mega budget animated venture is a joint production between Karan Johar’s banner Dharma Productions along with Los Angeles-based Prana Studios and the Mumbai based 3D Animation Studios. It is learnt to be featuring the latest innovations in computer graphics matching International cinema standards. However though K2H2 was a very successful film marking the debut of Karan Johar as a director, its animated version is not being directed by him but his Dostana director Tarun Mansukhani.

There was also speculation whether Salman Khan who featured in a Filmfare Award winning performance in the film would dub for his animated character since him and SRK have had a fall out. But now we have learnt that his character will be dubbed by Ritesh Deshmukh. The names of stars who shall lend their voices for this animated film are - Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Uday Chopra, Riteish Deshmukh, Simi Garewal and Sajid Khan.

Shah Rukh, Kajol to dub for Kuchi Kuchi Hota Hai in April

Dharma Productions is on a roll. After churning out Dostana last year, the Karan Johar helmed production house is now gearing up to wrap up its first animation film - Kuchi Kuchi Hota Hai.

The movie is being directed by Tarun Mansukhani and is the animated version of Johar's film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which starred Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukherji.

Mansukhani is now focusing on getting the animated portions done. Speaking exclusively to Businessofcinema.com, he says, "We have more or less a month's work of animation left to be completed before we start on the post production work like dubbing and sound effects. Shah Rukh and Kajol will start dubbing for it from April onwards."

Although this film is an animated version of the original film, Mansukhani said, "We are just keeping the premise and the plot the same. The scenes, the conversations and the scenarios will be different. The music, which was originally scored by Jatin-Lalit, is now being composed by Salim Suleiman. The tunes are the same, but we have changed the lyrics. We have also added three songs to the original soundtrack."

Khan and Kajol recorded a rough voiceover prior to their departure to Los Angeles for the first schedule of Johar's, My Name is Khan. Mansukhani is planning either an August or an October release depending on the suitability of a good date for Kuchi Kuchi Hota Hai. My Name is Khan is also slated to release later this year.

As has already been reported by Business of cinema, some of the other films that are underway at Dharma Productions are Renzil D'Souza's movie starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor and Ayan Mukerji's Wake Up Sid! starring ; Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma.

Animation fails to make SRK-Salman bond

The great divide between Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan has been in news for quite a while. Now, it seems this realistic battle is all set to hit celluloid as well.

News is that Karan Johar, who is making an animated version of his directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai called Kuchie Kuchie Hota Hai has roped in Sanjay Dutt to do the voiceover for the character that Salman played in the original. However, the other actors — Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji — will dub for the animated version.

Some industry people say Sanjay dubbing for Salman could be a result of the SRK-Salman fight as Karan and SRK are close friends and King Khan is in no mood to reconcile with Salman. However, Karan says the inclusion of Sanjay was due to the changes made to the character Salman originally played.

Karan says, “It is true that Sanjay Dutt is lending his voice to the character that Salman played in the original film. In the animated version we made certain modifications to Salman’s character and so after those changes, we realised that Sanjay Dutt was best suited to lend his voice for it. It was not due to any other reason.”

Whatever may be the reason, SRK and Salman are definitely not sharing screen-space, not even in animation.