'Aditya Chopra insisted on casting me': Saurabh Shukla on playing Uncle Tom in 'Mohabbatein'

If you have ever felt the magic of love in the air, if you have ever loved someone from the bottom of your heart and if you believe love has no boundaries then 'Mohabbatein' is for you. 

In fact, the star-studded silver screen extravaganza 'Mohabbatein' starring Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan among others, which released on this date exactly 20 years ago, is for everyone who is in love, who wants to fall in love as well as for those who feel there is no stronger feeling than this emotion. 

Going by the kind of impact this film had on audiences back in the day, it wouldn't be wrong to say that with the release of 'Mohabbatein' in 2000, the whole idea of what on-screen love stories should look like, changed.

Actor Saurabh Shukla who plays the role of Tom Uncle (Kim Sharma's father) in the film, believes 'Mohabbatein' has the power to influence millennials and says that the films hold a very special place in his heart. 

"Though I had a small role in the film, director Aditya Chopra was keen on casting me in a quirky yet humorous character of Kim Sharma's father. I felt honoured when he told me that no one could have done this better than me. Over the years, I have been choosing characters basis the story of a film, and Mohabbatein had the power to influence the millennials. The film had a charm of youth and their eternal love, which is why the movie is still relatable to the present generation." 

Saurabh who is mostly known for his humorous character in films like 'Mohabbatein', 'Pagalpanti', and 'Jolly LLB' shares, "Humour is the part of everyone's life. If you see my characters carefully, you will realise that they are very serious characters, be it in Mohabbatein, Raid, Pagalpanti or PK. I don't try to create comedy with my characters, it is their interesting life that they go through which is fun and exciting. I don't bring demarcation between serious and funny characters as serious people have funny moments in their life and vice-versa. I believe this is what immortalises the characters that I have been playing so far."

Directed by Aditya Chopra, the movie introduced us to the gorgeous Shamita Shetty, Preeti Jhangiani and Kim Sharma who made their Bollywood debuts and were cast against another debutant Uday Chopra, and other supremely talented actors Jugal Hansraj and Jimmy Shergill.   

'Mohabbatein', with its soulful music, magical dialogues and dazzling performances, is still considered as one of the most romantic movies ever made in India and in these two decades, India's love for 'Mohabbatein' has only grown stronger.

So if you wish to relive the special film, catch a telecast of it on October 27 on Sony MAX2 at 7 pm.