THIS comedy film 'outperformed' SRK’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai at the box office in 1998

Shah Rukh Khan’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (KKHH) and Govinda’s comedy flick were both huge films in 1998, but Karan Johar recently revealed an interesting twist about how these films performed differently in certain regions.

During a conversation with distributor Komal Nahta, Johar shared a surprising story about Kuch Kuch Hota Hai‘s performance.

After the release of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Karan Johar casually spoke with a distributor from Bihar to check on the film’s performance.

Expecting to hear that it was a huge hit, Johar greeted the distributor with, “Namaste uncle, kaise hai, kaisi chali hai waha?” But the response he got left him shocked.

The distributor said, “Yahan toh average gayi hai.” What came next surprised Karan even more when the distributor added, “Dulhe Raja bahut badi hit hai” (Dulhe Raja is a huge hit here).

This revelation about Govinda‘s Dulhe Raja quickly made headlines. The film, which starred Govinda and Raveena Tandon, became a huge hit in Bihar, leaving Kuch Kuch Hota Hai behind, at least in terms of regional success.

While Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji, became a global sensation for Hindi audience, it was Dulhe Raja that dominated Bihar’s box office.

Made on a budget of INR5 crore, Dulhe Raja earned over INR20 crore, making it a major success and further solidifying Govinda as a favourite star of that time.

On the other hand, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was a love story that captivated audiences around the world.

Shah Rukh Khan, at the height of his career, brought his usual charm to the film, which was also his first time working with Karan Johar as a director. The movie made INR46 crore at the Indian box office, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1998.

Shah Rukh Khan‘s portrayal of Rahul, along with the performances of Kajol and Rani Mukerji, turned KKHH into a cultural phenomenon.