Farah Khan, Tanishaa Mukerji on KKHH Scotland shoot: 'We wore garbage bags'
Synopsis
More than 25 years on, the making of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' still has stories to tell. Farah Khan and Tanishaa Mukerji have revealed that the crew beat Scotland's freezing cold by wrapping themselves in garbage bags — and that one of Bollywood's most iconic songs was shot with nothing but a single reflector and a sheet of thermocol.
Key Takeaways
Farah Khan and Tanishaa Mukerji shared behind-the-scenes memories of the Scotland shoot of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' on Farah's YouTube vlog .
The crew reportedly wore garbage bags as makeshift insulation against the freezing cold during the title track shoot.
Farah revealed the iconic song was filmed near a castle in Scotland using just one reflector and thermocol .
Tanishaa had travelled from Australia , where she was studying, to accompany her sister Kajol on the schedule.
Directed by Karan Johar , 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' was released in 1998 and remains one of Bollywood's biggest blockbusters.
Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan and actress Tanishaa Mukerji have shared candid memories of the biting cold they endured during the Scotland schedule of the 1998 Bollywood classic 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', revealing that the crew resorted to wrapping themselves in garbage bags to stay warm. The reminiscence surfaced during Farah's latest YouTube vlog, filmed at Tanishaa's home.
The Garbage-Bag Survival Trick
Recalling the shoot of the film's title track, Farah described conditions as punishing. 'You came with Kajol and it was freezing cold. We were all freezing to death over there. And we were all wearing garbage bags. For some strange reason, someone said if you tie this plastic, you won't feel cold,' she said.
Tanishaa, who had flown in from Australia where she was studying at the time, confirmed the memory, describing the schedule warmly despite the harsh weather. The improvised insulation became an unlikely crew ritual during what was otherwise a landmark production.
Behind the Camera: Minimalist Magic
Farah also paid tribute to the cinematography achieved under those conditions, noting that the song was filmed near a castle in Scotland. 'What a lovely song we shot. I still remember the cameraman shot the entire song with one reflector and thermocol. It was stunningly shot,' she recalled.
The anecdote underlines how much of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai''s visual appeal was crafted with remarkably lean resources — a detail that tends to surprise audiences familiar only with the film's polished final cut.
About the Film and Its Legacy
Directed by Karan Johar and released on 16 October 1998, 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the lead roles and became one of Bollywood's defining blockbusters of the decade. Farah served as choreographer for the film's songs, several of which — including 'Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai', 'Koi Mil Gaya', and 'Yeh Ladka Hai Deewana' — remain staples of Hindi film playlists more than 25 years later.
Tanishaa Mukerji had accompanied her elder sister Kajol to the Scotland schedule. She would go on to make her own acting debut with 'Sssshhh...' in 2003, later appearing in 'Neal 'n' Nikki', 'Sarkar', 'Tango Charlie', and 'One Two Three', and gaining a wider audience through the reality show 'Bigg Boss'.
A Celebrated Film Family
The Mukerji sisters belong to one of Hindi cinema's most storied families. They are the daughters of veteran actress Tanuja and the granddaughters of legendary actress Shobna Samarth. The family's connections extend further — they are nieces of actress Nutan, cousins of actor Mohnish Bahl, and first cousins of filmmaker Ayan Mukerji.
The vlog conversation is a reminder that behind some of Bollywood's most beloved frames lie unglamorous on-set improvisations — and that the warmth of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' was, quite literally, hard-won in the Scottish cold.
Point of View
But it also points to something the nostalgia cycle around 1990s Bollywood often glosses over: many of the era's most visually striking films were made on shoestring international schedules with improvised equipment. That 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' — a film that defined aspirational India for a generation — was partly shot with one reflector and crew in garbage bags says as much about the ingenuity of that filmmaking era as it does about the glamour it projected. As Karan Johar's films now command nine-figure budgets, conversations like Farah's vlog quietly reframe what 'iconic' actually cost.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' crew wear garbage bags during the Scotland shoot?
According to filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan, the crew wore garbage bags as makeshift insulation because someone suggested that tying plastic around themselves would help keep the freezing cold out. The Scotland schedule for the title track was reportedly extremely cold.
Where in Scotland was the 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' title track filmed?
Farah Khan recalled that the song was filmed near a castle in Scotland. She also noted that the cinematography was achieved with minimal equipment — just one reflector and a sheet of thermocol.
Why was Tanishaa Mukerji present at the 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' shoot?
Tanishaa Mukerji accompanied her elder sister Kajol, who played the female lead in the film. Tanishaa had travelled from Australia, where she was studying at the time, to join the Scotland schedule.
What is Tanishaa Mukerji known for?
Tanishaa Mukerji made her acting debut with 'Sssshhh...' in 2003 and appeared in films including 'Neal 'n' Nikki', 'Sarkar', 'Tango Charlie', and 'One Two Three'. She also gained wider recognition through the reality show 'Bigg Boss'.
How is Tanishaa Mukerji related to other Bollywood figures?
Tanishaa is the daughter of veteran actress Tanuja and the granddaughter of legendary actress Shobna Samarth. She is the sister of actress Kajol, niece of actress Nutan, cousin of actor Mohnish Bahl, and first cousin of filmmaker Ayan Mukerji.
