Scotland invites Karan Johar back for 2028 film anniversary

Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar is the man at the centre of this story, and if you grew up watching Hindi films in the 1990s, you already know why people are talking about this. His directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, is the film many Indian households in Kuwait still put on during a lazy Friday afternoon.

Now that film is about to have a proper reunion with the country that helped make it so memorable. Johar has agreed to travel back to Scotland in 2028 for a special 30th anniversary screening of the film, this time as a guest of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

For Kuwait’s large Indian community, many of whom follow Bollywood news closely, this is the kind of feel-good story that brings back memories of first watching the film in cinemas or on VHS. If you enjoy this sort of cultural news, you might also like our piece on Elissa’s recent Kuwait concert.

How this all started

According to Variety, the invitation was extended earlier this week during a meeting at Johar’s production house, Dharma Productions, in Mumbai. It wasn’t just a courtesy visit. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and David Smith, interim executive director of Screen Scotland, sat down with Johar to talk about something bigger than one film: building closer ties between Scotland and India’s film and television industries.

Their conversation covered Scotland as a filming destination, co-productions between the two countries, talent development, and cultural exchange. Somewhere in that meeting, the idea of marking 30 years of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ came up, and Johar said yes.

Confirming his participation, Swinney said he was delighted that Johar had accepted the invitation to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary in Edinburgh. He described the film as one that holds a special place in the hearts of audiences in Scotland and beyond, and said he looked forward to welcoming Johar to the city. Swinney also pointed to Scotland’s infrastructure, expertise and filming locations as reasons Indian filmmakers might want to shoot there in future.

Why Scotland, of all places?

If you’ve watched ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, you’ll remember the scenery even if you’ve forgotten some of the dialogue. Several of its most memorable sequences were filmed across Scotland, at locations including Eilean Donan Castle, Glen Coe, Tantallon Castle and Inchmahome Priory.

Released in 1998, the film marked Johar’s debut as a director. Shah Rukh Khan played Rahul, whose young daughter tries to bring him back together with his old college friend Anjali, played by Kajol. Rani Mukerji played Tina, Rahul’s late wife, and Salman Khan appeared as Anjali’s fiancé. It became one of the defining Bollywood films of that decade, and its use of Scottish landscapes is widely seen as something that helped build a lasting link between Scotland and mainstream Indian cinema.

What EIFF has planned

EIFF chief executive and festival director Paul Ridd said the festival was keen to celebrate the film as part of its 2028 programme. He called the planned event a chance to honour a much-loved Bollywood film that features some of Indian cinema’s most recognisable stars alongside Scotland’s own landscapes.

The festival expects the screening to bring in additional guests, though exact dates for the 2028 edition haven’t been announced yet. Before that, EIFF will hold its 80th edition from 12 to 18 August 2027, with submissions opening in January and more programme details expected over the coming months. The 2028 anniversary screening will be part of the festival’s 81st edition overall. EIFF itself was revived in 2024 under Ridd and festival producer Emma Boa, backed by Screen Scotland.

What this means if you’re in Kuwait

There’s no Kuwait angle in the strict sense here, no ministry announcement, no fee, no deadline. But Bollywood news like this matters here because of how many people in Kuwait grew up on these films. Kuwait has one of the largest Indian expat communities in the Gulf, and names like Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Salman Khan are household names in many homes here, not just in India.

For now, there’s nothing to book or plan. The festival hasn’t set dates for 2028, so anyone hoping to travel for the screening will need to wait for Screen Scotland or EIFF to confirm details closer to the time. You can follow general entertainment and cultural stories like this one under our international news coverage.

This isn’t the first time an old Bollywood favourite has had an anniversary moment recently. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol also marked 30 years of ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ earlier this year, unveiling a statue of their characters Raj and Simran in London, which they called reliving a piece of history. Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’ is also being honoured at the Singapore International Film Festival as it turns 25.

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