Did Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna's real-life love story inspire Karan Johar's 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'?

The narrative of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani could potentially draw inspiration from various real-life instances, and among them, a notable Bollywood power couple comes to mind. During a recent interview with Mid-Day, director Karan Johar hinted that the leading characters in his latest directorial endeavour might have been subconsciously influenced by Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna.

“Maybe subconsciously (I got inspired). They have a tremendous friendship in their marriage. I've had dinners with them, meals with them, hung out with them. And there's a terrific kind of comfort in their camaraderie. He finds her hilarious, she finds him hilarious, for different reasons. So I felt it wasn't impossible for people who come from two different demographics of society, two stratas, to actually find love. It's like we put ourselves in boxes. Like when we're finding a relationship, we put ourselves in places where we're comfortable. But tomorrow, you can fall in love with someone anywhere,” said Karan.

The pair's romantic journey commenced during their collaboration on Umesh Mehra's action-packed film International Khiladi in 1999. They sealed their love with marriage in 2001 and subsequently welcomed a son named Aarav and a daughter named Nitara into their lives.

Karan and Twinkle share a childhood bond, having attended the same boarding school. In his 1998 directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, he crafted the character Tina, named after Twinkle's nickname, with her in mind. However, Twinkle declined the role, which was ultimately portrayed by Rani Mukerji. Despite this, Karan and Twinkle have maintained a close friendship over the years.

Akshay has been a prominent figure in several films produced under Karan's banner, Dharma Productions. Additionally, Akshay and Twinkle also appeared together on an episode of Karan's talk show, Koffee with Karan, during Season 5.

Within the storyline of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Rocky, portrayed by Ranveer Singh, embodies the vivacious essence of a Punjabi businessman from West Delhi, who falls for Rani, played by Alia Bhatt, a progressive Bengali journalist.

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