'Has he gone mad?': Ram Gopal Varma recalls Mani Ratnam's blunt reaction to changing Dil Se climax

Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se' stands as a significant film in Hindi cinema, but its initial release was met with mixed reactions, largely due to its tragic ending where Shah Rukh Khan's character dies. In a recent interaction, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who co-produced the film, revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes conflict where he acted as a mediator between Ratnam and another producer, Bharat Shah.

The proposed alternate ending
RGV recalled that producer Bharat Shah was profoundly unhappy with Dil Se's poignant climax. Following the film's initial negative audience feedback, Shah even suggested a drastically different ending to Mani Ratnam. Speaking on IndiaTV ShowBiz, RGV recounted Shah's exact proposition: "When Dil Se released and there was massive negative talk, initially Bharat Shah said that people didn’t like Shah Rukh being killed. He asked not to make it a tragedy. After the film released, he told me that we should cut the bomb blast scene. He said that the moment Shah Rukh and Manisha hug each other, we should switch to the ‘Chaiya Chaiya’ song.” Shah's intention was for the audience to perceive a happy ending if a popular song played after the lead characters embraced.

Mani Ratnam's blunt response
RGV, acting as the intermediary, conveyed Bharat Shah's unconventional suggestion to Mani Ratnam. He recalled the director's unequivocal and blunt reaction: "Mani told me, ‘Has he gone mad or what? How can Shah Rukh hug Manisha and in the next moment imagine Malaika Arora.’" This humorous yet firm dismissal underscored Ratnam's commitment to his artistic vision for the film's tragic narrative.

Dil Se concludes with Manisha Koirala’s character, a suicide bomber, being embraced by her lover, played by Shah Rukh Khan, just as the bomb detonates, killing both of them.

The reason behind the unusual suggestion
During the interview, it was also revealed that Bharat Shah's unusual idea to end the film with 'Chaiya Chaiya' wasn't random. It stemmed from feedback he received directly from exhibitors. Apparently, a significant number of people purchase tickets primarily to watch the immensely popular 'Chaiya Chaiya' song, which plays approximately ten minutes into the film, and then leave the theatre shortly thereafter. This practice caused financial issues for theatre owners, particularly impacting sales of snacks like popcorn, cola, and samosas. Exhibitors had reportedly suggested moving the hit song to a post-interval slot to encourage audiences to stay longer and boost concession sales.

Despite its initial box office challenges in India, Dil Se garnered positive reviews from critics and achieved significant success overseas, cementing its status as a cult classic.