The trade insists that Aditya and Karan are both fighting for the number one tag

Meena Iyer | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; February 28, 2011) According to reliable trade circles all seems well between these two movie giants and buddies. But scratch the surface and you will find that they are reportedly engaged in a war to upstage the other. One smart-alec remarks, “Jeffrey Archer would probably title the Bollywood version of his bestseller Kane & Abel as Karan & Adi.”

A quick recap: The 40-year-old Adi took charge of his father Yash Chopra’s banner at the turn of the millennium and actually turned the company fortunes around with the Dhoom franchise, Fanaa, Chak De, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Hum Tum and Bunty aur Babli. Karan, on the other hand, started under his guru Adi; and made his father’s Yash Johar’s banner one of the most respected names with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho, I Hate Luv Storys and Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham.

Karan does not encourage any comparison between the two companies and even in informal conversations, the coffee show host always maintains, “Yash (Chopra) is a father figure. And I have the utmost regard for Adi. They are family.’’ You can’t get Adi to say anything about Karan because to the media he is an apparition.

But unknown to most there has been a quiet war going on between these two visionary and ruthlessly ambitious filmmakers who, according to insiders, are constantly trying to position their banner as More >