A Bollywood song born from a Hollywood classic came full circle at the 15th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) 2026. Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani met Richard Gere at the festival and showed the Hollywood star the “Pretty Woman” sequence from his 2003 directorial debut, Kal Ho Naa Ho. The moment, captured on video and shared on Instagram, shows Gere smiling as he watches Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta perform the Hindi adaptation of the song tied to Gere’s 1990 film Pretty Woman. Advani described the meeting as a “huge huge fan boy moment” and called the experience the “icing on the cake”.
What Happened at the Dharamshala Film Festival
The 15th edition of DIFF is being held in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, from October 29 to November 1, 2026. Richard Gere, who serves on the festival’s board of advisors, was in conversation with Geshe Lhakdor, director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Nikkhil Advani took part in a separate 90-minute conversation with filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, a professional relationship that goes back to 1996 when Advani wrote for Mishra’s film Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin.
The two filmmakers and the Hollywood actor crossed paths at the festival, and Advani seized the chance to show Gere a piece of cinema that directly referenced Gere’s most famous role. The video shared by Advani shows him playing the song for Gere on a phone or tablet, with the Hollywood star watching closely.
The Video and Gere’s Reaction
In the Instagram video posted on November 1, 2026, Nikkhil Advani is heard telling Richard Gere, “I went and met Barbara, and got the rights”, referring to the process of securing permission to recreate the song. Gere breaks into a broad smile the moment the song begins to play. The clip ends before Gere’s full reaction is shown, but Advani’s caption teased followers with “(wait for his reaction)” , suggesting there was more to the moment than the short video captured.
Advani’s post tagged everyone connected to the Kal Ho Naa Ho version of the song: Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, writer Karan Johar, composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, lyricist Javed Akhtar, choreographer Farah Khan, and the official account of the late Roy Orbison, whose original song inspired the sequence.
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Why the Pretty Woman Song Matters in Kal Ho Naa Ho
Richard Gere starred in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman as Edward Lewis, a wealthy businessman who hires Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, for social events. The film became a global hit, and Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” , featured in the movie, became a timeless favourite.
Thirteen years later, the song found a Bollywood version in Kal Ho Naa Ho. In the film, Shah Rukh Khan’s character Aman dances on top of a taxi while performing a Hindi version of the track, trying to win over his neighbour Naina, played by Preity Zinta. The sequence remains one of the film’s most recognisable moments.
Karan Johar, who wrote Kal Ho Naa Ho, acquired the rights to recreate Orbison’s original track. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composed the Hindi version, with singer Ravi “Rags” Khote lending his voice. The adaptation kept the spirit of the original while giving it a distinctly Bollywood energy, and Shah Rukh Khan’s playful performance made it his own.
A Directorial Debut That Became a Bollywood Landmark
Kal Ho Naa Ho was released in 2003 and marked Nikkhil Advani’s first film as a director. Produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner, the film follows Naina, a young woman in New York whose life changes when the cheerful Aman moves into her neighbourhood. Aman helps Naina grow closer to her best friend Rohit, played by Saif Ali Khan, while hiding the fact that he is terminally ill.
The film starred Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Jaya Bachchan, and Sushma Seth, among others. It became one of the biggest hits of the year and remains a significant entry in the careers of its cast and crew. For Advani, showing a piece of his debut film to the star who inspired it brought a unique kind of closure.
Social Media Reactivity and Industry Comments
The Instagram post drew reactions from members of the film industry. Director Kabir Khan commented, “HaHaHa… that’s fab @nikkhiladvani” . Actress Nikita Dutta wrote, “Tooo coool” along with a red heart emoji.
The video has been widely shared by entertainment outlets, with publications focusing on the unlikely connection between Gere’s Hollywood romance and Advani’s Bollywood debut. The moment also highlighted the continued cultural reach of Kal Ho Naa Ho, a film that introduced the Pretty Woman song to a generation of Indian cinema fans.
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Richard Gere’s Connection to Dharamshala
Richard Gere has visited Dharamshala before. The Hollywood actor has often travelled to the hill town to meet his friend, the Dalai Lama. He was part of the festival’s board of advisors and participated in conversations during the 2026 edition. His presence at DIFF 2026 gave Nikkhil Advani the chance to bridge two cinematic worlds — the Hollywood romantic comedy that defined a genre and the Bollywood film that reimagined its most famous song.
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