After the actress sought the same salary as Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar declined to work with her and replaced her with. After Kareena Kapoor Khan requested the same fees as Shah Rukh Khan for Kal Ho Naa Ho, Karan Johar declined to collaborate with her. Until the death of Karan's father, Yash Johar, from cancer, the couple had not spoken to one another for eighteen months.

The love drama Kal Ho Naa Ho, which starred Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Saif Ali Khan, was produced by Karan Johar under his Dharma Productions label and directed by Nikkhil Advani in his directorial debut. Over the years, the tragic love triangle has gained cult status and earned two National Film Awards. But Kareena Kapoor Khan, with whom he had collaborated on the 2001 family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, was Karan's initial choice for the movie instead of Preity.

However, Kal Ho Naa Ho, "The Jab We Met" actress requested the same payment as Shah Rukh Khan. Karan was so offended by this that he refused to collaborate with her and avoided communicating with her for eighteen months, until the death of Karan's father, Yash Johar, from cancer.

The Rani Kii and Rocky Aur In his memoirs The Unsuitable Boy, director Prem Kahaani discussed the entire affair, writing, "I offered her Kal Ho Naa Ho the weekend of Mujhse Dosti Karoge's release, and she asked for the same money that Shah Rukh Khan was getting." I apologized. I was wounded.

I contacted her and ordered my father to get out of that negotiating room. When she didn't answer my phone, I told her, "We're not taking her." Instead, we signed Preity Zinta. I didn't communicate with Kareena for about a year."

Kareena had tried to work things out with Karan when Yash Johar was receiving cancer treatment in New York in 2003, but they didn't reunite until after Yash passed away in June 2004. After learning the devastating news, the actress immediately traveled down from Bangkok to Karan's house, where they spent the whole night burying the hatchet and speaking.