October 1, 2004 - The Big Apple was a big hit in Bollywood's latest blockbuster! The feature film Kal Ho Naa Ho was shot in Gotham in 2003, and has gone on to become the fourth highest grossing Indian film of all time.

The film, which tells the story of the friendship between three young people, has taken the Prix du Public Award at the Valenciennes Film Festival in France, won thirteen awards at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Singapore, received three Zee Cine awards in Dubai, and appeared in the Berlin International Film Festival. Back home in India, Kal Ho Naa Ho broke all records for box office presale and won eight Filmfare Awards, four Screen Weekly Awards and nine Sansui awards.

The screenplay, which was written by Karan Johar, has become the first Indian film to be archived in the library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Director Nikhil Advani said New York City played a leading role from the start. “When the film was conceived, the city of New York was actually the fourth character in the love story,” Advani said. “It was kind of surreal that I was shooting my film in Woody Allen and Spike Lee's backyard. And thanks to a super production and locations crew along with the blessings of the New York City Mayor's Office, I suddenly was transformed into a child who was being allowed to run freely through the city.”

The film shot consecutively for 48 days, making use of locations including Union Square Park, Bowling Green Park, Bloomingdale's, Times Square, Woodside Queens, Columbus Circle, Irving Place, Fulton Ferry Landing, The Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire-Fulton Park in Brooklyn, Central Park, Brooklyn College and the Regent Hotel.

Location Manager Joe White said local business owners and residents pitched in to keep costs within the production's budget range. “When I explained that because of exchange rates our budget was limited, we received an overwhelming amount of support,” he said. “We received major assistance from the New York City Mayor's Office, Police Department's Traffic Control Department and Parks Department, one business owner loaned us a boat for free, another venue gave us a discount on a ballroom and the residents of Flatbush, Brooklyn were so accommodating that we threw a block party for them to celebrate the end of production.”

The film features “breathtaking views of the City and the skyline,” according to Line Producer Anadil Hossain. “In India, this film has definitely spawned a wave of interest in shooting in New York,” she said.