Ace director Karan Johar says the three months spent in New York shooting for his latest were the most difficult phase of his life.

"Those were the toughest three months ever. It was traumatic. There were production problems, locations issues and a hurricane, plus everyone away from home," says the hit maker of films like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" and "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham".

The film, he says, is about marriage and other man-woman relationships, but is definitely not a remake of "Silsila" as is being made out.

Karan rubbishes rumours about animosity between Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta on the sets of his film that stars Amitabh Bachchan, his favourite Shah Rukh Khan, whom he describes as "god, my hero and brother", and childhood pal Abhishek Bachchan.

"Problems happen when the navigator is weak. I don't see myself as a weak captain of the ship. Rani and Preity share very little cinema space in my film. And they got along very well. And I mean that... There was no problem."