Bollywood has a new talking point, and it is all about — 20 Years of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna: Karan Johar recalls angry reactions, mixed reviews; says, “It had its heart in the right place”. Fans and trade analysts have been closely following every update, and the latest development adds another chapter to what has been an eventful week for Hindi cinema.
The Story So Far
Add as a preferred source on Google Filmmaker Karan Johar marked 20 years of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna on Monday, August 10, by revisiting some of the unusual and often uncomfortable reactions he encountered around the movie's arrival. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta, the 2006 movie explored marriage, infidelity, loneliness and relationships, subjects that sparked considerable debate among audiences.
Taking to social media on the eve of the anniversary, Karan revealed a long note recalling what happened when he quietly attended a paid preview of the movie before its theatrical arrival. He remembered sitting behind a traditionally dressed middle-aged couple who appeared increasingly uncomfortable during the sequence involving Dev (Khan) and Maya (Mukerji) in a hotel elevator.
Recalling the couple's reaction, Karan wrote, “At one point in the movie, Dev and Maya enter the elevator of a hotel and what proceeds is the two characters succumbing to their love and desire. At that point Lady Saree looked at Sir Kurta in shock and dropped her popcorn. He turned back and said (in Gujarati) – ‘Dream sequence che!’” According to Karan, the man eventually realised that the sequence was not a dream and decided to leave the theatre with his wife.
The filmmaker said the incident left him worried about how the movie would be received. However, another encounter outside the theatre left an even stronger impression on him. Karan recalled meeting a woman accompanied by her daughter, who questioned him about the movie.
“She said, ‘I took my daughter to see a happy movie with songs and dances and family values because it’s YOUR movie. The DAY she got her DIVORCE and this is what I saw!! Shame on you,’” he wrote.
Karan admitted that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna received “hugely polarising reviews and viewers feedback”, with reactions ranging from calling it brave and his best work to accusing the movie of going against traditional values. He also recalled meeting a woman at an airport lounge weeks later who explained him that she had actually loved the movie but had explained her husband that she hated it.
According to Karan, she elaborated, “If I explained him I loved it he would have asked me what I liked about it…so it was safe to lie!” A post revealed by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) Looking back at the movie two decades later, Karan acknowledged its shortcomings, particularly its scale and songs. “I don’t deny the flaws of the movie… It was over bloated in scale and had opulent (and some unnecessary) songs to pander to my understanding of the mainstream… but I always felt it had its heart in the right place,” he wrote.
The filmmaker also clarified his intention behind portraying extramarital relationships in the movie. “The movie did not endorse infidelity (that was never ever my intention) but it did show that stepping out of the boundary of marriage to seek love or desire can destroy your very …
For now, fans have plenty to discuss, and the industry has plenty to analyse. TeraMovies will be tracking every twist in this story as it unfolds, bringing you the full picture from the world of entertainment.
