Writer/Director: Karan Johar
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherji and Abishek Bachchan
‘A Captivating Indian Classic’
It’s challenging to come to terms with the end of a marriage. Everyone has sad memories of marriages which ended in tragedy. It’s hard to forget about the end of marriages which leave couples upset. During my childhood, I saw my aunt faced a divorce that was misunderstood. At an early age, I witnessed my aunt endure a fractured marriage. Several years ago, divorce threw my aunt’s dream out the window. I recall the night when she had experienced a heated argument with her husband that proved to be a shocking sight. In a painful incident, my aunt had heated arguments with husbands causing resentment. Following the painful separation, it was easier said than done for my aunt to move on. Many years later, the painful lesson I learnt is marriages are relationships which are rarely intended to last forever. Given its grim nature, divorce is a sensitive subject matter which is scarcely ever depicted in films in an authentic manner.
Few movies I’ve ever seen have captured the tragic end of marriages that cause trauma as powerfully as “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”. Ever since its release in 2006, Karan Johar’s movie has stood test of time as an iconic Bollywood classic. With his most courageous film, Johar painted a powerful portrait of factors causing marriages in India to deteriorate. Packed with strong production-design, sharp storytelling and phenomenal performances, it’s one of the greatest Bollywood movies ever made. At the centre of the movie is an extraordinary career performance by Shah Rukh Khan. In one of his greatest career performances, Khan demonstrates the emotions of a bitter man which is trapped in broken marriage. Ultimately, the film delivers a powerful message about marriage that will resonate with everyone. Unlike most Bollywood films, it tackles universal themes that everyone will relate to. An incredible Indian masterpiece about marriage, there are many reasons why “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” is a movie which is definitely worth seeing.
“Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” tells the story about married couples whose relationships are often doomed to damage. Shah Rukh Khan portrays Dev, a cynical soccer player thats trapped in a declining marriage. Dev struggles to get along well with his wife Riya (Preity Zinta). Following a career-ending sports injury, Dev has lost all hope of finding happiness. However, Dev’s life changes when he falls in love with Maya (Rani Mukherji). Maya is a woman that’s also stuck in a broken marriage of her own that endures serious issues. Engaging in a passionate love affair, Dec and Maya come to care about each other deeply. They form a commemorated bond sharing a common experience of facing marriages that have fallen apart. As their broken relationship is exposed toward their spouses, the pair face dilemma. Trapped in heartbreaking situations causing damage, Dev begins to slowly wonder whether he will ever be able to find happiness in marriage.
Karan Johar is fascinated with couples facing broken marriages. A famous Indian filmmaker, Johar has often told stories of couples facing broken relationships. His iconic movie “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Kham” offered an engrossing glimpse at families facing broken relationships. With “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”, however, he made his first serious marriage drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture intense barriers faced by couples experiencing broken marriages but he succeeded expertly. Visually, film is a feast for the eyes capturing the hardships of marriages that face demise. Through spellbinding cinematography, Johar captures the lives of couples stuck in broken marriages. Johar effectively uses cross-cutting to capture tensions endured by couples whose marriages are declining. The movie deftly switches back and forth between the lives of couples whose marriages are on the line. For instance, cross-cutting elevates the argument scene. During this unforgettable scene, both couples engage in heated arguments causing their marriages to end abruptly. Cross-cutting is not a simple technique to utilize in most Bollywood movies. As Ashtoush Gowariker’s “Lagaan” suggested clearly, cross-cutting elevates movies about commemorated cricket competitions. That being said, it worked tremendously in this movie. Through use of breathtaking visuals, Johar captures unstable marriages between couples that are declining.
Another admirable aspect of “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” that merits appreciation is the production-design. From a technical point of view, the movie is extremely well made. The main highlight of the film is the magnificent musical sequences. In Bollywood, most films are driven by melodramatic musical scenes without any meaning. Musical sequences are often a distracting diversion from engaging storytelling. Thankfully, though, “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” is an exception. Johar expertly stages slow motion musical sequences which showcase bonds between lovers eloping to overcome broken marriage. For instance, the slow motion enhances the Tumhi Dekho Naa musical sequence. During this unforgettable scene, Dev and Maya spend valuable time in each other’s company away from a declining marriage. Through slow-motion, Johar deftly captures the painful hardships that lovers in doomed marriages go through. Furthermore, the music score is dazzling. Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s music is integral towards the success of the movie. It gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing a heavy burden that commemorated couples facing broken marriages bear. Through exceptional production-design, Johar captures marriages which decline.
Storytelling is one of the reasons why “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” is an Indian classic that is compelling. The film is beautifully written, and successfully uses foreshadowing to capture the consequences experienced by couples in marriages that are declining. Johar’s greatest screenwriting strength is using foreshadowing to capture doomed marriages that are slowly declining. Throughout the movie, Johar hints at danger awaiting couples whose marriages are doomed through subtle hints. For instance, the foreshadowing elevates the car crash scene. During this unforgettable scene, Dev becomes involved in a fatal car accident that causes his marriage to fall apart. One appreciates subtle foreshadowing capturing marriages declining between Indian couples. Foreshadowing is a tricky technique to utilize in Bollywood movies. As Aamir Khan’s “Taare Zameen Par” suggested clearly, foreshadowing elevates movies about intellectual disabilities. “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” suggested foreshadowing elevates classic Indian family dramas. Nevertheless, it worked really well in this movie. Through a sharp screenplay, Johar captures declining marriages affecting Indian couples today.
One admires astonishing performances.
Shah Rukh Khan delivers one of his greatest career performances as Dev. Khan achieved appreciation for playing star-crossed lovers in romantic dramas. With “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”, however, he took upon his most dark role. It isn’t easy to embody the personality of a man trapped in a broken marriage enduring tragedy, but he succeeds tremendously. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most vulnerable role. It’s a role that gave Khan a chance to showcase a vulnerable side to himself in a role that wasn’t a typical hero. With extraordinary expressions, Khan embodies the angst, desperations and resentments of a man struggling to cope with a marriage doomed to end in tragedy. It’s an awe-inspiring performance by one of the best actors which is currently working in Bollywood today.
Rani Mukerji is remarkable as a woman which struggles to cope with her fractured marriage facing destruction. While Khan gets a showier role, Mukerji is equally excellent as a woman in a broken marriage that spirals out of control. As Maya, Mukerji showcases her charisma as a bold actress in Bollywood Cinema. Whether she’s joyously flirting with Dev or engaging in a tense argument with Rishi, Mulherji effectively uses body language to capture the struggles of a woman stuck in a broken marriage. It’s a phenomenal performance by one of the most commemorated actresses that’s currently working in Bollywood today.
The supporting cast is superb and also worthy of appreciation. Abhishek Bachcan is brilliant, capturing conflicted emotions of a frustrated husband stuck in a marriage that’s doomed to experience destruction. Preity Zinta is terrific, bringing charisma to a woman facing a broken marriage that’s trapped in a dilemma. Lastly, Amitabh Bachchan merits appreciation. As an old man witnessing a broken marriage, he brings heartfelt emotions to the movie.
Finally, “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” would earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing marriages facing a dilemma. Unlike most Bollywood movies, it tackles universal themes that everyone would be able to relate to. The film discusses universal themes including adultery, marriage and identity which would definitely resonate with everyone. Viewers aren’t required to be Indian to relate to themes of the movie. It delivers a strong message which would resonate with everyone which has witnessed a broken marriage. Therefore, “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” is one of those rare one of a kind Bollywood movies which everyone would adore.
Nearly 30 years following the groundbreaking release of an iconic movie about Indian couples which are trapped in doomed marriages that are deteriorating, it’s a dazzling reminder about the dangers faced by couples experiencing broken relationships from one of the best actors working in Bollywood that has built a lasting legacy playing compelling characters whose timeless movies are definitely without a doubt worth celebrating.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 