| Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Karan Johar |
| Written by | Screenplay: Karan Johar Shibani Bathija Dialogues: Niranjan Iyengar |
| Story by | Karan Johar |
| Produced by | Hiroo Yash Johar |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Anil Mehta |
| Edited by | Sanjay Sankla |
| Music by | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 192 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹50 crore[2] |
| Box office | ₹113 crore[3][4] |
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (transl. Never Say Goodbye), also abbreviated asKANK, is a 2006 IndianHindi-languageromantic drama directed byKaran Johar, who also wrote it withShibani Bathija, and produced by his mother Hiroo Yash Johar under theDharma Productions banner. The film starsAmitabh Bachchan,Shah Rukh Khan,Abhishek Bachchan,Rani Mukherji,Preity Zinta andKirron Kher. The film explores themes of marital infidelity and dysfunctional relationships, and was promoted with the tag-line "A Love... That Broke All Relationships".[5]
Set largely inNew York City,Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna follows the story of Dev and Maya, who fall in love with each other, despite being married to different people. It was shot over a 90-day period in the United States. The cinematography of the film was handled byAnil Mehta.Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy composed the music while the lyrics were penned byJaved Akhtar.[4]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was released worldwide on 11 August 2006 to mixed reviews from critics, with criticism on its subject matter and screenplay, and praise for its dialogues, soundtrack, humor, costumes, cinematography and performances of the cast. The film emerged as a major commercial success at the box-office, ranking as thefourth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. It became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time overseas at the time of its release. The film was screened in over 1,200 cinemas worldwide,[6] grossing a total of ₹1.13 billion ($37 million).[4][7] It was also screened at the31st Toronto International Film Festival and the 19thTokyo International Film Festival.[8][9]
A recipient ofseveral accolades,Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna led the52nd Filmfare Awards with 23 nominations, includingBest Film,Best Director (for Johar),Best Actor (for Khan),Best Actress (for Mukherji) andBest Supporting Actress (for Zinta), and wonBest Supporting Actor (for Abhishek Bachchan).[10]
Maya is a schoolteacher and an orphan who is to marry her closest childhood friend, Rishi Talwar. The two have been raised by Rishi's fun-loving, wealthy womanizing father, Samarjit. Dev is a successful soccer player who lives inNew York City with his wife Rhea, his son Arjun, and his mother Kamaljit. Maya meets Dev moments before her wedding. Although the two are strangers, they connect instantly. Right after they part, Dev is hit by a car and permanently injures his leg. As a result, he can no longer play soccer.
Four years later, Dev, who now walks with a limp, is short-tempered and embittered because of his inability to play soccer; Rhea's successful career as a fashion magazine editor makes him feel inferior to her. Dev is now the soccer coach for a team of juniors, including his son, but is frustrated when Arjun doesn't play like him. Meanwhile, Maya is struggling with herinfertility and lack of love for Rishi, seeing him as childish. Dev and Maya meet again, and Rhea and Rishi strike up a professional friendship. Sam and Kamal, having lost their spouses, become friends to help one another through their loneliness. Dev and Maya decide to do the same; they become friends and try to give each other ideas to salvage their marriages, all of which comically fail.
Dev and Maya realize they have feelings for one another and not toward their partners, and feel drawn towards one another. After their marriage anniversary dinner, Rhea mentions that she has received a promotion, and Dev goes into a rant, sneering that she is trying to show off. Hurt, Rhea accuses Dev of being jealous of her professional success and makes him realize his failure to be a good husband and a good father because he cannot come out of his bitterness. At the same time, Rishi expresses his frustration at Maya's lack of affection and his resentment toward her inability to have children. Feeling worthless, Maya meets a disheartened Dev at the train station, and the two confess that they have fallen in love with each other.
Dev and Maya begin an affair but feel guilty for playing with their spouses' feelings, as both Rhea and Rishi try their best to make their marriages work. Nevertheless, Dev and Maya give in and sleep together. They are later caught in an embrace by Sam and Kamal, who are shocked and upset that they have cheated. That night, Sam had a heart attack. On his deathbed, he advises Maya to leave Rishi, as she is depriving both of them of happiness in life. After Sam's death, Dev and Maya decide they must end their relationship and go back to their spouses, but first, they must tell them the truth about their extramarital affair because neither of them will be able to move on in the shadow of lies. Shocked and heartbroken, Rhea and Rishi divorce their spouses. Kamal, fearing that Rhea might separate her from Arjun, requests Rhea to let her live in their house after the divorce, to which Rhea reacts with a teary embrace. Dev and Maya lie to each other and say that everything is fine, believing they'll never meet again, and Maya moves toPhiladelphia.
Three years later, Dev and Maya have been living alone, both miserable. One day, Rishi visits Maya and reveals that he has forgiven her already, and he has fallen in love again and is remarrying. He invites Maya to his wedding. Rhea attends with her boss Jai, whom she is now dating, and is revealed to be a friend of Rishi's second wife, Catherine. Rhea confronts Maya about the affair and reveals that she left Dev. However, as Rhea and Rishi have both moved on, they encourage Maya to go after her love, Dev, revealing that he is about to leave forToronto by train for his new job. At the train station, Dev sees Maya but avoids her, believing she is still with Rishi. However, as the train pulls away, the two lock eyes. Seeing her tears, Dev pulls the emergency brake and returns, and the couple reunites. In a voiceover, Dev reveals that although he and Maya found happiness together after many years, they sometimes wish that they did not have to cause heartbreaks along the way.
Initially titledKalank,Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was then titled after a line from the popularKishore Kumar song "Chalte Chalte Mere Yeh Geet Yaad Rakhna" fromChalte Chalte (1976).[11] The film was directed and written byKaran Johar who collaborated withShibani Bathija to write the screenplay, and the dialogues were penned byNiranjan Iyengar.[12]
The film is produced by Karan's mother Hiroo Yash Johar in her debut underDharma Productions.Farah Khan was brought in to organize the choreographical aspects of the film, with costume designerManish Malhotra, production designerSharmishta Roy andMAC Cosmetics all playing a major role in production.[13] Like previous Karan Johar films –Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998),Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) andKal Ho Naa Ho (2003) –Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna has a four-word title that starts with the letter "K".[14]
Karan Johar initially wanted to castShah Rukh Khan,Kajol,Rani Mukherji andAjay Devgn in the lead roles of Dev, Maya, Rhea and Rishi respectively.[15] However, Devgn and later,Saif Ali Khan, who had previously collaborated with Johar onKal Ho Naa Ho (2003), refused the film due to their prior commitments withVishal Bhardwaj'sOmkara (2006). Finally,Abhishek Bachchan was then cast as Rishi following Johar watching his performance inYuva. Marking his first collaboration withDharma Productions.[15]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was initially supposed to mark Kajol's screen comeback after 5 years, having last starred in Johar'sKabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). However, she refused the film, due to her prior commitments withYash Raj Films'sFanaa (2006); however, she made a guest appearance in the song "Rock 'N' Roll Soniye". Upon her refusal, Mukherji, who was supposed to play Rhea, was then cast as Maya. Mukherji termed the film "a turning point" in her life.[16]Preity Zinta was then cast as Rhea, who described the part as an attempt to shed her vivacious public image.[17]
Amitabh Bachchan andKirron Kher were later cast as Samarjit (Rishi's father) and Kamaljit (Dev's mother) respectively.Arjun Rampal andJohn Abraham also made guest appearances in the film as Rhea's boss, and aDJ in the song "Where's The Party Tonight?" respectively.Riteish Deshmukh and Khan's real-life son,Aryan Khan also had guest appearances, but their scenes were cut during the editing process.[18]
Most of the cast members of this film, barringAbhishek Bachchan, earlier starred together inYash Chopra'sVeer-Zaara (2004).[19][20]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is set inNew York City, while many of the scenes were filmed inEast Hartford andNew Haven inConnecticut. The soccer game scene was filmed atRentschler Field, the home of theUConn Huskies football team. In several scenes, a light 'UConn' can be seen on the field. The majority of theGrand Central Terminal scenes were filmed at New Haven'sUnion Station andPhiladelphia's30th Street Station. The film was filmed over a 90-day shooting period in theUnited States, but a few scenes were shot on four large sets inMumbai studios. Mukherji suffered from a severe skin allergy during the filming in the US.[21]
In an interview, Johar stated that the filming for the song "Tumhi Dekho Naa" was done at multiple locations and ended up being extremely time-consuming. The "blue section" of the song was shot atColumbia University inUpper West Side, the "yellow section" was shot atWall Street inLower Manhattan, the "orange section" atBear Mountain State Park, the "pink section" atSt. Patrick's Cathedral inMidtown Manhattan, the "red section" at thePier A Park inHoboken, New Jersey, and the "green section" at the Union Station in New Haven. The red section was initially designed to take place in the rain. However, due to the low temperatures, the raindrops produced by the rain machines started freezing in mid-air, thus posing a risk of physical harm to the actors. Consequently, the filmmakers decided to do away with the rain. However, they still wanted to make use of the 200 red umbrellas they had purchased for the sequence. Eventually, they decided to shoot the red section on a sunny day where the actors used the umbrellas to block out the sun. The shooting for the green section also ran into problems. 200 extras were hired for the section but only 15 showed up. Consequently, crew members present on the set wore the green costumes to take their place.Ayan Mukerji, who was an assistant director of the film, can be seen in a green sweater carrying a box in one of the frames.[22]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna explores themes of marital infidelity, adultery and dysfunctional relationships. The film shows the characters of Dev and Maya sharing dysfunctional relationships with their respective spouses Rhea and Rishi, and in turn indulge in an extra-marital affair. On a deeper level, the film also explores themes such as meeting someone's soulmate after marriage, how complications in love can affect families, and the consequences of marrying a wrong person.[23]
In an interview, director Karan Johar stated that he got the idea behind the film when he saw a married couple inLondon break up on amicable terms. The break-up, andRichard Linklater's romantic dramaBefore Sunset (2004), made him want to explore deeper dynamics of love, marriage and relationships which is where he came up with the plot ofKabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.[12] A similar theme was explored in films such asYash Chopra'sSilsila (1981),Mahesh Bhatt'sArth (1982) andMike Nichols'Closer (2004), in addition to Johar's later production,Gehraiyaan (2022) directed byShakun Batra.[24]
The music and background score ofKabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was composed byShankar–Ehsaan–Loy, while the lyrics were penned byJaved Akhtar.[25][26] The soundtrack was released in theUnited Kingdom on 12 June 2006 and was officially released in India on 16 June 2006 along with a grand music launch at the7th IIFA Awards inDubai.[27][28]
The album opened at #1 and retained the top position in the music charts for 10 straight weeks, despite facing tough competition from musical hits likeGangster: A Love Story,Fanaa andKrrish. According to the figures fromBox Office India, the album sold over 1,900,000 copies in India making it the second best-selling album of the year, marginally behindDhoom 2.[29][30]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna's teaser trailer was released along withFanaa, which released on 26 May 2006.[31]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, with aensemble star cast, premiered on 11 August 2006 and was screened in over 1,200 cinemas worldwide.[6] According to theInternet Movie Database (IMDb), theMotion Picture Association of America (MPAA) originally gave the film anR rating because of language and some sexual content. It was re-ratedPG-13 on appeal.Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is available for streaming onNetflix andAmazon Prime Video.[32][33]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was one of India's possible nominations for the2007Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, with films such asRang De Basanti,Krrish,Omkara andLage Raho Munna Bhai also in the running.[34] However, the country ultimately choseRang De Basanti as its pick.[35]
Taran Adarsh fromIndiafm.com described the subject matter as a delicate one which could have easily been disastrous and praised the way in which director Karan Johar boldly constructed the film, citing it as his finest work to date.[36] Adarsh approved in particular of the script and the devices the director incorporated to contrast emotions between scenes, remarking that, "the screenplay balances the two extremes; light moments and dollops of emotions with amazing ease".[36] The individual cast performances were also praised by Adarsh, who commented on the effectiveness of the casting and the interaction of the actors.[36]
Rajeev Masand ofIBNLive gave the film 4 out of 5 stars praising the screenplay and Johar's direction, saying "Few writers have such solid control over their screenplay as Karan Johar does. Few understand the intricacies of narrative as well as he does. Johar goes from highs to lows, from plateaus to peaks with the ease of a pro. He knows exactly how to turn a seemingly ordinary scene into something special with just that one line of dialogue, or that hint of background music."[37]
Raja Sen ofRediff.com was particularly critical of the film, also expressing dissatisfaction with its length. He remarked, "I feel older. A showing of Karan Johar's mammoth 22-reelKabhi Alvida Naa Kehna has left me unbelievably exhausted. I walked out of the hall feeling my cheeks for stubble, wondering if my clothes are suddenly dated and my hair's turned grey. I've lost a sizable chunk of my life, and you will too."[38] Unlike other critics, he identified flaws in the script and criticized the strength of characters saying "The characters are cardboard, the setting is glitzy, the songs are tiresome, and the story oscillates between high melodrama and slapstick hilarity, going nowhere. Rarely has a weak script relied so completely on pretty people with big names to carry every line through".[38]
In the United States, the film received a number of positive reviews. Critics such asNeil Genzlinger ofThe New York Times emphasized the larger-than-life nature of the film, remarking that, "It is full of big Bollywood stars and out-sized everything: the rainstorms are a little rainier than real life; the wind machines are cranked up an extra notch; the close-ups get closer and linger longer than usual; the coincidences that drive the plot are a little more numerous and unlikely than normal screenwriting allows".[39] He praised the humor in the script and the director's comic timing in certain scenes such as the children's soccer match, the bed store, and at the ballet show.[39] Derek Elley ofVariety also praised the diversity of emotions displayed by the cast, remarking that, "Scripter Shibani Bathija never lets her characters inhabit a secure emotional place for very long, and impediments to happiness come from their own weaknesses rather than social constraints or plot-generated misunderstandings".[40] Elley noted Amitabh Bachchan's performance as an ageing lothario and praised Preity Zinta as "stepping far beyond her makeup".[40]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna saw a record opening at many cities in India and generated₹60 crore in the first week itself, although it is currently Johar's lowest-grossing film according to net collections, even if unadjusted for inflation. It emerged the highest grosser worldwide for an Indian film, surpassingKabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'s five-year-old record.[6] With a total overseas gross of$10.77 million, the film was thethird-highest overseas grosser as of 2013.[41]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna opened strongly in the United States and the United Kingdom with first weekend grosses of $1.3 million and $1.4 million (£750,000) respectively.[42] In total, it collected US$3,275,444 in the United States, while in UK, it netted over £5,079,688.00. In the US, one factor contributing to its success was the fact it debuted in 64 theatres, unusually high for a Bollywood film in cities with lower Indian populations such asMiami,Tampa, andRaleigh as well.[43]
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna's total worldwide gross was₹113 crore ($37 million).[3][7][4] It emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of the decade in the overseas markets.[44][45] When adjusted for inflation, the film still ranks among the highest Indian grossers worldwide.[46]
A recipient of several accolades,Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna led the52nd Filmfare Awards with 23 nominations and wonBest Supporting Actor (Abhishek Bachchan).Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna also earned oneIIFA Award, twoGlobal Indian Film Awards, onePeople's Choice Award India, oneScreen Award, oneStardust Award, and fiveZee Cine Awards.[47][48]
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