Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna broke new ground in Bollywood with its candid portrayal of infidelity. Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, the film depicted morally complex characters and sparked widespread debate upon its release. While critics and audiences were divided, and commercially the film underperformed compared to typical SRK hits, it left a lasting mark for its bold storytelling.
Facing the backlash
Nearly two decades later, Rani Mukerji, fresh off her first National Award win, reflected on why the film faced such resistance in a conversation with ANI. “Maybe India wasn’t ready for it. But it’s always nice to be part of films that are way ahead of its time. Because in history when people talk about films, at least they’ll remember our films as those films that actually spoke aloud to the nation, spoke to an audience who was yet not ready to face the truth,” she said.
Making audiences uncomfortable
Rani explained how the film’s realistic depiction of relationships made viewers confront their own truths, “Yeah, it was happening (infidelity) and it made people uncomfortable because it made them see their own truth in their lives. And it’s always difficult to reflect upon your own truth, you know? And then when it happens in front of you on a celluloid, it kind of, you know, gives you a little jolt.”
Speaking previously at a film festival in Goa, she shared how the film sparked personal introspection, “I think what happened with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was that, after the film was released, there were a lot of divorces. There were a lot of people going to the theatre and watching the film in extreme discomfort. And I think that is the feedback Karan got for his film, and I think it opened eyes for a lot of people and they took the decision of being happy.“
Looking ahead
Rani is now preparing for Mardaani 3, set to release early next year. Reports also hint at a possible reunion with Shah Rukh Khan in his upcoming project King, marking their first on-screen collaboration in years.
