MUMBAI :Filmmaker Karan Johar is one of the most esteemed in the nation. Viewers have greatly enjoyed his films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and most recently Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. While the majority of his films have received a lot of adoration, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna earned conflicting reviews at its release and continues to do so today. The renowned director said in a recent interview why he was surprised by the responses to his most daring picture to yet.
Karan Johar was recently questioned about the one aspect of his film career that most shocked him. Quickly responding, the Maverick director said, "It was not surprising but I was taken aback with the moral policing for Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. I thought that I was speaking an unusual subject. It was about infidelity and I was also deconstructing Shah Rukh's absolutely pure image and showing the grey side of life."
Then Karan discussed a few circumstances that took place in the run-up to the movie's release that made him decide that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna wouldn't follow in the footsteps of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. He revealed, "Thursday night, I went to see. It was a preview at Adlabs. And there was this scene; There was a very traditional couple and I was behind them. And there was a scene where Shah Rukh and Rani check into a hotel room. So there was this lady who looks to her husband. The husband said, 'Dream sequence chhe' (It is a dream sequence). So, she was pacified by the fact that it is a dream sequence. And it can't be like that and they would not step outside the boundary of their marriage. When they realised that it is not a dream sequence, they both got up, took their families and walked out. And I was like, oh my god. Reality of life; judgement hit me."
He further added, "When I stepped outside, there was a lady and her daughter was crying in the corner. So I thought she was very moved by the film. But the mother came to me and she looked to me and said, 'Tu Karan Johar hai?' (Are you Karan Johar) and I said, 'Ji' (Yes). So she said, 'Meri beti, uska abhi abhi divorce hua hai. Aur maine bola ki mood thik karne ke liye tujhe Karan Johar ki picture dikhaungi. Aur tune yeh picture banayi hai?! Aise banate hai picture? Yeh hote hai humare sanskaar?' (My daughter recently went through a divorce and I thought to show her a Karan Johar film to make her mood better. And you made such a film? Is this how you make a movie? Are these our manners?) and I was like, 'scared'."
Karan Johar admits that since he was used to loving those polarizing reactions puzzled him. He said, “I realised that the film had done phenomenally overseas but India, it had done good business, not great business. But I realised that there was such a divided house for Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. So when you said surprised, I was not surprised but I was more disappointed actually. Then I went within and realised that you know, when you make a film that hits home, whether it is Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna then or Gehraiyaan now, it will always have this polarised response. And I was just so used to getting love that polarisation threw me off.”
Many more amusing anecdotes were told by Karan. After one of the distributors said so, he discussed how he felt that he was ready to hand a flop to legends like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. The director also explained why Kuch Kuch Hota Hai bothered him.
Currently, Karan is getting ready for his upcoming action spectacular movie. In the meantime, further information about his action movie will be revealed.
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Credits – Pinkvilla
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