Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)

This is possibly the most advertised and well promoted movie in a long time. It has more stars than can be seen on most nights from Gurgaon. It is supposedly the most expensive Indian film made with a budget of over 70 Crore (~ USD 15 million) most of which might have gone towards paying the stars. The songs have been repeated tiresomely on the TV music channels and the radio channels. It has been one of the most awaited for movies in a long time, with advance bookings opening on Wednesday for the Friday show. We were among those who managed to get tickets for this weekend. So how was it?

Awful.

The story. Dev Saran, a football champion, breaks his leg in an accident and becomes a good-for-nothing, while his wife Rhea is a successful magazine editor. Insecurities abound and he is always in a bad mood. Rishi Talwar is a suave party planner, while his wife Maya is a teacher who can't have kids. More insecurity abounds, and she is always sad. The movie was supposed to be about relationships. It was supposed to offer insights into dealing with the situation of finding your soul mate after you are married. If it had stuck to this plot it would have been a good movie. I am no expert at relationships, but in this case I can confidently say I have more insight than Karan Johar or any of the cast and crew of this movie. Karan's first mistake was to showcase the two couples as struggling in marriage. This is unnecessary. A couple can be perfectly happy in marriage and yet find someone else to be their soul mates. This would have a much more difficult situation. His second mistake was to give both protagonists Dev, and Maya a weakness, or insecurity. This is the basis of their relationship and is totally flawed to begin with. Why could they have not been normal people who find interesting things in each other rather than comfort for their insecurities? Karan's third mistake was one that all Indian directors seem to make and I am beginning to believe is probably part of Indian upbringing now. People only listen to their elders on their death bed. On Samarjit's (Rishi's dad) last wish, Maya and Dev confront their partners and tell them the truth. But after being kicked out, they lie to each other, hoping to gain some sympathy with the audience for being nice. Unfortunately letting 3 years pass till you are accidentally reunited is not true love, or soul mate material, so oops, missed again.

There were other characters and plot lines, something about a child kidnapping Black Beast, a friendly tie-up between the Hugh Hefner with Indian morals Samarjit (Sam) and Kamaljit (Dev's mom) and a really weak link between Rhea and her boss at the magazine, but none of them were necessary.

The acting. Shah Rukh (Dev) is the worst. His list of expressions is reducing from movie to movie and he is better off playing roles with very little facial expression needed like Swades. Preity Zinta (Rhea) had no role so no scope for acting. She looked good yes, but if that's all that was required of the role, then someone like Malika would have been enough. Rani Mukherjee (Maya) was all gloss and at a loss for any kind of emotion. Maybe the make up was too constricting and all too obvious with the fake tears literally rolling effortlessly down her cheeks. A below par performance for a critically acclaimed actress. Abhishek (Rishi) was the saving grace. He is maturing into a fine actor. Granted his character was also the most real of the entire cast, but he managed to use that to his advantage and got the a

Fmovies: The storyline is weak. It lacks a good foundation to build a good plot...though I am glad that Karan Johar took the initiative to break out of his routine-happy-movies...he definitely missed the mark. Could this be the beginning of the end for him?....

The content was unconvincing, fake and unreal. There is no justification for any of their actions, namely Maya (Rani) and Dev's (SRK). To put it simply...it's just something the general audience will not be able to digest.

The backdrop is all too familiar with Kal Ho Na Ho and the songs aren't that great either. The film felt like it was on a never-ending roundabout...so much could've been edited and so much of it was unnecessary...felt like I was in the theatre for ages. BUT... nonetheless, I personally think the acting was satisfactory- and that goes for Preity, Rani, Abhishek, ..and maybe even SRK.

I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be a big flop.

Hello Karan, This one's for you...Did you know that extra marital affairs or relationships are NOT built on flimsy grounds. It takes a lot of courage, pain, thought, guilt, yes, no, yes, no and finally when the partners give in (particularly when both are married) there is a lot of intensity, commitment to each other and hidden emotions which are so strong that you start to "feel" even if you are a listener/counselor/friend/confidante.. So just imagine how deep such a bond is, when it breaks the fetters of society. I am surprised that a person of your SENSITIVITY handled this theme with such a casual attitude.... And SRK who is at his emotive best in other films just lazily glides through this... as if the entire gamut of emotions is happening to someone else.. and Rani was a BAD choice despite her histrionic talents she could not handle this one... Kajol would have been better...since the basic rendering of the theme was so poor and disappointing, the characters did not depict any sensitivity/intensity/guilt/reason for an affair... no point in going into other cinematic content... it is a long awaited but disappointing finale..Study human relationships next time... before you venture into adult stuff..Good Luck anyways

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna fmovies. So, how do we make movie.

Step 1: Start from an idea Step 2: ... No point going to this step and onwards because that's where the thinking part ends in this case.

The idea was good, different and definitely unconventional. The execution was flawed and suffered from lack of thinking and complete inability to knit a story around that idea.

Let's start with lack of identity in and relevance of characters: Sam - couldn't figure out why is this character in the movie. He could not resolve anything, could not set an example of any kind. If he is trying to be Hugh Hefner, so be it - don't mix or dilute that character with stints of love for his late wife.

Kamaljit - Such a fine actress - totally wasted because of the same issue as above.

Maya - why is she unhappy? is she very fond of cleaning and Rishi very fond of throwing trash around; she wants to do or achieve something in life that Rishi is not letting her to? is she in love with some other guy before marriage (like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam) and she is stuck here? Not explained at all in the movie.

Dev - Why is he so irritated all the time? What does he want in life? Why does he feel bad when Rhea kind of shows her generosity when she declines the promotion but he makes sarcastic remarks when he wins some small time cup in the beginning of the movie but she is unable to make it because of her interview? His love towards Maya all these years (even though he was married) and his waiting or letting the trains go, keeping a close watch at her etc. comes as a big surprise to the audience as well (at least tell us about it so that we can at least appreciate and understand your character and try to defend you.. because ultimately it is going to be your story)? How was he wronged to an extent that he had to leave his son, his mother because of some Maya after more than 5 years of marriage? What led him to pull the chain in the end when he didn't even know that Maya wasn't living with Rishi anymore? Totally confused guy with no sense of life.

Rhea - Understood. She is a career oriented woman and work comes first and family second. That's a personal choice and I appreciate that. She is very successful and took the magazine to No. 1 spot in less than 2 years (she joined when her son was 5yrs old). But her way of dealing with personal situations is very immature - don't believe she played any role in dealing with people issues to make the magazine such a big success. And what was the meaning of - Now we are No. 1 and now let us go back to our husbands and family. Are you saying that leaving husbands and family was part of the project plan to bring the magazine to No. 1 spot and that now there will not be any effort to keep it that way. Trust me, fight for sustenance at No. 1 spot is far more hard than achieving it.

Rishi - The most reasonable character in the movie. Although we don't know what is going on in his mind and how he wants to resolve things than just being totally committed and in love with Maya..but still.. we can grant him some room.

Arjun - A cute little angel with Chicken Little looks. He could have played a significant role in the movie to turnaround things and situations. But he is a kid...he gets to suffer in the end...so let us leave him for now.

In short - if we have so many weak characterizations playing the lead role in the movie, howsoever good the concept is - it is bound to fail.

The only good thing in the movie (that is why 1 star) 1- Music.

Watch it only if your life depends on it. Perhaps. In a country where millions of people are living below the poverty line, are dying of curable diseases like malaria, living like rats and dying like flies ... making movies (even bad ones) about rich, confused, NRI a**h***s is not only pointless but OUTRIGHT WRONG. Or may be it is not such a bad idea after all - "if they have no bread, let them eat cake". This movie can be described by these words - TORMENTING, TORTUROUS, HORRIBLE, EXCRUCIATING, AGONIZING, HARROWING, PAINFUL, TORTUROUS and MIND-NUMBING. Also sitting through this movie proves that there is something seriously wrong with me and that I should reevaluate my life.

Saddest take on extra marital relationships. No justification for anything. Why SRK falls for Rani? How is she so different from Preity? Why is Rani angry with Abhishek? What does SRK give her? There is no justification and as a viewer I do not get interested in any relationship whatsoever. Because nothing looks real. One does not feel any emotions and the stars are crying all the time! Everything looks artificial and concocted. The director does not seem to have any depth and any understanding of the sensitivities. One should have a look at Arth and Silsila to see how this kind of cinema should be attempted. Good locations and costumes do not make up for an atrocious film.