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20 years of Kal Ho Naa Ho: Shah Rukh Khan's cinematic masterpiece still captivates my heart for all right reasons
As Kal Ho Naa Ho clocks 20 years, here is a closer look at the Shah Rukh Khan starrer romantic comedy drama and why it still resonates deeply with me. Read on.
It's been 20 years since Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho hit the silver screen and mesmerized everyone. Time flies and 20 years is a long time to take a step back to observe something that you love and give it another watch. I had not seen this film in quite some time and decided to give it a go before it clocked 20 years. Here's what I observed.
Kal Ho Naa Ho: An ode to living life to the fullest
There's a scene in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anand where Rajesh Khanna's character says Babumoshai, zindagi badi honi chahiye lambi nahi (Life should be big and not long)." Nikhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho follows the same spirit and gives a beautiful message to live our lives to the fullest because who knows Kal Ho Naa Ho (There may be no tomorrow).
The Plot
The story is centered around Naina Catherine Kapoor (Preity Zinta) who lives with her widowed mother Jennifer, brother Shiv, adopted sister Jia, and paternal grandmother who doesn't like Jia. Naina is a pessimistic person who slowly starts falling in love with Aman (played by Shah Rukh Khan) who is a cheerful and nice guy. However, things take a wrong turn and Aman instead helps Naina and Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) fall in love. This is because Aman is suffering from serious health issues and he knows that his days are numbered.
On the surface, the plot might seem melodramatic and paper-thin but as you watch the film, you realize how beautifully packaged and well-told story it is. I still believe that Kal Ho Naa Ho is an example of Bollywood at its finest where the makers go all out and do what they want to do without succumbing to the pressure of pleasing everyone.
The Performances
Shah Rukh Khan is the king of romance for a reason and he has proved this time and again. However, in Kal Ho Naa Ho, he doesn't take center stage for a sizable time. Though he is likable and everything, his character also takes a step back and lets the love between Preity and Saif's character fall in love. Behind that big smile is always a sense of melancholy and a feeling of dread which is rare for a Hindi film. One might argue that the last 10-15 minutes of the film go into melodrama mode.
Still, that doesn't feel manipulative. Instead, those final scenes feel earned and essential. Anyway, coming back to the performances, SRK shines without a doubt. Preity Zinta, who is easily one of the finest talents of India, doesn't disappoint even for a second. Saif was in his urban cool dude phase around this time and he continued to play that part with much ease. The ever-reliable Jaya Bachchan also knocks it out of the park.
The Humor
Kal Ho Naa Ho has Karan Johar written all over it. The film is written and produced by him even though he is not in the director's chair, it feels like a KJo movie in every sense. One of the biggest hallmarks is the humor of the film which is in typical KJo style and works as a palet cleaner before the full course of a hurricane of emotion that comes later.
The Music
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composed the music for Kal Ho Naa Ho while the magical lyrics were penned by the legendary Javed Akhtar. An international song titled Oh, Pretty Woman was revised and used in the film. Every song in the film tells a story of a different mood. While Pretty Woman marks Amar's entry into Naina's life, the title track gives us a grim look into Amar's health. It's the time to Disco is a popular party anthem that was a trend back in the day. Suffice it to say that there's something for everyone in terms of music. The music of Karan Johar's cinema rarely disappoints and in this case, it shines brighter than any beacon.
Conclusion
We have a habit of judging older films from today's lens. If we go that route, of course, some scenes in Kal Ho Naa Ho haven't aged well. But apart from that, everything else and the film as a whole. For me, Kal Ho Naa Ho works on every level as mentioned above. It's a well-acted, well-written, and directed movie with a beautiful message.
Despite its heaviness, the film doesn't feel didactic or preachy as the makers understand the importance of keeping the viewers engaged at any cost. Give this film a try if you still haven't. If its been ages since you revisited it, now is the time. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. On a final note, we should never forget the message which is larger than the film itself in a way.
ALSO READ: Did you know Shah Rukh Khan was about to quit Kal Ho Naa Ho after shooting for 4 days?
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