In terms of a story the movie revolves around Dev Saran (Shahrukh Khan) who has an unpleasant married life with Rhea Saran (Preity Zinta). Dev is ultimately a negative and pessimistic man since he met with an accident and wasn’t able to fulfil his dream of paying soccer any further. His wife on the other hand is extremely successful in her career and she clearly 'wears the pants' in the household which further irks Dev and constantly makes him realize that he is a failure in life which in turn makes him grow bitter and bitter turning his anger towards everyone around him. In short Dev is a constant ticking time bomb who looks for excuses to get angry! Dev's mother Kamaljit (Kirron Kher) also lives with the couple as do their son Arjun (master Ahsaas)
The second couple is Rishi Talwar(Abhishek Bachchan) who is a success events organizer who is married to Maya Talwar (Rani Mukherji), who is a simple and traditional girl. Rishi is a child trapped in a grown mans body. Immature, outgoing, and hyper who loves partying. He loves his wife too, but Maya feels that they are on a different wave length. She likes to 'discuss' and talk things over but feels that Rishi isn’t able to understand her at all. Their marriage is slowly breaking and crumbling and to add fuel to the fire their sexual life isn’t that great either as Maya refuses to have sex with Rishi which angers him. Rishis father Samarjit aka Sam (Amitabh Bachchan) is a happy-go-lucky man who loves to live his life to the FULLEST! The man is a walking talking penis who is constantly surrounded by women and always has sex on his mind.
The twist in the tale comes when Dev and Maya slowly start getting closer and closer to each other until it reaches a climax point and Dev confesses that he is in love with her and the two tread on a forbidden part of infidelity and start having an affair secretly until it comes to crunch time..What happens next? Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna provides the answers!
In terms of a story Karan Johar and Shibhani Bathija have mixed a bit of the old with a bit of the new. There are parts which reminded me of other films - but mainly two films both directed by Yash Chopra - Kabhi Kabhie and Silsila. The portions of the bitter Shahrukh Khan who is constantly negative and grumpy reminded me a lot of Amitabh in Kabhi Kabhie while the whole angle of a secret affair reminded me of Silsila. In the first half the story starts off well with the introduction of all the characters, but does slacken in pace only to pick up at interval point. After interval point the movie again moves at a fast pace only to slacken again. The screenplay of the movie is good (note NOT great). No doubt Karan Johar has attempted to move away what is known as his 'love dovey schmaltz' genre and attempted something which is rather daring and contemporary as well as something different. The sequence of events that unfold onscreen are always exciting and happening although the treatment may not always be exciting.
As a director this is Karan Johars best film to date (doesn’t mean jack btw, as I personally detested both KKHH and K3G a lot) in my opinion though this is NOT Karan Johars best film to date overall as that is still Kal Ho Naa Ho (which he produced) in my view. Johar does take huge strides as a director and proves that he is capable of handling a complex and mature love story with conviction and does a remarkable job. What works is Karan's take on marriages which is refreshing and a definite welcome change to what we’ve been seeing for years in Indian cinema though not entirely plausible with not all characters well defined (a flaw I found in K3G too)!. His forte is no doubt the handling of emotions as well as complex and interwoven relations and the man knows his mettle for the most. He also has a definite comic flair and he does well here with his sexually charged humour. What was a surprise change was that the movie was actually well balance with some fresh direction from Karan as well as his usual melodrama in equal doses unlike K3G which was over-melodramatic from start to finish. Karan does falter though as the movies pacing is too erratic and the pace slackens to a snails pace only to pickup again and drop again. The last 30 minutes of the movie (from when Shahrukh and Rani both their separate ways) drags on and could do with a trim. In my view from the point where Shahrukh and Rani leave home to the end there needs to be trimming done to the movie as it turns into a BIG YAWN and feels like one of those NEVER ENDING Balaji TV Serials. My biggest grouch with the movie is the climax. Although the movie is touted to be 'different' etc it seems like Karan has compromised by giving everyone a happy ending. I agree this is Bollywood and all but having Preity move on with Arjun, Abhishek move on with some European girl so that Shahrukh and Rani can together in the end and weep and cry just seemed to NEARLY out-do everything that he had done and this works against the movie.. It was almost like 'look this is different' and then 'and this is not'. Karan Johar - my advice is you were 55-60% there this time but there is still room for improvement. No doubt you’re a talented and extremely capable storyteller with a firm grasp over the medium of direction as well as handling multi-layered stories/themes but you do need to concentrate more on your style of directing still as well as trimming down in certain places as it comes across as self-indulgence . . . also he definitely needs to decrease in going overboard in the melodrama scenes!
The scenes that really stick in the viewer minds are..
• The initial scene between Shahrukh and Rani at the bench where Shahrukh is at his natural best • The introduction of Amitabhs character and all the scene that follow • The little fight scenes with Shahrukh/Preity as well as Rani/Abhishek • Shahrukh admitting to Rani he loves her (Classic Shahrukh Khan moment) • The “big” fight scene between the two couples (BRILLIANTLY executed)! • The scene where Rani/Preity are both walking towards SRK at the lights • The dinner table sequence as well as the opera sequence • Amitabh Bachchans demise • Rani admitting to Abhishek and SRK admitting to Preity about their affairs.
Now to the performances…..
Amitabh Bachchan is a true-blue super-star and just as you thought you had seen it all Amitabh comes up with one of his most likeable, vibrant, spirited add energetic performance in recent times to remind us why he is what he is! The man simply rocks in his sexually charged role as an old school party boy and seems every bit comfortable in his role. He plays his philandering character to utmost perfection and delivers a very convincing performance. His wardrobe and looks too are very stylish (Indian Hugh Hefner anyone?)! I can say that Karan Johar has made superb use of Amitabh Bachchan here and indeed given him something quiet interesting to play rather than what he gave Amitabh in K3G..As suspected Bachchan does what he does best. PLAYS COMPLETELY TO THE GALLERY and evokes a thunderous response.
Shahrukh Khan Delivers a performance that will be loved by his loyal fans but no way is it a performance that is EXCELLENT! I would go as far as to say his performance here is REALLY GOOD but it is definitely NOT outstanding and doesn’t rank alongside his best like KABHI HAAN KABHI NAA, BAAZIGAR, DARR, DDLJ, or SWADES this is definitely one of his better performances since the new millennium and in the genre as well of late. He gives a new angle to the lover boy “icon” he has created over the years by playing a romantic role which is quiet a departure from his usual roles. He plays an angry, negative pessimist with a definite amount conviction and really gets into the skin of his character. The character of Dev allows Shahrukh to speak with his eyes and Shahrukh Khan takes full advantage of that and speaks volumes with this big eyes. No doubt this is for the most an out-an-out Shahrukh Khan movie and Karan Johar makes sure that Shahrukh Khan dominates the entire movie with the most footage as well as the meatiest role. Just like Johars style of directing-there are times when Shahrukh throws us a different side to him with his rather dry and sarcastic humour and at other times he does his usual quivering mouthed, teary eyed routine which personally does NOT do it for me. It was evident that his whole quivering lips/teary eyed part is slowly coming to an end and one hopes with films like CHAK DE, OM SHANTI OM and DON Shahrukh does a complete departure from these kinds of roles. Infact-I felt that he could’ve infact done added that extra bit of “zing” into the climax that was the need of the hour but it’s the climax consists of the usual Shahrukh performance. This does however get me more excited about DON-if a director who Shahrukh is comfortable with like Karan can bring out something new in him…then I wonder what a fresh director like Farhan Akhtar who is working with Shahrukh for the first time can do? In saying that the entire row of girls behind me were still sobbing in the climax like crazy which to me is indication enough that Shahrukh Khan is still god overseas?!
Abhishek Bachchan too gives a brilliant account of himself in a character which I found to be underwritten (but that was expected). Abhishek knows that he is the second-hero of the movie and more on the 'supporting' side rather than being the main star yet given that he too manages to hold his own and gives a terrific performance. His confidence has just catapulted over time and here too he is at his confident best. His comic timing is fantastic and his emotional/dramatic scenes too are brilliant. The three scenes that instantly come to mind when one thinks of Abhishek here are 1) "Why doesn’t my wife sleep with me"? 2) Amitabhs death and his breakdown at the hospital(poignant and heart wrenching) and 3) His eruption when he finds out about the affair…the manner in which he conveys rage, pain, anger and hurt all in one is just wicked.
Rani Mukherji is just OK here. In fact there were times she annoyed the hell out of me! I will say it here and I’m ready to not go back on my word. She is a remarkable actress who has given some outstanding performances in recent times-but she her performance here didn’t click with me. I found her annoying, whinging and no doubt that role was TAILORMADE for Kajol (and I prefer Rani to Kajol overall)! There was just something missing about her performance here and it could be the fact we’ve seen Rani in these kind of roles before. Her chemistry/scenes with Abhishek were superbly canned but a prime example would the climax where nothing everything just seemed too ordinary . . . and bland!
Preity Zinta on the other hand sprung a complete surprise and delivered a knockout performance! Like Shahrukh, this is primarily a Rani film as far as footage is concerned but in terms of performance Preity manages to steal the show with a upbeat, modern and rather zesty performance which is totally convincing. She looks sexy as hell and be it her body language, delivery, dramatic scenes or comic she simply knocks the viewer back! Her fight scene with Shahrukh and also the scene where Shahrukh admits his affair to her are two prime examples. Given that I found her one of the most overrated actresses in Bollywood I have been forced to changed my views on Preity again(after a long time)!
Kirron Kher is a darling to watch! There are movies I find her irritating but here she is just charming, funny, natural and very likeable. Her chemistry with Amitabh is cute.
Arjun Rampal has a extended special appearance(think Saif Ali Khan in BIWI NO.1) and he plays his part OK. He mouths his lines robotic as ever and appears to be going through the motions.
Master Ahsaas is simply ADORABLE!
Kajol and John Abraham both make welcome short appearances in the songs are add to glamour value.
On a sidenote of comparison and chemistry. Given the super-success of BUNTY AUR BABLI and SARKAR there are certain expectations one has from Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan coming together in one movie-and please do NOTE that this is not a out-and-out showcase for the father/son jodi to have a blast like the two movies above however their chemistry together here is simply oozing off the screen and I found it to be one of the major highlights of the entire movie. They seem totally comfortable with each other and compliment each other beautifully. Just note the scene in the hospital where Abhishek is sitting next to his dad (REEL LIFE imitating REAL life?) and the scene that directly follows where Abhishek breaks down . . .the emotions are raw and VERY natural. The chemistry/interplay between ALL the actors is superb given that they have worked together so many times in previous movies.
Niranjan Iyengars dialogues are great and I found them completely in sync with the movie.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loys music translates well on-screen for the most and actually enhance the appeal of the songs with the superbly choreographed dance sequences by Farah Khan-though most of them have a 'Seen that before' feeling to them. Definitely not Shankar-Ehsaan-Loys best to date. My personal favourite would be ROCK N ROLL SONIYE followed closely by MITWA.
MITWA, ROCK AND ROLL SONIYE and WHERE'S THE PARTY tonight all stand. The title track and background score are placed apt though the placing of the title song in the second part just before the climax drags the movie.
Technically the movie is well done. Anil Mehta’s camerawork is slick and on par with previous Karan Johar movies. The 'thrillers' (Soccer match) which was choreographed by Shahrukh himself (A bit like the fight scene in DDLJ) too is good.
All up where does that leave Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna? Well the combination of the stars, performances, chemistry as well as a number of individual scenes ensure that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is definetly worth a dekkho once but NO WAY is this an outright classic and despite what Karan Johar has been claiming this is NOT all that different from his previous movies though he has incorporated some new twists to an otherwise old tale!
Final Rating: * * *
