Preity was getting very personal, Abhishek broke down; it was tumultuous: KJO on filming of KANK

At a special event marking 30 years of Rani Mukerji in cinema, hosted by Karan Johar himself, nostalgia met honesty as the filmmaker revisited one of his most emotionally charged films, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. As Rani, Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Abhishek Bachchan’s performances were discussed, Karan opened up about how deeply the film affected its actors, not just on-screen but during its making.

Set in New York and centred on broken marriages and emotional loneliness, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was never meant to be a comfortable viewing experience. And as Karan revealed at the event, it wasn’t an easy film to live through either.

When Fiction Started Feeling Personal

Karan shared that Preity Zinta, who played Rhea, struggled emotionally with her character’s journey. The idea that Dev could betray a partner like her became hard to process. Recalling the moment, Karan said, “She was getting very personal… I had taken her aside, and we went for a walk. I said, ‘It’s not Preity Zinta. This is Rhea. It’s happening to her.’”

The line between actor and character blurred often on set. The emotions weren’t performed; they were felt. Karan explained that the film’s core conflicts touched a raw spot in each actor, making the experience intense and, at times, overwhelming.

“I realised that everyone was going through beats in their heads because the film talks about ground realities and emotional realities… things that people go through but don’t like to address… It was a very tumultuous experience.”

- Karan Johar

The Emotional Weight on the Cast

Preity wasn’t alone. Karan revealed that Abhishek Bachchan had a breaking point, too. “I remember, at one point, Abhishek broke down… remember there was an emotional scene? I remember he broke down.” He also mentioned noticing Rani Mukerji growing quieter during the shoot. “There were moments when I could just see you (Rani) looking sullen and sad.”

Reflecting on the atmosphere on set, Karan added, “I realised that everyone was going through beats in their heads because the film talks about ground realities and emotional realities… things that people go through but don’t like to address… It was a very tumultuous experience.”

Then Controversial, Now Revisited with New Eyes

When Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna released in 2006, it split opinions sharply. Some viewers admired its honesty, while others were uncomfortable with its take on marriage, infidelity and emotional neglect. It wasn’t an easy film to accept back then.

Nearly two decades later, the conversation has changed. Today, the film is often seen as ahead of its time, a rare mainstream Hindi film that dared to show marriages falling apart without villains, only flawed people.