Retro Review: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Bringing to you this month's Retro Review, BollyCurry takes this opportunity to throw light on a movie that created waves with its charming storyline, catchy songs and memorable onscreen couple.

Published: Tuesday,May 05, 2015 21:27 PM GMT-06:00

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Bringing to you this month's Retro Review, BollyCurry takes this opportunity to throw light on a movie that created waves with its charming storyline, catchy songs and memorable onscreen couple. We're talking about none other than the coming-of-the-age flick, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), where stereotypes were broken and records were created.

The directorial debut of Karan Johar, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) was released on the 16^th of October, 1998,

featuring a star-studded cast composed of Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Salman Khan, Farida Jalal and Anupam Kher. The movie was produced by Yash Johar and Hiroo Johar, while Karan Johar had written the story. The music was composed by Jatin-Lalit.

Set against a typical college backdrop that is known of many a writers' muse, this quirky romantic triangle is unique indeed. Instead of the conniving and scheming spurned lover, we have the kind and tomboyish Anjali Sharma (Kajol) who falls in love with her best friend Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan). However, she only discovered her love after the beautiful and talented Tina (Rani Mukerji) entered Rahul's life and ultimately, the dynamics of their friendship changed. She was hurting in silence whilst Rahul was enjoying the bliss of his romance, ignorant of his best friend's raging emotions for him.

Unable to cope with seeing the man she loves roam around with his girlfriend, Anjali took the hard decision of moving away from them in hopes of moving on. Nevertheless, one cannot deny love this easily. Rahul and Tina marry eventually. Tina gives birth to a baby girl but succumbs to post pregnancy complications. However, before dying, she requests Rahul to name their daughter Anjali. In her last days Tina pens down eight letters for each year of her daughter's life. These letter make the young Anjali know her demised mother and also about her last wish - to bring back Anjali Sharma in Rahul's life. Years later, the best friends meet again under strange circumstances. Anjali's feelings came to the forefront once again. Sadly, there's more at stake this time around - Anjali is engaged to Aman Mehra (Salman Khan).

Seeing his friend in an entirely new avatar, Rahul becomes attracted to the more feminine yet spunky "new" Anjali. Faced with the dilemma of Rahul's feelings for her and her engagement to Aman, Anjali is shown torn between her heart and commitment. Eventually, Aman finds out about Rahul and Anjali's history and upon seeing their love for each other, he decides to be the noble man and allow them to get married, literally putting Anjali's hands in Rahul's on his wedding day.

The movie was internationally recognized and received many awards and accolades for its cast, storyline, music and costumes at various award ceremonies, including the National Awards and the Filmfare awards. The box office was also very kind to the movie, making it one of the most successful films of that year.

Did You Know?

Shah Rukh Khan encouraged Karan Johar to try his hand at directing his own movie after he assisted Aditya Chopra on the sets of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

Rani Mukerji volunteered for the role of Tina after reading the script as it was initially written with Twinkle Khanna in mind and was turned down by her.

Karan Johar knew he wanted to pair Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol after watching them work in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Happy endings and fairytale love stories are cliched, but when coupled with a realistic twist of a widower and his daughter's thirst for a mother, a film is bound to be successful, because Bollywood is synonymous to melodrama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai will always be fondly remembered as one of the most beautiful love stories, one that can definitely be watched repeatedly. Here's hoping that the legacy of Rahul and Anjali lives on as this movie completes almost seventeen years.

Author: Mohini N.

Editors: Nabila S. and Gunia K.

Graphics: Nabila S. and Marsh P.

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