KANK is not a 'Brief Encounter' rehashed

KANK is not a 'Brief Encounter' rehashed
11th Aug 2006 00.25 IST

There is a remarkable similarity between Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and a 1945 movie by the renowned British filmmaker Sir David Lean.

Lean's movie 'Brief Encounter' is the story of a married woman who meets another man (also married) in the waiting room of a railway station. They share a casual conversation in the refreshment room. Thereafter, they begin meeting every Thursday. After a series of meetings, their innocent and casual relationship develops into love. But both realize that none of them can walk away from their respective marriage. The story ends with a separation between the two.

Now, on to KANK. In the film, Shah Rukh Khan , who plays a married man, meets Rani Mukherjee (also married) at a railway station. Like the protagonists of 'Brief Encounter', SRK and Rani too indulge in casual conversations before emotions are stirred. But the similarity ends there.

Karan Johar admits that this sequence in KANK is indeed inspired from 'Brief Encounter'.

"I admit that it has one similarity with 'Brief Encounter' and that is that Rani and Shah Rukh meet at a station. I admit that is an inspiration," Karan is quoted as saying.

But KANK is different from David Lean's movie in the sense that Karan's movie goes deeper into the married lives of the two couples. There is considerable footage showing the troubles and tiffs in the married lives of Abhishek Bachchan -Rani Mukherjee and SRK- Preity Zinta . Then, the film has senior actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Kiron Kher adding the quintessential Indian flavour to the story by playing the elders who guide their drifted children.

However, I have one big curiosity. 'Brief Encounter' ended at the railway station with the separation between the two lovers. Will KANK have a similar end?

We'll know today when the film releases worldwide.