Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna

Last week I had the opportunity to see KANK. I usually look forward to Karan Johar movies because of two things. One, I see all my favorite movie stars in one sitting and the other, I get to listen to some really good music. Looking at KANK from this angle I wasn't disappointed. When I was past the initial euphoria and decided to concentrate on the storyline I actually started to see the movie. And by the end of it I was shocked and angry with Johar. The only thought I carried back home was how dare he misled us with such an unmoralistic ending? Couple of days later I was watching Johar in an interview explain why the movie was what it was. Thats when it hit me. I had actually programmed myself in such a fashion that I had refused to accept a mainline director using contemporary superstars to tell an offbeat story. I am sure I wouldn't have been surprised if I had seen this story in one of Woody Allen's introspective flicks.

Thats when I decided to think about the movie again from a different angle. Upto one level Johar's portrayal of compromise in marriage and the ideology of love and soulmates does seem to work. We do feel geuninely for SRK where he feels Preity doesn't give him the attention that he thinks he deserves. Here I want to argue that when a spouse is very busy because of the hectic work what will you choose to do : sulk and make the spouse's life more miserable by arguing he/she doesn't have time and go over the top by sleeping with someone else or support her and be more sensitive, attentive and pro-active to other things that make up a successful marriage like children, house etc. SRK chooses the former and Johar makes you feel that was the most obvious thing to do.

SRK's situation can still be rationalized but Rani's case is absurd. If she had doubts about AB Jr on her marriage day why did she marry and make Abhishekh's life hell as well. And she is supposed to be in the US of A. So is Rani's meek acquiescence Johar's idea of Indian tradition of some sort or just plain stupidity on her part. Johar's usual take of black and white New York as the backstage adds to the gloom in the already gloomy second half. I would love to see him direct one film on the familiar and vibrant desi grounds.

Shankar, Eshaan and Loy come up with a winner yet again. The soundtrack and sexy Sam save the day. Overall an outrageously bloated budget which could have been put to better use.