Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Reviews

• A QUADRILATERAL AT LAST!

  
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2007-04-11
  Such an inordinate number of successful Bollywood films seem to tread the jaded lines of one geometric shape, the triangle--Kuchh Kucch Hota Hai, Dil To Paagal Hai, Saajan, Kal Ho Na Ho, Parineeta, ad infinitum--that one could be forgiven for wanting to hand the industry a Camlin compass box.
  
  Not to worry. Karan Johar, the under-30 Star Director (as they'll have you believe) rips through the shackles of that well-established formula, and offers us this putative "breakthrough" film: a quadrilaterial! Four lead actors, you see, caught ever so helplessly in the web of extra-marital flexibilities. A smart, savvy, young theme, one that showcases the intricacies and challenges of an India of the future.
  
  Right. I hate to prick the bubble, but this flapdoodle is anything but. Notwithstanding the familiar picnics that we've seen in Sooraj Barjatya flicks (polygons?), KANK's problem is not with the moral indignations that ultra-conservatives may have with its theme. Sure, attractions beyond ill-conceived and hastily-arranged marriages are a reality. Who, having enjoyed an orange, would nevermore want an apple?
  
  But where the film comes up short, very short, is in its sheer lack of sensibility with the subject matter for grown-ups. Like a lumpy soup in a cheap restaurant where the chef couldn't decide quite how much to put in, of what, KANK never quite makes up its mind about being a sincere film exploring a sincere theme, or a mass market slapstick, leaping instead from the frivolous to the utterly idiotic.
  
  We see a couple of couples make what we're supposed to believe is an honest endeavor at a platonic relationship. A When-Harry-Met-Sally exploration of male-female bonds ensues. Love gratified is love satisfied, and love satisfied is indifference begun. But only the married folk in this fairy tale complete that circle, not these well-meaning friends with their thinly-veiled flirtations.
  
  The editing doesn't help either. As the story meanders through the needless song and aerobics, Rani and Abhishek are probably the only two that carry their roles with a semblance of sanity. Big B looks like a buffoon, but he seems to have been working hard at it for a couple of years, so I suppose we must say he's successful. Shahrukh seems to continue to win accolades for his hammy prattle, which ceased to be charming quite a while ago, and is only more egregious in this self-same installment. Kiran Kher joins the jamboree for the sole purpose of bringing sobriety to an erratic old man by oh-so-coyly calling him "boyfriend" (imagine the middle-aged aunties in the audience swooning over in giggles), and because that were clearly not enough, she also manages to bag a couple of gaffes celebrating her derriere from Jullundur.
  
  Bollywood's fascination with New York--the most usual suspect among "foreign cities", after London--continues, with just the kind of bromides we have seen in numerous previous attempts. A cavalcade of overcoats is obligatory (what a uni-seasonal city NY must be) and the Johar version of New York lives, breathes, sleeps in eternal perpetuity right by the Hudson river, because, clearly, that's where everything happens.
  
  For viewers/reviewers gushing with praise because they "truly saw moments from their lives embedded into this film", may I recommend a healthy dose of some of our own gems -- Ijaazat, Silsila, Kaash, Arth, Kabhi Kabhie, Saath Saath (for a dash of the light-hearted), Seema (with Balraj Sahni) and so forth -- where similar themes have been handled with the kind of grace and cadence that the subject calls for, and heck, deserves. If one is truly inclined to expand one's perspective and savor more intelligent films about the cobweb of relationships, I wholeheartedly recommend the likes of The Ice Storm, Eat Drink Man Woman, We Don't Live Here Anymore, Lost in Translation, Heat and Dust, An Ideal Husband, American Beauty, Dangerous Liaisons. And so on.
  
  Barring the soundtrack, which has some hummable melodies, the discerning may do well to skip this three-hour non-entertainment. It is not a breakthrough. It is certainly not a New Experiment. It's a mawkish popcorn thing that's made to appeal to the masses and to overworked engineers named Hari Prasad.
  
  

• Goodbye to the conventions

  
  By ACYTCGZWKTF93 on 2007-01-18
  Regardless of its flaws and faults, KANK is a bold and realistic attempt to portray the dilemma of Indian NRI's who live American lives but marry as per Indian norms. Where the director falls short is not in the right idea but in the realistic characterization, and following a script that rarely portrays the pains of two loveless marriages. A serious topic needs a serious portrayal. Karan Johar's otherwise popular attempts at comical relief have gone awry in KANK because the treatment never gets serious enough to call for a break. Pains of relationships bound by social pressures and traditions, are not an Indian wedding (KHNH) or a teenage romance (KKHH). Mixing fun and humor with such a serious issue can distract the audience and KANK suffers on this account.
  
  The flaws of script and lack of right directorial focus can, sometimes, be made up by individual acting brilliance. Unfortunately, the movie is not helped by the typical 'Sharukh Khan show'. Neither does a reasonably happy looking Preity Zinta make the audiences sympathize with her husband's perpetual lack of involvement. Abhishek and Rani share another loveless marriage but that does not come across as a serious issue apart from during a few outbursts. Amitabh is brilliant but his impact is to distract the audience if at all and KANK's last hope is lost with his demise before the critical climax. His brilliance if properly utilized might have helped a rescue act. Even music, an otherwise strong aspect of a Karan Johar movie, rarely attains the heights Shankar Ahsan Loy have scaled in the past.
  
  Overall, KANK - a bold effort at saying goodbye to conventions - has less that succeeded because of factors that are obvious in hindsight. Sadly, even the genius that he is, Karan Johar, did not see it while directing KANK. Nonetheless, Indian cinema will be better off with KANK in its archives than without it - not so much for what the movie achieves but for what it fails to attain.
  
  
  
  

• Great stars and great music wasted on a poor script

  
  By A1K9KNLTSJF7Q9 on 2007-04-05
  The latest from Bollywood's biggest producer/director, Karan Johar, who once again assembles a stellar cast - Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, & Abhishek Bachchan - only to waste them on a dog of a story. As with most Bollywood productions, the film is built around a romance, but this time the protagonists are already married and must suffer - along with audience - boat-fulls of angst before their love can blossom.
  
  The biggest problem with the film is that the audience can't sympathize with the protagonists or their predicament. We never really care what happens to Shah Rukh, who acts more selfish and petulant than the children to whom he acts as soccer coach, and Rani is so overly-sensitive that the least hint of criticism or suspicion causes her to burst into tears. Too many times during this film I found myself wishing that the two would get on with it, run away, and end this mess of a film.
  
  The Indian public ate it up - as did overseas audiences. KANK became the biggest grossing Indian film in Europe and America, beating out Johar's much better 2001 release, Khubi Kushi Kabhi Kham.
  
  About the only thing this film has going for it is the music, a nice collection of genre pieces, including a love ballad (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna), a pop-rock anthem (Mitwa), and a techno dance number (Where's the Party Tonight?). If you want to make a purchase, get the soundtrack and enjoy some great music, but skip the film.
  
  

• Heartbreaker

  
  By A296UBSAMWHLI0 on 2007-01-07
  I did not like this movie, specifically because I never like movies where married couples engage in affairs and cheat on their partners. (Every scene where they meet up in public or private has me cringing in my seat, wondering if someone is going to catch them in the act.)
  
  Maybe that makes me biased, but to this day I don't understand the concept of a person who's married, that goes and commits adultery because they are unhappy in their marriage.
  
  To make it worse, I have no clue why a person cheats when their spouse loves them wholeheartedly and would do anything to prove it.
  
  This is basically what the premise of the movie is about. If you can stomach scenarios like these and watch it for over two hours, then this is the movie for you. If not, I suggest "Chalte Chalte (Shahrukh Kahn, Rani Mukherjee)" or "Kuch Naa Kaho (Aishwarya Rai, Abishek Bachchan)" and better yet,my absolute favorite "Kal Ho Naa Ho (Sharukh Khan, Preity Zinta)."
  
  This movie shows the ugly side of marriage and the journey of two married "friends" who divulge deeper and deeper into a close relationship, thinking that this "friendship" wouldn't go to far. Unfortunately it did.
  
  Its sad, its heartbreaking, and extremely unfair how people rationalize their feelings and think its okay to play out of bounds in their marriage. Its a Hindi film I never thought I'd see, but its a whole new frontier in Bollywood these years. Very new.
  
  Songs were great, excluding the fanfare number with special appearance by Kajol.
  
  I didn't appreciate the ending, but I won't tell you what happens. You'll have to watch and see. And I say rent this or borrow it from a friend. If you are a huge Shahrukh Khan fan, I wouldn't discourage you from buying it though.
  
  

• Bitter sweet......... Excellent!!!!

  
  By A10X573UUAE6J3 on 2007-04-19
  I don't usually do reviews but I was so impressed that I had to make this my one exception
  This was, by far,one of the best Bollywood movies I have seen yet. Here is one where the males far outweighed the females in their delivery of passion and frustration.
  Outstanding performances from Shahrukh and Abhishek, two of the most sexiest men in Bollywood.
  
  This is one that will make you want to fall in love all over again.
  
  An added bonus is the soundtrack, especially the hauntingly beautiful Tumhi Dekho Naa, and Mitwa which conveys all the joy newly discovered love can bring.
  Overall an excellent movie. I think you will find worth the purchase.
  
  
• Bollywood's courageous attempt of treating a adult theme: Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Never say Goodbye)
  By A2A9BGJ6FFBBDT on 2007-09-11
  Comment on a Bollywood movie must take for granted all the characteristics of this specific cinematographic cliché. For all fans, in this movie there is everything we long for: beautiful actors, magnificent dresses and settings, fantastic and catchy music, good sentiments and the old fashion ethics by which many still live and especially the time span (nearly three hours) that it takes to get to know your characters and your story.
  
  The director Karan Johar has a great talent at directing teary but convincing stories (all titles with four words starting with a "K" like for example Kal Ho Na Ho) and for this movie he called together Indian greatest stars: Sharuk Khan as Dev, Rani Mukherjee as Maya, Abishek Bachchan as Rishi, Preiti Zinta as Rhea, Amitabh Bachchan as Sam and Kiron Kher as Dev's mom.
  
  This is the story of Dev and Maya, two strangers that meet on a bench the day of Maya's non convinced marriage to Rishi, her childhood friend. Dev who is a successful football player, already partially critical of his marriage, convinces Maya to marry even if dubious and states that love won't come up after marriage if you don't look for it. The two separate looking back on each other. Unfortunately Dev has an accident and must renounce his football career, he becomes economically dependent from his ambitious and successful wife Rhea and develops a destructive anger against the whole world.
  After four years in curious circumstances (an hypothetical hysteria on a criminal that kidnaps children the "Black Beast" - and I must say this part is almost ridiculous-) Dev and Maya meet again introducing their respective partners. Maya is a frustrated, frigid, wife devoted to cleaning the house, she seems like atrophied by the lack of love. Dev immediately realizes her problem and starts getting under her skin with his provocative character. Since the two realize that their marriages are in crisis they decide to become friends in the attempt to solve their problems. But, as expected, they fall in love truly knowing each others defects and drawbacks, while the rest of their worlds keep on going on as if nothing is happening and their spouses come to believe in "return of flame". However, love leads to jealousy and this must be accompanied by possess and the couple can only "come out", leading to many a complication.
  It will take years before the situation settles down and Dev, Maya, Rhea and Rishi can finally find their peace.
  The viewer's attention is drawn mostly on sarcastic and lovable underdog Dev and teary, undecided but consistent Maya, but their spouses Rhea and Rishi also have important personalities. Preity and Abishek Bachchan are very good in their roles, maybe better than the leading couple. Amitabh Bachchan plays Rishi's fater in an ambiguous role of an aspirant Hugh Heffner that however longs for his long dead wife declaring his philosophy of "carpe diem". Dev and Rhea also have a son, that lives in a conflictive situation with his difficult parents even if he is greatly loved. I found this part of the movie very human and deep.
  This movie has been either loved or hated, greatly criticized for the lack of motivation of the characters, the sometimes ridiculous situations portrayed (but it takes a lot of acting to fill up three hours), the repetitiveness of the scenes (NYC and the rail station and the scenes under the bridge), but on the whole it does deal with real life situations in an evolving society (especially the Indian society that takes abroad many of its traditions such as combined marriage) and the actors "become" the people the portray. I found it very entertaining, with a moral and an end that leaves us at peace and this can't be said of many a movie today.
  
  
  
• Another Fantastic Indian Movie
  By A9IU43Y12JK4C on 2007-01-09
  A romantic, dramatic indian movie that is one of the best in bollywood. You need to watch it especially with the finest ever cast in bollywood manufacturing history.
  
  
• Unusual Bollywood Movie
  By A3D6PN3YXPMTPF on 2007-01-16
  I was curious about this movie because it was shot in New York and because of the unconventional plot. I ended up really liking it for several reasons:
  *The unflinching portrayal of marriages that become tangled not just in illicit desire but in the petty disappointments of everyday life. Is it odd to compare this to a French film or Somerset Maugham novel? With dance breaks, of course.
  *The movie does not end with anyone killing themselves in guilt or someone being shot/stabbed in a jealous rage.
  *The attractive cast for the most part was stellar in their portrayals of complicated characters that were all infuriatingly flawed yet sympathetic. The NYT review complained that Dev was too morose to be believable as a romantic lead, but I thought the physical and emotional heat between his cranky character and Maya's closed-up soul was pretty clear.
  *Beautiful picturisations of the songs, with lush colours. "Where's the Party", with Dev & Maya making that choice to finally sleep together while their unsuspecting spouses celebrate the "fixing" of their marriages was particularly sharp.
  
  The things that could have been better:
  *I got tired of Rani Mukerjhee's tearfests.
  *The "black beast" sub-plot was completely unneccessary.
  
  So I recommend this movie as a contemporary adult Bollywood movie, fairly well-made & acted. Watch it and argue about the "morals" with a friend!
  
  
• "I'd come with you but I'm a little tied up..."
  By A290A3XO7XK33X on 2007-02-24
  Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK) is quite a thought provoking movie. It's very much different from the conventional Bollywood cinema. I had reservations about this movie at first because most of the reviews I saw were more focused on the star cast and NYC location than the substance of the movie. Having seen the movie, I'm glad I did.
  
  KANK is the tale of two people Dev and Maya (Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherji) who become friends in an attempt to save their failing marriages. Dev is married to his friend out of college, Rhea (Preity Zinta) and Maya is married to her childhood friend (Abhiseck Bachchan). Dev meets Maya by chance on her wedding day while she was having cold feet. He convinces her to go ahead with the marriage as she may have to wait for the rest of her life for Mr. Right who may never show up.
  
  Both go their separate ways only to meet four years later by chance...again. This time a lot has changed. Both their marriages are heading for the rocks. Dev's situation is made worse because his football career is on hold due to a knee injury while his wife's career is soaring; thereby relegating him to the position of the dependant. Maya's situation is made worse because she is unable to have kids. She feels no spark for her husband plus he won't stop acting like the spoiled kid he is.
  
  At first, both Dev and Maya only poke fun at how miserable the others life is in their marriages. It wasn't until Sam (Amitahb Bachchan) made an innocent comment about being friends with Dev's mother (Kiron Kher) because they've been through the same things thereby understand each other better that both Dev and Maya decide to use the excuse of marital dissatisfaction to be closer together. I suppose this is the point another question is raised. Can an adult male and female be purely friends without letting anything sexual mar the relationship? Did they cross the sexual boundaries or not? What were their spouses' reactions to the friendship? Was separation/divorce an issue? I suppose I'll let you find out in the movie.
  
  The high points for this movie come from the way the script was woven to keep you wondering if they will ever make the decision to go all the way or not. Also from making a fine point between what society expects and what happens in reality.
  
  All the actors did well portraying the different characters but I got the most kicks from watching Amitahb as the guy after anything in skirt. The idea of having him check out Kiron Kher was really adorable. I suppose this is where I have to disagree with the previous reviewer about the director splashing a serious issue with frivolous jokes. I honestly think the comic relieve helped the tone of the movie a lot. Being that majority of the Bollywood cinema audience find the concept that weaves this movie together unconventional, I think the script writer did well to introduce the jokes however subtle to lessen the audience aversion for some of the twists in the movie altogether.
  
  I also think Rani Mukherji stole the show. Portraying the woman who loves two guys a lot, but in different ways was very well done and I don't think anyone else could have pulled it off better. Plus I've seen her in quite a few movies but I never reeeally looked at her until now. Good Lord! Is she gorgeous or what? MOST DEFINITELY!
  
  
  
• KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA
  By A2AVS7XP2RZ8KU on 2006-12-02
  AWESOME FILM EXCELLENT STARCAST STARINIG AMITABH BACHCHAN, SHAH RUKH KHAN, ABHISHEK BUCHCHAN, RANI MUKHERJI,PRIETY ZINTA KIRON KHER, ARJUN RAMPAL, AND KAJOL SPECIAL. GREAT SONGS MITWA MY FAVORITE. EVERY KARAN JOHAR AND SHAH RUKH KHAN FILMS ARE AWESOME.
  
  
  
  

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