Review of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) by Baltariu P — 16 Nov 2018

Directed by Karan Johar, "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" chronicles an epic story of family and of a love reunion. On her eighth birthday, Anjali Khanna receives a letter left by her deceased mother, Tina. In the letter, Tina requests that Anjali reunite her father, Rahul, with his true love, Anjali Sharma. In an extended flashback, we follow the close, yet platonic, college friendship of Rahul and Anjali Sharma. Once Tina transfers to the college, however, she and Rahul began dating. A heartbroken Anjali Sharma then realizes her feelings for Rahul and leaves. The film flashes forward and chronicles young Anjali's quest to reunite the unrequited lovers and seek a new motherly figure in Anjali Sharma. She succeeds. With the blessing of Anjali Sharma's fiancé, the two marry.

I loved the depth of the individual characters in the film. The lack of a true villain was refreshing. Instead there was Tina and Anjali's fiancé, Aman. These people were not the "true loves" of their respective partner. Yet, we still felt compassion for them because they themselves showed compassion and selflessness. Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan did a beautiful job conveying unreciprocated lovers who emit a melancholy, but powerful wisdom. However, I disliked the idea presented by the film that there is only "one" true love. Of course, that's typical of most romantic and Bollywood films. The film did build upon this trope by presenting different types of love, particularly familial love. The film implies that Rahul loves Tina in a familial way (perhaps as the mother of his child,) whilst he loves Anjali as his true love. That complexity was very compelling.

The film reminded me of "Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham." Also directed by Karan Johar, this reunion film features a love story between another "Rahul"and "Anjali" (played by Shah Rukh Khan Rahul and Kajol.) Both films depict their relationship in two different periods: as young college-aged students and as older parents. In addition, both films reckon with "fictive kinship." Just like young Anjali in "Kush Kush Hota Hai," the brother of Rahul (Rohan) in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham" orchestrates the reunion because he sees the opportunity to reestablish an adoptive, full family. Unlike him, however, Anjali is reuniting Shah Rukh Khan's Rahul with his true love, while Rohan is reuniting Shah Rukh Khan's Rahul with his adoptive parents. Regardless, it seems that Director Karan Johar gets a big kick out of reunions featuring Shah Rukh Khan! It makes sense- he develops that core story so successfully. The essay, "Shah Rukh Khan, a Global Icon" by Anupama Chopra, chronicles the early filming process of "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai," noting that Johar actually did not have a strong technical understanding of filmmaking, but Shah Rukh Khan helped navigate him. (The two apparently have such a close relationship that tabloids have suspected them of being lovers.) Anyway, that close relationship seems to have paid off! The product was great!