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Rani Mukerji reflects on Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, saying India wasn’t ready for its bold themes, but believes it sparked change despite the backlash.
Rani Mukerji says Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was ahead of its time and left audiences uneasy.
When Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna hit theatres in 2006, it divided Bollywood audiences. The Karan Johar drama, led by Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, dared to put infidelity at the centre of its story, a subject that many found too uncomfortable to watch on screen.
Looking back almost two decades later, Rani Mukerji believes the film failed at the box office not because of its content, but because the country wasn’t ready for it. In a conversation with ANI, she said, “Maybe India wasn’t ready for it. But it’s always nice to be part of films that are way ahead of its time. Because in history when people talk about films, at least they’ll remember our films as those films that actually spoke aloud to the nation, spoke to an audience who was yet not ready to face the truth. And through such films there were a lot of changes.”
Uncomfortable truths about infidelity on screen
According to Rani, the story unsettled viewers by holding up a mirror to reality. “Yeah, it was happening (infidelity) and it made people uncomfortable because it made them see their own truth in their lives. And it’s always difficult to reflect upon your own truth, you know? And then when it happens in front of you on a celluloid, it kind of you know, gives you a little jolt.”
This isn’t the first time she has spoken about its effect. At a film festival in Goa in 2022, she recalled how the movie pushed people to face difficult choices. “I think what happened with Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna was that, after the film (was released), there were a lot of divorces. There were a lot of people going to the theatre and watching the film in extreme discomfort. And I think that is the feedback Karan got for his film, and I think it opened eyes for a lot of people and they took the decision of being happy.”
What’s next for Rani Mukerji
Rani will return with Mardaani 3, expected early next year. Reports also suggest she could reunite with Shah Rukh Khan for his upcoming project King, which would mark their first on-screen collaboration in years.
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring…Read More
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring… Read More
October 03, 2025, 07:38 IST
