By Shevaal singh
Initial Release date: 16th October 1998
Introduction
Exactly 15 years ago on this very day. ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ was released to a splendid box office opening marking Bollywood’s most loved director Karan Johar’s debut, where he showcased his talent to the Bollywood industry and made a bold statement through his work that he was here to stay. The film had the audience on an emotional roller-coaster and created signature scenes which are re-enacted to this day in modern-day cinema.
Director: Karan Johar
Cast & Character Description
Shah Rukh Khan as Rahul Khanna: A student at St. Xavier’s college, and Anjali Sharma’s best friend. He marries Tina and they name their daughter ‘Anjali. Kajol as Anjali Sharma: The College’s tomboy and Rahul’s best friend, who is secretly in love with him. Rani Mukerji as Tina Malhotra: The principal’s daughter, feminine, sophisticated, an alumna from Oxford University. She is the woman with whom Rahul eventually has a daughter, but has always felt guilty for coming between Anjali and Rahul. She passes away after giving birth to her child. Salman Khan as Aman Mehra: Anjali Sharma loves fiancé. Sana Saeed as Anjali Khanna: Named after Anjali Sharma, she is Rahul’s and Tina’s daughter. Farida Jalal as Mrs. Khanna: Rahul’s mother. Anupam Kher as Principal Malhotra: Tina’s father. He is slightly infatuated with Ms. Briganza. Archana Puran Singh as Ms. Briganza: A showy English teacher. She flirts with Principal Malhotra. Reema Lagoo as Mrs. Sharma: She is Anjali Sharma’s mother and has doubts about her daughter’s motives for marrying Aman. Himani Shivpuri as Rifat Bi: St. Xavier’s housekeeper. Johnny Lever as Col. Almeida: The manager of Camp Sunshine.Parzan Dastur as Silent Sardarji: A Sikh boy at Camp Sunshine that never talks. Neelam as herself in a special appearance: She is the host of The Neelam Show.
The Story
Rahul Khanna played by Shah Rukh Khan and tomboy Anjali Sharma played by Kajol are best friends in St. Xavier’s College. The college Principal Mr. Malhotra (Anupam Kher) has a gorgeous daughter Tina (Rani Mukerji), who comes to St. Xavier’s from London to finish her degree. She becomes friends with both Rahul and Anjali. When Anjali realizes that she is in love with Rahul, she is encouraged by her caring housekeeper Rifat Bi played by Himani Shivpuri to tell him. In its place, Anjali is left heartbroken when Rahul tells her that he loves Tina. Anjali decides to leave college and shares a weepy goodbye with Rahul, going away from Rahul and Tina’s lives forever. Tina then realizes that she came between two best friends who truly loved each other. After college, Rahul marries Tina and, in a year of marriage, Tina gives birth to a baby girl. Tina has complications in her pregnancy and has little time left which she uses to writes eight letters to her daughter (i.e. one for each of her first eight birthdays) so that she will know her mother. Before her demise, Tina asks Rahul to name their daughter Anjali. Eight years go by and Rahul is a single parent living with his daughter and loving mother (Farida Jalal). On her eighth birthday, little Anjali Khanna (Student of The Year’s diva) Sana Saeed– reads the last and most vital letter that her mother left her; it tells the story of Anjali Sharma and how she was always Rahul’s true love. Anjali Khanna is given the task of reuniting Rahul with Anjali Sharma and bringing back Rahul’s misplaced love. Anjali Sharma is no longer the tomboy like she used to be in college; she is now more ladylike, and is engaged to Aman Mehra (Salman Khan). Though, she explains to her mother (Reema Lagoo) that she does not truly love him and is marrying him as a compromise as she feels she can never love again after losing Rahul. Aman also suspects that she does not really love him. Anjali Khanna and her grandmother search for Anjali Sharma and soon learn that she is going to be working at a summer camp. They travel there, with a plan to later lure Rahul to come as well, and the two Anjalis meet each other. One night while watching television, Anjali Sharma realizes she has met her best friend’s daughter, and that Tina is dead. Rahul soon arrives at Camp Sunshine, where he and Anjali Sharma are astonished and thrilled to see each other again sharing a sweet reunion. Throughout the days spent at the camp, Rahul and Anjali feel themselves falling in love. However, Anjali remembers that she is engaged and feels guilty. Aman arrives and tells Rahul that he is Anjali’s fiancé. Rahul is heartbroken but congratulates Anjali. She takes this as him rejecting her again, so she leaves summer camp and chooses to get married to Aman as soon as possible. Rahul and his family go to Anjali’s wedding, where Rahul soundlessly confesses to Anjali that he loves her, and watches in tears as she is taken the wedding alter. Realizing this, Anjali is uncertain to go on with the marriage, and stands crying. Aman notices the tears in her eyes and comprehends that she has always been in love with Rahul. He releases Anjali from the engagement and tells her to marry Rahul. Rahul and Anjali share a passionate hug and as the two marry, little Anjali has a vision of Tina smiling and giving her the thumbs up!
The Success of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’
What made ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ such a sturdy and influential movie was that it was a simple story but with some very soulful moving moments. It looked at relationships at different levels – from friendships to lovers and played with the notion that you don’t always realise you have our one true love in front of you from the start. The college based part of the film was modeled on an American High School milieu with the popular ones being in control and running the school. The second half was more on an old-style note with culture being interlaced into the plot. Director Karan Johar told the story of the film from his heart notwithstanding that it was his debut film; he created cinematic brilliance with finesse. There were some truly magical moments in so many scenes from Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol dancing in the rain to the little boy at camp begging Kajol not to leave. There were some wonderful songs from the film too with each track marking its presence in the world of Bollywood music till now. The songs are all still being played over and over again on the radio waves. This is a truly touching film with some fantastic actors and music.
Awards & Honours
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai won many awards including sweeping all the major categories at the year’s Filmfare Awards held on 21 February 1999. It was the third film to win the four major awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress) at Filmfare.
National Film Awards
- Best Film For Providing Wholesome Entertainment – Karan Johar
- Best Female Playback Singer – Alka Yagnik – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
Filmfare Awards
Wins
- Best Film – Yash Johar
- Best Director – Karan Johar
- Best Actor – Shahrukh Khan
- Best Actress – Kajol
- Best Supporting Actor – Salman Khan
- Best Supporting Actress – Rani Mukerji
- Best Art Direction – Sharmishta Roy
- Best Screenplay – Karan Johar
Nominations
- Best Music Director – Jatin Lalit
- Best Comedian – Anupam Kher
- Best Comedian – Archana Puran Singh
- Best Comedian – Johnny Lever
- Best Male Playback Singer – Kumar Sanu – “Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai”
- Best Male Playback Singer – Udit Narayan – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Best Female Playback Singer – Alka Yagnik – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Best Lyricist – Sameer – “Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai”
- Best Lyricist – Sameer – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Star Screen Awards
- Best Film – Yash Johar
- Best Director – Karan Johar
- Best Music Director – Jatin Lalit
- Best Comedian – Archana Puran Singh
Zee Cine Awards
- Best Film – Yash Johar
- Best Director – Karan Johar
- Best Actor – Male – Shahrukh Khan
- Best Actor – Female – Kajol
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female – Rani Mukerji
- Best Music Director – Jatin Lalit
- Best Playback Singer – Female – Alka Yagnik – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Best Lyricist – Sameer – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Best Story – Karan Johar
- Lux Face of the Year – Rani Mukerji (for KKHH and Ghulam)
- Bollywood Movie Awards
- Best Film – Yash Johar
- Best Director – Karan Johar
- Best Actor – Shahrukh Khan
- Best Actress – Kajol
- Best Music Director – Jatin Lalit
- Best Playback Singer Male – Udit Narayan – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Best Playback Singer Female – Alka Yagnik – “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”
- Best Costume Designer – Manish Malhotra
- Best Choreography – Farah Khan
- Best Screenplay – Karan Johar
We at The Bollywood Tempest congratulate ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ for its 15th anniversary. Here are some iconic scenes from Karan Johar’s debut masterpiece!
Pyar Dosti Hai – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai | HQ
Anjali Going Away – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai | HQ
Musical Rain – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai | HQ