It was ahead of its time: Rani Mukerji on ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’

Actress Rani Mukerji, presently in Goa for the 54th International Film Festival of India, participated in a masterclass where she discussed the aftermath of the release of the film "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna". Rani revealed that the movie exposed uncomfortable truths about Indian marriages, subsequently contributing to a rise in the divorce rate.

Rani expressed that the film served as a revelation, "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 the eyes of a lot of people and they took the decision of being happy."

Discussing her character Maya, she mentioned, "What is beautiful about Maya's character is that she loved Rishi in a different capacity and as a friend. What she found in Shah Rukh's character was the romance she was always looking for."

"It is very important to talk about a woman's wants and her choices. Just because the husband doesn't beat you, it does not mean that he is good in bed or you are in love with him. A woman is never allowed or asked, 'Are you attracted to this man?'," voiced the actress.

Rani then credited Karan Johan saying, "In fact, Karan Johar was bold enough to make a film like that at a time when he wasn't sure what was happening. I think it is important to stand by strong films and strong roles. But in the history of Indian cinema, it will always be remembered as a film which is always ahead of its time."

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On journalist Anupama Chopra's "All About Movies" podcast, Karan candidly shared details about a disagreement with Aditya Chopra concerning a particular scene, this scene depicted Shah Rukh and Rani's characters getting involved in an extramarital affair, stating, "I was shooting that sequence, and I was at this big location that was snowed out, and Adi called me. He said, 'Listen, I've been thinking about it for the last couple of days, and it's very strongly in my head. I don't think they should have sex. I feel like India will not accept it. They should come to the point, and retract because they're guilty about it'."

Nevertheless, Karan insisted on retaining the scene in the film despite disagreements. However, in hindsight, he acknowledged that it might have been more commercially prudent to omit it. He believed that the audience might have been more open-minded to the love story without the inclusion of intimate scenes. 

"Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna" was released in 2006 and also featured Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, and Anupam Kher, amongst others.