Karan Johar’s directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji in lead roles is one of the most popular and iconic films of the 90s. The film gave a new definition to love an equated it to friendship. The film was a trendsetter and is still one of the most-watched. However, of late, it has also received a lot of criticism for its storyline and characters. In an interview given to a leading daily, Karan himself spoke about the film’s flaws.
Criticizing SRK’s character of Rahul, KJo said, “Rahul doesn’t stand for very much. He’s a deeply confused character, doesn’t know what he wants and, really, didn’t do a lot much in the movie. Whatever happened to him was because there were people pushing him – his dead wife’s spirit, his eight-year-old daughter, and Anjali herself. What made him endearing was his charm, his large heart and Shah Rukh’s personal charisma.”
He further confessed that KKHH was less on logic and said, “There was no logic or backstory to the characters. You don't know what Shah Rukh, or anyone else, does for a living in the movie. And the eight letters - one for each birthday - made no sense, either." Talking about a deleted scene he said that Anjali confronts Rahul on his behaviour and tells him how he doesn’t know how to take a stand. KJo said that he ‘threw out the scene’ as he thought it would ‘cause a disservice’ to his leading man, but today he would have kept it, since his sensibilities have evolved.
Talking about Rahul’s character in KKHH, KJo said in the interview, “I'd give him a spine and more EQ (emotional quotient). I'd also introduce more confrontation. Rahul, today, would be able to have an open conversation with Anjali. He'll know that she likes him and he'd address that with her. If Tina were to die, he'd come to terms with his feelings for Anjali and go back to her, not sit moping."
He reasoned that his film’s characters came from being young, naive and was driven by a passion for larger-than-life cinema that bordered on melodrama. He said, “Growing up, I saw my mother play Hindi film songs - everything from Rafi and Kishore Kumar to Geeta and Guru Dutt. KKHH was a homage to all the movies I grew up watching - everything from Kabhi Kabhie and Bobby to Silsila."
(Source: Mid-Day)
