25 years of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai': How Karan Johar's directorial debut went on to become cult classic

Makers have re-released the film in Indian cinemas with a ticket price of INR25

25 years ago, a set of filmgoers put on their tracksuits, their edgiest sunnies and headbands as they dribbled basketballs while heading to the cinemas. Karan Johar was all set to present his directorial debut to the world - a story of love and friendship (and its set of problems) that would go on to become one of the biggest films ever in Bollywood.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai starred Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji in pivotal roles that went on to define their careers. The film reunited the hit onscreen couple of the time. Shah Rukh moved on from being Raj (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) to Rahul, Kajol to Anjali from Simran (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) and Rani managed to wow the audience with her poised persona as Tina in the 1998 film.

Karan has often spoken about his popular offering and even after 25 years, the film manages to take its audience back to the good ol' Bollywood charm. We, for one, cannot complain.

Special screening

For its 25th anniversary, the makers of KKHH have announced that the film will be re-released in Indian cinemas with tickets priced at INR25. Sharing a set of adorable BTS pictures, the production house wrote, “Before you go down memory lane at the cinemas again, here's a glimpse of everything that went on behind the scenes! Experience the magic of cinema and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai on October 15.”

As per Indian media, the tickets for two shows — 7pm and 7.15pm — were sold out in just 25 minutes. “The low price point must have played a part. It's unbelievable for moviegoers that they will get to see the film in a swanky multiplex for just INR 25,” a source told Bollywood Hungama.

The source added, “Many moviegoers were too young or were not even born when it was released in 1998. Hence, they either don't vividly remember or have never seen the film on the big screen. And of course, Shah Rukh Khan's presence in the lead along with Kajol and Rani Mukerji and association of Karan Johar as the director, all of whom are going strong even today, also must have been another reason why the shows got house full immediately.”

Apart from the special screening in Mumbai on October 15, the remixed version of the song Tujhe Yaad Na Meri Aayee will also be rolled out. It is sung by B Praak.

Johar's retrospect

While the film has earned its status of being a cult classic, one can't shy away from the fact that it had its set of problems. The film, however, stands politically incorrect for its gender portrayals, as per the director himself.

While promoting his upcoming film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, Johar used his first directorial as an example to show how far he has come and grown. Admitting that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai “propagated wrong gender politics,” he said, “I feel like I have grown as an individual. I firmly believe that the gender politics of my first film was all wrong. It propagates incorrect gender politics, there is a lot of surfacesness in that film,” as quoted by Indian Express.

He further added that he wouldn’t want any boy looking up to Khan’s character Rahul to say the kind of things he did in the film. “Of course, there is nostalgia so you love it, but you don’t scratch the surface of the film and see that what Rahul is doing is actually not what I would want all the Rahuls in the audience, or all the boys in general, to do,” he said.

“Rahul was saying all kinds of wrong things. He said, ‘Hum ek bar pyaar karte hai (We fall in love once)’, but he fell in love twice. He said, ‘Hum ek bar shaadi karte hai (We marry once),’ he got married twice. He was contradicting himself throughout the film.”

Kajol’s reservations

Kajol, on the other hand, had previously denounced Rahul's character as well. “On a script level, maybe I would have gone with Salman's character,” revealed Kajol. “But in the film, if you watch the film, there is no choice about the ending, it has to be the way it is.”

Many have debated the transition of Kajol's character from a carefree, tomboyish girl to a sari-clad lady. Kajol stated that her version of Anjali would never wear a sari and would instead opt for track pants and sneakers. “My version of Anjali would never be wearing a sari,” said the star. “She would be wearing those track pants and fab, expensive sneakers with it and make that look good.”

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai tells the story of Rahul and Anjali, who were best friends in college, but Rahul becomes enamoured with Tina, portrayed by Rani Mukerji. Years later, Tina and Rahul's daughter tries to reunite her father with Anjali after her mother passes away.

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