In her illustrious career as an actor, which spans over almost three decades, Rani Mukerji has delivered spectacular performances time and again. The latest in the list being Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023), for which the actor received a National Award this year. Another milestone masterpiece in Rani’s filmography was Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). The romantic drama, which also stars Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Amitabh Bachchan, explored themes of marital infidelity along with emotional dissatisfaction and dysfunctional relationships. It was a brave movie, which became a super hit but was also met with criticism. Well, in a recent interview almost 20 years later, Rani opens up on why Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna made the audience uncomfortable.
In a chat with ANI, talking about the criticism that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna received on release, Rani Mukerji shared, “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.”
When the interviewer pointed out that it (infidelity) was happening in the real world off-screen, Rani explained, “Yeah, it was happening 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.”
Over the years, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna has achieved the stamp of ‘cult classic’. Up next, after winning a National Award, Rani is busy gearing up for her next film Mardaani 3. According to buzz, Rani will also join fellow National Award awardee Shah Rukh and his daughter Suhana Khan in their next project King.
