The film was written and directed by the debuting Karan Johar and stars the popular on-screen pair of Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in their fourth movie together. Rani Mukerji features in a supporting role, while Salman Khan has an extended cameo appearance. The film was extremely successful both in India and abroad, winning major awards in all categories including the Best Film award at the 44th Annual Filmfare Awards,[3] Lux Zee Cine Awards, Sansui Viewers' Choice Awards, Aashirwad Awards, Bollywood Movie Awards and the National Film Awards.
Synopsis
Rahul Khanna (Shahrukh Khan) is a widower who has an 8-year-old daughter, Anjali. Her mother Tina (Rani Mukherji) has left her eight letters with a dying wish that one letter be read on each birthday. On her eighth birthday, Anjali reads her mother's last letter, that tells her the last wish of her mother. How Anjali fulfills her mother's wish forms the crux of the story.
Plot
Rahul Khanna (Shahrukh Khan) and the tomboy Anjali Sharma (Kajol) are students at St. Xavier's College. They are the best of friends. One day Tina Malhotra (Rani Mukerji), the principal's daughter, enrolls at St. Xavier's. She comes from London, and she is beautiful, feminine, and sophisticated; she is the antithesis of Anjali. Rahul falls hard for Tina as soon as he meets her and actively pursues her.
However, a comment he makes in class about love, saying he can only love his best friend, makes Anjali realise that she has feelings for Rahul. A love triangle begins to develop. Seeing Rahul's interest in Tina, Anjali strives to be more like Tina and, for the first time in her life, begins to act more feminine. However, her attempts are only met with laughter from the rest of the school and from Rahul himself, although Tina scolds him for it. Anjali is finally motivated to tell Rahul outright that she loves him, however, before she can, Rahul confesses to her his love for Tina, leaving Anjali's heart broken.
Anjali leaves college suddenly, despite Rahul and Tina's attempts to convince her to stay as her train is leaving. When she admits that she may never return, Rahul, still unaware of Anjali's feelings for him, feels betrayed that she didn't tell him. They exchange tearful goodbyes, and Rahul is devastated. Anjali never calls or writes.
Tina and Rahul marry and have a daughter but, due to complications, Tina dies shortly after childbirth. Before she dies, she makes Rahul promise to name their daughter Anjali. She leaves her daughter a series of eight letters, to be given to her on each of her birthdays until she turns eight. Every year, on Anjali's birthday, she is given a letter and hears her mother's loving wishes for her; these letters become treasured memories of the mother she never knew.
In the eighth and last letter, the little girl is told about her namesake. Where Rahul had been blind, Tina had noticed Anjali's emotions and pitied her deeply. Tina had always felt guilty for coming between what she recognised as a deep love. In the letter, Tina instructs her daughter to find the older Anjali and reunite her with Rahul. Because Rahul hasn't remarried, perhaps his first love could be the mother that the young Anjali needs and wants. Taking her mother's words to heart, young Anjali soon recruits her doting grandmother (Rahul's mother, played by Farida Jalal) and grandfather (Tina's father, played by Anupam Kher) as accomplices.
It is revealed that the older Anjali has changed considerably from her tomboyish college days and is now a beautiful, well-groomed woman, engaged to be married to Aman Mehra (played by Salman Khan). Though Anjali confesses privately that she doesn't love her fiancé and will never love anyone but Rahul, she is set to marry Aman within a week. When little Anjali hears of this, she begins to pray. Miraculously, her prayers are answered, and the wedding is postponed to December.
Younger Anjali and her conspirators learn that the older Anjali will be a dance instructor/counselor at a summer camp. The younger Anjali begs Rahul to let her go; he relents, with her granny accompanying her. Her namesake discovers, without the younger girl's knowledge, the truth of her new charge's parentage. Rahul greatly misses his daughter while she is away; when she sneezes during a phone call home, he immediately rushes to be at her side. When he arrives, he and his former best friend are shocked to see each other again. After a basketball game reminiscent of their college days and a revealing game of charades, they soon find old feelings reviving. They share a tender moment alone, but Anjali is stricken with guilt, since she is engaged. To complicate matters, Anjali's fiancé arrives at the summer camp, and Rahul soon finds out that they are engaged. Though hurt by this news, he tells Anjali how happy he is for her and, interpreting his happiness as another rejection, she decides to leave camp and move up her wedding date.
The wedding date arrives, and a deeply unsettled Anjali prepares to be married, which would mean losing Rahul forever. Rahul and young Anjali attend the wedding, both of them clearly devastated. Rahul goes to see Anjali before she descends the stairs and, as a result, Anjali gets cold feet. Aman, following on something he earlier joked about, drags her down the steps to the wedding. Aman realises he'd be coming between a fated love and decides to step aside to let them be together at last. As the ecstatic Rahul and Anjali get married, a beaming vision of Tina appears and gives the thumbs up to little Anjali.
Cast Shahrukh Khan as Rahul Khanna: A student at St. Xavier's college, Rahul is Anjali's first love and her best friend who ultimately falls for and marries Tina. He is self-confident and extremely masculine. He was blind and did not recognise Anjali's feelings toward him in college. He and Tina name their daughter 'Anjali.' Kajol as Anjali Sharma: The college's tomboy and Rahul's best friend, who is secretly in love with him. She is a boyish and forthright girl who grows into a poised and lovely woman. Rani Mukerji as Tina Malhotra Khanna: The principal's daughter, feminine, sophisticated, an alumna from Oxford University. She is the woman with whom Rahul eventually has a daughter. She had always felt guilty for coming between Anjali and Rahul. When she dies during childbirth, she sends her daughter to matchmake her widowed husband with Anjali through letters. Salman Khan as Aman Mehra: Aman is Anjali Sharma's loving fiancé, who finally understands her feelings for Rahul and lets her go. Sana Saeed as Anjali Khanna: Anjali Khanna, named after Anjali Sharma, is Rahul's and Tina's daughter. She desperately wants to have a mother again and wants her father to have a loving wife. Farida Jalal as Mrs. Khanna: As Rahul's mother she wishes for her son's happiness and as little Anjali's grandmother she wishes for her to have a new mother. Anupam Kher as Principal Malhotra: As Tina's father and little Anjali's grandfather, he wishes for a new mother for Anjali. He, with Mrs. Khanna, seek to bring happiness back into Rahul's life. He is slightly infatuated with Ms. Briganza. Archana Puran Singh as Ms. Briganza: A showy English teacher at St. Xavier's College. She flirts with Principal Malhotra throughout the film. Reema Lagoo as Mrs. Sharma: She is Anjali Sharma's mother and doubts her daughter's motives for marrying her fiancée Aman. Himani Shivpuri as Rifat Bi: St. Xavier's housekeeper and a motherly friend for Anjali Sharma. She helps little Anjali to prevent the marriage between the older Anjali and Amaan. Johnny Lever as Col. Almeida: He is the manager of Camp Sunshine, where Anjali Sharma works. He has a strong sense of admiration for the British Empire and finally finds his match in Mrs. Khanna's patriotism for India. Paarzun Dastur as Silent Sardarji: A Sikh boy at Camp Sunshine. He never talks and always counts the stars. When Anjali leaves Camp Sunshine to marry Aman, he pleads with her to stay. Neelam as Herself in a special appearance: She is the host of The Neelam Show and little Anjali's role model. She involuntarily helps to matchmake Rahul and grown-up Anjali.
Production
A substantial part of the movie was shot in Mauritius.
Many Indian actresses such as Twinkle Khanna, Tabu, Shilpa Shetty, Urmila Matondkar, Aishwarya Rai, Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor were offered the role of Tina, but turned it down. Actor Saif Ali Khan was offered the role of Aman Mehra, but he turned it down.
During the bicycle sequence in the "Yeh Ladki Hai Deewani" song number, Kajol lost control of her bike, fell flat on her face and was knocked unconscious while also injuring her knee. Years later while discussing the incident with co-star Shah Rukh Khan and director Karan Johar on his talk show Koffee with Karan, Khan and Johar joked that Kajol lost her memory upon awakening and was asking where she was and what her name was. During the promotional Making of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai TV special, Kajol stated that the accident was her most memorable part of shooting the film because she doesn't remember it.
Remake
Koochie Koochie Hota Hai is an upcoming 2011 animated remake of the original. Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Anupam Kher reprising their roles as Rahul aka Rocky, Anjali aka Angie, Tina and the Principal. New cast members include Uday Chopra, Ritesh Deshmukh, Sanjay Dutt and Simi Garewal. The story will have an anthropomorphic animal cast.
Soundtrack
The film soundtrack was predominately composed by Jatin-Lait and features playback singers Kavita Krishnamurthy (as Tina Malhotra and Mrs. Sharma), Udit Narayan (as Rahul Khanna), Alka Yagnik (as Anjali Sharma), and Kumar Sanu (as Aman Mehra).Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Studio album by Jatin-Lalit Released 1998 Genre Feature film soundtrack Length 40:79 Label Sony Music Producer Jatin-Lalit Jatin-Lalit chronology Pyar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) Mohabbatein (2000)
Tracklist No. Title Artist(s) Length
- "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik 4:56
- "Koi Mil Gaya" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamurthy 7:16
- "Saajanji Ghar Aaye" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamurthy 7:14
- "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Sad)" Alka Yagnik 1:26
- "Yeh Ladka Hai Deewana" Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik 6:36
- "Tujhe Yaad Na Meri Aayee" Alka Yagnik, Manpreet Akhthar, Udit Narayan 7:03
- "Raghupati Raghav" Alka Yagnik, Shankar Mahadevan 2:05
- "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai" Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik 6:23
The song "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai" features a violin sample from the song "Rangeela Re" from the 1969 movie Prem Pujari.
Awards
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai won many awards. It is the third film to win the four major awards (Best Movie, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress) at the Filmfare Awards. Others include: Guide (1966), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) (also starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol), Devdas (2002) and Black (2005). Filmfare Awards Best Movie - 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 Nominated: Best Music Director - Jatin Lalit Nominated: Best Comedian - Anupam Kher Nominated: Best Comedian - Archana Puran Singh Nominated: Best Comedian - Johnny Lever Nominated: Best Male Playback Singer - Kumar Sanu - "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai" Nominated: Best Male Playback Singer - Udit Narayan - "Tum Paas Aaye" Nominated: Best Female Playback Singer - Alka Yagnik - "Tum Paas Aaye" Nominated: Best Lyricist - Sameer - "Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai" Nominated: Best Lyricist - Sameer - "Tum Paas Aaye"National Film Awards Best Film For Providing Wholesome Entertainment - Karan Johar Best Female Playback Singer - Alka Yagnik - "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai"
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" Lux Face of the Year - Rani Mukerji Sansui Viewer’s Choice Movie Awards Best Actor - Shahrukh Khan Best Actress - Kajol Star Screen Awards Best Film - Yash Johar Best Director - Karan Johar Best Music Director - Jatin Lalit Best Comedian - Archana Puran Singh 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
