Kal Ho Naa Ho

Almost by mistake we found this movie in Netflix and for the first time ever my wife and I spent 3 hours laughing, crying, and enjoying an old story told in a different way. This is no Oscar material, but certainly entertaining and visually rich. Great simple humor.

Har pal yaha, jeebhar jiyo, jo hai samaa...kal ho naa ho...

It takes a special person to apreciate a great Bollywood movie. There's the constant melodrama, the endless love triangles and dress changes, the randomly inserted songs and hammy dialogue...not to mention the age-old desire to be everything to every viewer. There are so many Hollywood-esque problems that threaten its quality, so many qualms that any self-respecting American critic would feel compelled to point out, that loving it seems like a chore. If anybody can do so, however, it is an Indian.

And I LOVE being an Indian.

KAL HO NAA HO ("Tomorrow May or May Not Come") is the third film involving writer-director Karan Johar and Dharma Productions, an Indian film label that has become synonymous with box-office and critical gold. Their first two productions, KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM were both , in their respective times, the most popular Hindi films of all time, and with good reason. They were the ultimate crowd pleasers: a perfect mix of comedy and drama with compelling stories, masterful performances, catchy music, and impeccable direction. They hit every emotional high and low possible in the typical Bollywood audience, and the end results were magnificent. KAL HO NAA HO continues this tradition in grand style.

Naina Catherine (Priety Zinta) is the eldest daughter of Jenny Kapoor (Jaya Bachchan) and a father whose suicide has wreaked havoc on the entire Kapoor family. The constant bickering among the members of her household has transformed Naina into a pitiful bore who has "forgotten" how to smile. Her best friend is Rohit (Saif Ali Khan), a fellow MBA student who has seen Naina through all her troubles. The two have never been more than just friends.

Along comes Aman Mathur (Shah Rukh Khan), a charasmatic man who enters the Kapoors' home and changes their lives for the better, much to Naina's dismay. Aman helps every member of the family with any problem and seems to have all the answers - he is perfect. Aman eventually wins over Naina and changes her into a smiling young woman once again, but not before she begins to have feelings for him. What's more, Rohit soon reveals that he loves Naina.

Yet all is not as it seems. There are secrets to be uncovered, pasts to be mended, and futures to be made, and what the trio find out may suprise them.

This is, firstly, an immesnly pleasing film. The first half jumps right into the act with some wonderfully comedic scenes showcasing the talent of all three leads and the flair of first-time director Nikhil Advani. A particular scene involving a housemaid who suspects Aman and Rohit of being gay is among the most humorous Hindi film moments I've seen. Karan Johar's forté with dialogue really shines here -everything is quick-witted and funny, yet never insulting to the intelligence (many Hindi films can be). We grow to love and care about these characters quickly, but thankfully characterization does not bog down the forward motion of the marrative. The first 90 minutes literally flies by.

The most noticable aspect of KHNH is the tone the writer and director bring to the film: it's incredibly energetic and light, and takes chances with material that worked for me. Many times, the characters seem to speak one-on-one with the camera in an interview style to convey personal feelings or thoughts, an interesting tactic. There are other little touches: the "Day 1", "Day 2", etc. introductions stand out in particular (see the film to find out what I mean). There is an incredible scope and vibrant feel to the movie, as in an Dharma production.

The second half of the film gives all involved a chance to really shine. Once the twist is revealed, things take a downward turn and the climax begins. Much of the light tone from the first 90 minutes creeps its way into the second half at all the right moments, but there are some truly heart-wrenching scenes toward the end of the film. This is to be expected, but their impact is heightened by the skill of the filmmakers. In most cases, Hindi films pile crying scenes on top of one another in the hope of eliciting some, if any, reponses from the audience, but KHNH succeeds due to solid characterization and wonderful performances.

This is clearly Shah Rukh Khan's film, and he acts his heart out. It's the same performance we've seen a million times from him, but his skills aren't broke so they don't need any tuning. His screen prescence is unmatched in this industry, and he captivates you during both the comedic and emotional scenes. This was a chance for him to paly a different type of character, and his natural charisma lends itself well to what the part requires. Priety Zinta finally steps into the limelight as Naina with a wonderful performance that reveals her true potential. Watching her onscreen transformation is as unexpected as it is alluring. Saif Ali Khan essentially echoes his character from DIL CHAHTA HAI, but the magic has not worn off. He has a knack for playing the straight man with unfulfilled, and still unkonwn, desires. Supporting performances are from the usual Johar suspects and are accordingly wonderful.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy finally enter the Johar ring with this entry and certainly hold their own. The title song is my choice for song of the year - a gently sung ballad about living life to the fullest, complimented by wonderful lyrics from Javed Akhtar and great singing by Sonu Nigam. The other romantic song, "Kuch To Hua Hai" is a very contemporary song with an international flavor that manages to please with an unusual beat and interesting composition. "It's The Time To Disco" is the loser of this disc, although its film picturization is likable enough, and the much hyped "Pretty Woman" (yes, based on the classic American song) is surprisingly upbeat and entertaining. The obligatory BSMDGC (Big Set, Many Dancers, Good Choreography) dance number is "Maahi Ve", a very catchy tune that bears some resemblance to the hit "Shava Shava" from KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM. Farah Khan's onscreen choreography for the song does not disappoint, and the art direction is simply marvelous.

This film marks a new standard for Hindi film editing, and shows just how much Bollywood has learned from its L.A. counterpart. We have quick cuts, new wipes, and even splitscreens...all used wisely and not for cheap effect. The editing really brings the first half of the film to life, giving every song a "get up and dance" feeling that never hurts.

Above all, this is Nikhil Advani's film. Remarkably, this novice helmer shows no signs of being a rookie. In true Johar style, he handles all the film's emotional scenes, a perennial marker for directorial excellence, with confidence and talent. Having served before as assistant director to Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra, Advani pulls out all the stops here, giving us epic, dramatic camera direction, eliciting great performances, and near-perfect pacing.

Sure, a good 10 minutes shaved off the finished product would be in the film's favor, but it is a minor qubble in a sea of compliments.

This is ultimately a story about hope and love - the hope to keep moving and beliving, the love to keep surviving. It is a story about the choices we make for love and the effects those choices have on our loved ones. It is about living life to the fullest and seizing the day, for Kal Ho Naa Ho?

A friend recommended this movie to me. I was skeptical at first..I'm a Chinese and i haven't really watched a Hindi Movie seriously. BUt i didn't regret watching Kal ho Naa Ho. Heart warming, funny and touching...

The songs and Choreography are great! My favourites are Pretty Woman and Kal Ho Naa Ho. The storyline is very similar to Koran dramas, except that the dialogues were much more intense!

it really kept my eyes glued to the screen. The acting was very intense as well, feelings were expressed very well. The energy Level was explosive especially during the dance scenes!

A must watch!!

I am NOT a sap for sad movies...maybe I will cry a tear or two. I didn't even lose ONE tear during Titanic that so many raved about as a "great love story". THIS movie? I cried for 45 minutes straight! It is like an Indian soap opera...but better. Shah Rukh Khan portrayed the sacrifice of this man with a certain nobility that really got to me. I know he is often said to be "overacting" but his portrayal of this character and the pain and sacrifices he went through really swept me up into an emotional state. There may be times when you are in the mood for a story about someone without the modern "I,Me,Mine" attitude, about someone who knows that the real meaning of love often carries with it the need for making sacrifices and may mean caring more about the other person's needs than your own.

What can you say about this movie? The makers have ensured that they have greased the wheels properly before the turkey was served.

Lets look at the few aspects of the movie::

01. Story: Nothing new but well-presented. And obviously the "Anand" factor was a diversion.

02. Characters: All of them etched out well. Be it talented Jaya Bachchan, Sushma Seth, Lillette Dubey, Sweetu, Rajpal Yadav or the highlight Kantaben. Simone Singh was good as well - she attempts a bit of skin-show, desperately wanting to break-free from the Heena image.

03. Comedy: Comedy tracks have been really worked upon. There are many pokings at Gujju's directly (the audience on both my sides appeared threatening!) - but in spite of that the G.U.J.J.U. song makes up for all the damage. Clever, very clever. Kantaben was good and so was Satish Shah (and his English).

04. Location: The movie is a proper New York Darshan bus. The trivial mistakes about jogging to Central Park from Queens can be easily overlooked in the age where the scripts have crater sized holes.

05. Music: S-E-L have given one of their best compositions to date. Be it the title song or Mahi Ve - all of them stay with you for a long time. My favourite is Its the time to disco, Vasundhara Das rocks (she bring out the voice of Nazia Hassan).

06. Lyrics: The title song is definitely Javed Akhtar caliber. For the rest he should give the credit to a pseudonym.

07. Spl. Appearances: Sonali Bendre and Sanjay Kapoor have extended special appearances. And in blink-an-miss appearances by Kajol & Rani (lucky mascots of Karan Johar), Uday Chopra and Jugal Hansraj.

08. Protagonists: SRK plays his part extremely well in the author backed role as "the good Samaritan", however does succumb to a bit of his usual hamming. Saif proves yet again that he is a dependable actor and at times can steal the show right under the nose. His performance at the restaurant (proposing scene) is wonderful. Preity does full justice to her character (Kareena - sour grapes! sour grapes!).

09. Tracks: In fact the movie is full of tracks but interesting ones. Be it Kantaben, Simone Singh, the wrong house, 7-day proposing, Sweetu, revamping of the restaurant or Gia's adoption track. The director has just done a good copy-paste of it.

The makers have ensured that there is maximum utilisation of resources at all fronts. For a first-timer Nikhil Advani has done a commendable job, obviously under the baton of Karan Johar who ensured that Yash Johar films flag remains high and rising.

Definitely worth a watch.... with family.

PS: Its interesting to see that from time to time, SRK acknowledges Aamir Khan in his movies (here the Lagaan song and in K3G the Ghulam matchstick).