Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa

There are only very few actors who can play the ordinary man with extraordinary talent and skills. Shahrukh Khan is one such actor. While he is more known for his larger than life films (such as 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Devdas' etc) it is in roles such as Sunil, Raju (of 'Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman') or Rahul (of 'Yes Boss') that I prefer him most. 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' is one of his greatest achievements and among his most underrated films. He beautifully brings Sunil to life and had I not been aware that I was watching a movie, I wouldn't have known that Khan was acting.

For me, Sunil is one of the most unique and memorable characters in Hindi cinema yet he is so easily recognizable. He's not the son of a millionaire, not an A-grade student, not popular with women. He's vibrant. He's talented. He's carefree. He lies. He IS just a regular guy. One that you must have known sometime somewhere. I see a lot of myself in Sunil. His despair for Anna's love, his passion for music, his indifference towards his academic failure, have all been displayed with gusto by Mr. Khan.

Kundan Shah's direction is outstanding. He keeps everything including execution, story, props and setting, simple and that's what makes 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' so easy to relate to. His portrayal of Sunil's relationships with the people in his life that includes his family, his band members, the girl he loves, a priest and his boss is very real and down to earth. Thankfully, nothing is sugarcoated. Shah stays focused and does it all with a very subtle approach. Even the brother sister relationship which was given very little screen time, flourishes beautifully on screen and, in my opinion, it is one of the best depiction of a sibling relationship.

The background score flows very well with the film and the songs are great. My favourites include the ballad 'Sachchi Yeh Kahani Hai' and the soulful 'Ae Kaash Ke Hum', both of which have been beautifully visualized. Actually all the songs are nicely picturized including the funny 'Kyun Na Hum' and 'Anna Mere Pyar', the sad 'Woh To Hai Albela' and the romantic 'Deewana Dil Deewana'.

Though 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' is Shahrukh Khan's film, most of the supporting cast is very effective. Naseeruddin Shah as the priest/Sunil's confidant is totally awesome. Tiku Talsania and Goga Kapoor are hilarious. Of Sunil's friend Kurush Deboo stands out. However, Suchitra Krishnamurty and Deepak Tijori are merely okay.

In a nutshell, 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' is one of my all-time favourite films. It's one of the rarest of its kind, truly a gem of a movie.

The movie was released at the time when SRK had begun his steps towards stardom. This is by far his best performance to date. The story is very simple and entertaining. Kundan Shah does a good job in direction. A simple love triangle melded with hummable numbers and some comedy makes the movie superb.

The support cast have done proper justice to their job. Whether it's Deepak or Naseerudin or Anjan or Ashutosh. But the charm of the movie is the débutante Suchitra who plays her role of Ana as beautifully as she is in looks.

And above all, SRK with his lifetime best role. Critics of SRK should watch this movie as SRK gives a Baadshah performance even though he plays the role of a simple Town guy. His act as Sunil, so simple but yet so convincing. One feels as SRK is playing their role, when he talks, when he fancies Ana, when he laughs and even when he cries. It all seems so natural. My rating - 9/10

Shahrukh Khan is not where he is today without a reason. He is one of the most natural and talented actors Indian cinema has seen. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is a true example of his ability to create a character so simple yet so memorable. Though such films do not always work out commercially for him, Khan is always at his very best in roles like this, where he plays the ordinary and simple middle-class guys, who are romantic and witty, generous and lighthearted, vulnerable and yet ever so optimistic. That's what represents Sunil, a character so real and so easy to relate to. He badly loves a girl who does not love him the way he would want her to, he is an average student, and most of his efforts to find romance are unsuccessful. Sunil is partly a comic, partly a tragic character, and Khan injects it with so much energy, realism and passion that you don't really feel it is an actor playing a part. That's what makes this character unforgettable and this performance an all-time great.

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is actually about what life is. Sometimes you get something, sometimes you don't; sometimes it hurts, but in the end, you learn to come to terms with it. Kundan Shah's direction is outstanding. He brilliantly portrays all the aspects of Sunil's life, if it's his relationships, his love, his hope or despair. The dialogues are well-written and the film is realistic throughout. The music is beautiful and all the songs are absolutely spot on. Though the film belongs to Shahrukh Khan, the entire supporting cast is fantastic, and every actor, from the pretty Suchitra Krishnamoorthi to the ever-great Naseeruddin Shah, does a fine job. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is surely an underrated gem. It is a film that will at least partly remind one of oneself and generally has bits every person can relate to. It is a film that I can watch over and over again, and still be excited, saddened and encouraged. It is a film that teaches you how to look at life differently, how to take things as they come and despite the pain, be able to recover with a smile.

of all shahrukh khan movies this is by far the best. the story itself is not original, but the ambiance that it creates is definitely distinct from any other movie. it is truly a shame that people did not enjoy shahrukh khans best performance to date. unlike all of the other characters he portrays in his movies you can make a connection to one he plays in this one. funny how people love it when shahrukh over acts and dont recognize true art when they see it. it is very discouraging to see films like this one not doing well with the main stream audience. it means that the film-makers will go back to their "formula" movies.

the songs of this movie were really spell binding. the music was a throw back to the 70's kishore kumar era, with a touch of its own uniqueness. kumar sanu voice sounds really great, and comparable to kishore's voice. all in all, the comedy, the drama, the music, and the surprise ending make this movie really exceptional.

I have watched this movie over 20 times. But i don't think that it's a GREAT movie. It's just a fairly good movie. Simple, to the point, slightly comedic, slightly romantic, slightly heart-warming. But I have watched it over 20 times. The reason is Shahrukh Khan.

This was Shahrukh before Baazigar, before Darr and more importantly, before DDLJ. This was Shahrukh Khan raw. This was him before the audiences found him lovable and adored him. This was him before he was able to floor girls with just a look and a smile. This was SRK before he became a star.

As said by another reader, SRK breathes life into the character of Sunil. Sunil is a guy we all know, we all are. He is the common man. He has weaknesses, he isn't rich, or particularly handsome and he's sometimes willing to go the wrong way to achieve something.

The movie is filled with ridiculous situations (the Chinese theme bar!!!) and characters (Anthony Gomez) but SRK fights it all and shines through. I recommend this movie to all people who watch SRK today and say that he keeps doing the same kind of roles. It is a brilliant performance.