Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The story begins sadly. Rahul's beloved wife, Tina, has given birth and dies soon thereafter*. But before dying, she writes a series of letters to be given to her daughter one at a time over the next 8 years. Anjali loves reading the letters and now that she is 8, she's about to receive her final letter from her deceased mother. In this letter, Anjali learns that before Tina, Rahul had a relationship with another woman...also called Anjali. But Rahul was pretty dense and didn't realize Anjali loved him so much and instead he fell for Tina and married. Now, through the letters, Tina is trying to enlist the help of her daughter to reunite Rahul with this Anjali from long ago, as Tina thinks they'd make a great couple and Anjali would make a great mother to young Anjali. There is just one problem...and I won't say more as I don't want to spoil the film.While not all Indian movies are love stories filled with singing, these are the most popular films in the country and we do get a lot of them exported here in the States. I generally like them but also realize that there is a certain sameness about them...a sameness accepted and embraced in India but a sameness not as likely to be adored abroad. In many ways this reminds me of romance novels. The readers realize there are clichés (I do NOT mean this in a negative way) and accept them as part of the genre...but to those who don't read romance, they might be rather critical of these plot devices.I mention all this because "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" had many of these story elements....which will no doubt be accepted by lovers of the genre but which will not sit so well with others. It's a shame, as the first portion of the film is very good and engaged me. The next, the long flashback to college days, was one plot device after another after another...like they were shoving every Bollywood cliché into it. As a result, the college portion clearly was not the best part of the movie. Shah Rukh Khan was 33 but played a goofy 20 year-old...and he played him rather broadly. While this was far-fetched, his being so clueless about the girl who loves him is embarrassingly bad. So is much of his behavior...so much so that it's easy not to like him...or you might even hate him. This is a sharp contrast to the beginning of the film when SRK breaks your heart...and it made the college portion of the movie seem trivial.So is it worth sticking with the film and slogging through the college portion? Well, the main story line is quite good and definitely pulls at your heart...so have a few Kleenex nearby just in case. I suggest watching it but perhaps getting a snack or long bathroom break during the college section. And, for that matter, you take a break pretty much any time the camp counselor appears...he is very poorly written and more a distraction than anything else. In contrast, every time Salmon Khan appeared in the film, the movie lit up...he was magnificent as 'the other man'....and I was pulling for Anjali to get him in the end of the picture! Overall, a good film that could have been better. Worth seeing...but very uneven.*FYI--I have never seen a woman dying who looked this healthy and beautiful in all my years watching films!

I signed up just to review this movie! I haven't seen a more touching film in my entire life. I'm usually one of those obnoxious people who will laugh at anyone who cries in a movie. Especially during sad movies. The Notebook did nothing for me. But this movie has everything - lost love, trying to help your parents - it has all of the criteria for a nice, family film. I cried like a baby at some parts, without even knowing. And I cry every time I see it. The actors play their roles so genuinely. If you're in it for watching a nice, feel good film, this is the right one for you. It has a happy ending, heartbreak, and it has emotion for you to play on. The music is fun after you get used to it, and if music isn't your thing, fast forward the songs. The best part is that the random comedy scenes all relate to one another, and you can point out hints at the lead pair's past through them. The chemistry between the two lead actors is beautiful. The sad moments are painful because, yes, I can see this happening in any ordinary household. It's not some fancy, sad movie about a couple who are tragically destined to die together. And that makes it all the more real.So to finish myself off, definitely watch. You'll enjoy it, even in subtitle form.

hello friends...Kuch -2 Hota Hai is my story.. created in 1996 in king charge medical college Lucknow. title song is also mine. Karan Johar is a thief.i have given my stories to Dr. Pawan Kumar Chourasia to say to Yash Chopda because i was only 14 years at that time. but he stoled the story and given to Karan Johar... he did not informed me... and given me wrong medicine. i am very upset because of it.Munabhai Mbbs, Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gum,Lagaan, Tere Naam, 3 Idiats, Slumdog Milliner, Dil To Pagal Hai, Dil Chahata Hai, Mai Hun Na are also my stories. that doctors were thief's ,they have stolen my all the stories.i was very sad because they have stolen my all stories and all songs.. but the did not given me any credit for this. Dr. Pawan Kumar Chourasia was a thief.. 100% he only stoled my all stories.I don't know why they did that.. for the money people becomes thief's...................................................... production companies also not having any idea about the original story writer... they are showing Karan Johar's name for the story... but how it possible the same story............................. with same title and with same songs. they are only thief..........if any person have any information about Dr. Pawan Kr. Chourasia please let me know i will be highly obliged to you.this story Kuch Kuch Hota Hai one of my favorite story i made it with full vision of a girl.the title song tum pass ayn also created by me at that time only... .they did not leaves any of the stories i made. Kuch -2 Hota Hai is my story.. created in 1996 in king charge medical college Lucknow. title song is also mine. Karan Johar is a thief.i have given my stories to Dr. Pawan Kumar Chourasia to say to Yash Chopda because i was only 14 years at that time. but he stoled the story and given to Karan Johar and others he did not informed me... and given me wrong medicine. i am very upset because of it.Munabhai Mbbs, Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gum,Lagaan, Tere Naam, 3 Idiats, Slumdog Milliner, Dil To Pagal Hai, Dil Chahata Hai, Mai Hun Na are also my stories. that doctors were thief's ,they have stolen my all the stories.i was very sad because the have stole my all stories and all songs.. but the did not given me any credit for this. Dr. Pawan Kumar Chourasia was a thief.. 100% he only stoled my all stories.I don't know why they did that.. for the money people becomes thief'S.

Actually I only saw this movie cause there was nothing else to watch, but hey I really liked it. Its so silly and colorfull that when you feel bad before you gonna feel good afterwards. Listening to the Hindi language and the Indish English accent just sounds great. The acting is good fitting fine with the movies story. Its about a friendship between a guy and girl which breaks after another girl comes up in Highschool. The guy and the new girl fall in love with each other and get married, the other girl leaves cause she is in love with the guy and cant take not getting him. After the wife dies, the daughter gets a letter from her (written before the mother died) that she is supposed to find that girl again. The father and her are supposed to get married cause this is the way it was supposed to be.