Filmmaker Karan Johar has marked 20 years of his film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna by recalling the angry reactions and mixed reviews the movie received when it first released. The 2006 film, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta, explored themes of marriage, infidelity, loneliness and relationships — subjects that sparked intense debate among audiences at the time.
Karan Johar recalls brutal response to Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Taking to social media on the eve of the anniversary, Karan Johar shared a long note remembering what happened when he quietly attended a paid preview of the film before its theatrical release. He recalled sitting behind a traditionally dressed middle-aged couple who appeared increasingly uncomfortable during the sequence involving Dev (Khan) and Maya (Mukerji) in a hotel elevator.
According to Hindustan Times, the film was called 'anti sanskaari' and received immense hate. The director has now spoken openly about how the film was received, acknowledging that the response was polarising and often harsh.
Film did not endorse infidelity, says Karan Johar
In his anniversary note, Karan Johar defended the film's intent, saying it was overblown but meant to show the consequences of infidelity. He noted that the film did not endorse infidelity, and that it had its heart in the right place.
"It had its heart in the right place. I knew it was touching a raw nerve, a fact of life we as a society like to brush under our value-based carpet." — Moneycontrol
The filmmaker also recalled a woman confronting him after taking her daughter to see the film, reportedly saying "shame on you" to him. This incident, along with the paid preview experience, highlights the intense emotional reactions the film triggered among audiences.
Audiences now understand the film differently
According to Ground News, Johar noted that audiences now understand the film differently than they did 20 years ago. The passage of time has allowed viewers to see the film's message more clearly, even as the initial reaction was marked by anger and discomfort.
The film's exploration of infidelity was considered bold for its time, and the reactions it generated — from being labelled 'anti sanskaari' to receiving immense hate — reflect how deeply it challenged conventional thinking about marriage and relationships in Indian society.
Our Take: A film ahead of its time
In our view, Karan Johar's reflection on Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna's 20th anniversary is a reminder of how films can push boundaries and spark necessary conversations. The intense backlash the film received — being called 'anti sanskaari' and facing public confrontations — shows how uncomfortable society was with openly discussing infidelity and unhappy marriages.
To put it plainly, the film was asking difficult questions that many people did not want to face. The fact that audiences now understand it differently suggests that the film was ahead of its time. Karan Johar's insistence that the film had its heart in the right place and did not endorse infidelity is a fair defence — the film was showing the consequences of infidelity, not celebrating it.
Twenty years later, the conversation around marriage, fidelity and loneliness has evolved, and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna stands as a film that dared to start that conversation, even when the world was not ready to hear it.