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.
192 Reviews
YAY! What a pleasure!
frodolives15 April 2004
Well, it is always a bit difficult in Western countries to get to see Bollywood movies with English subtitles, and though I have made a bit of an effort to spot them in the last few years I wouldn't call myself a Bollywood expert - and of course I've grown up with Western rather than Indian aesthetic standards ingrained. Although as a fan of Baroque Opera, I don't really have much difficulty with the basic premises of the Bollywood style!
Having said that, this was possibly the most interesting Bollywood movie I've seen to date - especially in its attempt to incorporate elements of Western pop culture, including several blatant references to American movies, from Grease and a spoofed James Bond to Brad Silberling's City of Angels, which evidently contributed a lot to the way Shahruk Khan's character is handled (including him starting to see things in black and white when he is near dying - that one goes back all the way to Wim Wenders!).
The soundtrack is stunning, and again it's great to see the way the New York setting gives opportunity to mix in some Western elements in an intelligent way. The dance and song numbers are a true joy, and it doesn't hurt that they are better integrated into the plot than in most Indian movies I've seen.
Shahruk Khan is nicely parodying himself - at least, I thought he was... maybe I'm wrong??? :-o - I also particularly enjoyed the running joke about Aman and Rohit being a homosexual couple - one could indeed ask oneself who is really in love with who here? And why exactly does Aman prefer to love vicariously rather than going for the girl himself? It's also perhaps significant that it is Rohit rather than Naina who stays with Aman to the last. I am sure the filmmakers are intelligent enough to be aware of these undercurrents, even if perhaps most audiences aren't!
In any case, watching this movie (with a very sympathetic audience at a foreign film showcase here in Wellington, people who actually laughed in most of the *right* places!) was a pure joy and it makes me happy to see how Indian cinema is finally beginning to be perceived as a legitimate part of international film culture even by Western audiences, rather than just an exotic oddity - something that Chinese and Japanese movies, for instance, have already achieved to a much greater degree!
And now I'm off to buy the soundtrack...
Having said that, this was possibly the most interesting Bollywood movie I've seen to date - especially in its attempt to incorporate elements of Western pop culture, including several blatant references to American movies, from Grease and a spoofed James Bond to Brad Silberling's City of Angels, which evidently contributed a lot to the way Shahruk Khan's character is handled (including him starting to see things in black and white when he is near dying - that one goes back all the way to Wim Wenders!).
The soundtrack is stunning, and again it's great to see the way the New York setting gives opportunity to mix in some Western elements in an intelligent way. The dance and song numbers are a true joy, and it doesn't hurt that they are better integrated into the plot than in most Indian movies I've seen.
Shahruk Khan is nicely parodying himself - at least, I thought he was... maybe I'm wrong??? :-o - I also particularly enjoyed the running joke about Aman and Rohit being a homosexual couple - one could indeed ask oneself who is really in love with who here? And why exactly does Aman prefer to love vicariously rather than going for the girl himself? It's also perhaps significant that it is Rohit rather than Naina who stays with Aman to the last. I am sure the filmmakers are intelligent enough to be aware of these undercurrents, even if perhaps most audiences aren't!
In any case, watching this movie (with a very sympathetic audience at a foreign film showcase here in Wellington, people who actually laughed in most of the *right* places!) was a pure joy and it makes me happy to see how Indian cinema is finally beginning to be perceived as a legitimate part of international film culture even by Western audiences, rather than just an exotic oddity - something that Chinese and Japanese movies, for instance, have already achieved to a much greater degree!
And now I'm off to buy the soundtrack...
Fantastic really!
jivedrive29 September 2005
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!!
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!!
Best film!!
slytherinseeker1129 November 2005
This is one of the best films ever made! I watched it a few days ago and i still have the movie running through my head. It is so amazing that it has a lasting impression.
Once again, Shah Rukh Khan steals the spotlight and does a magnificent performance as the beautiful and sweet Aman Mathur.
By the way, i was thinking "What a funny movie" until the end...it just gets sad. And me being a really sensitive person, wow...it just blows you away. Shah Rukh Khan's brilliant performance will stay with you forever.
I was up at 2.30 in the morning, tissues strewn all around me with tears just pouring down my face. The moment you try to stop crying, another scene comes on and you start again. Seriously, i'm really sensitive so no surprise but i reckon this film was the first film that actually made me cry that much. I just couldn't stop!! This is a must for everyone..including you sensitive people out there! Everyone must watch this film! It's just beautiful and it was actually an eye-opener for me! You've got to cherish whatever you have because who knows...tomorrow may never come.
Once again, Shah Rukh Khan steals the spotlight and does a magnificent performance as the beautiful and sweet Aman Mathur.
By the way, i was thinking "What a funny movie" until the end...it just gets sad. And me being a really sensitive person, wow...it just blows you away. Shah Rukh Khan's brilliant performance will stay with you forever.
I was up at 2.30 in the morning, tissues strewn all around me with tears just pouring down my face. The moment you try to stop crying, another scene comes on and you start again. Seriously, i'm really sensitive so no surprise but i reckon this film was the first film that actually made me cry that much. I just couldn't stop!! This is a must for everyone..including you sensitive people out there! Everyone must watch this film! It's just beautiful and it was actually an eye-opener for me! You've got to cherish whatever you have because who knows...tomorrow may never come.
if you have seen this movie outside India, you are an elected by God
melsm19 September 2005
Watching Indian movies outside of India is something very impossible, everybody speaks about "the famous bollywood movies", but nobody want to release this jewels in Europe. I am so lucky I could see this supermasterpiece at the oriental cinema festival in Barcelon, I couldn't believe what I was watching. The script is stunning, the choreography crazy, the actors are superlative, the music is impressive, the plot turns you on...you can keep inside the characters as I never did. The sound is also impressive. It was like watching Mary Poppins when I was 6 yeras old, during 3 hours I lost the total terms of reality!!!! As the movie has never been exhibited in Spain and there is not copy on DVD we are so "lucky" We could find a pirate copy in a Pakistan supermarket in Barcelon, with perfect sound and image!!!! Well, I hope this message will amaze you to get this movie from....where?
Warm, fuzzy and completely lovable
chutneylix1 December 2003
*Story*
Naina Catherine Kapur (Preity Zinta) lives in New York with her half-Punjabi, half-Catholic family. Her life is burdened with financial problems, bickering among family members, and memories of a dead father. She is a almost always grumpy and cynical, finding nothing to smile about. The only part of her life she likes is her friend Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) who is a fellow student in an MBA program.
Into this drab life of Naina's comes a waft of fresh air in the guise of Aman Mathur (Shah Rukh Khan). Aman, the eternal optimist is the anti-Naina. He invites himself into the homes and hearts of the residents of the cozy Indian neighborhood and eventually, into Naina's life as well. What they don't know is that Aman is harboring a painful secret.
The rest of the movie is about Aman, Naina and Rohit finding love, hope, happiness and ultimately the joy of living.
*Review*
The feeling I had as I left the theater can be best described as the feel of a woolly blanket on a chilly night. The woolly blanket in this case was around my heart. Kal Ho Naa Ho is by no means perfect. It has its share of illogical moments and cliched scenes. But while watching Indian films, one must get over such hurdles to appreciate them. Or like Naina, we'll be left criticizing everything in sight and forgetting to enjoy the moment. Also we must remember that although its important for the film industry to grow and evolve, its equally as important not to lose what is inherently our Indian identity which is apparent in the songs and the emotional quotient of hindi movies.
That said, for me Kal Ho Naa Ho will go down as one of my all time favorite movies. The performances were wonderful. Shah Rukh Khan gives another performance that will be remembered. He may not be the greatest actor who ever came out of Bombay, but he is one of the few who manages to create characters who seem so friendly and lovable, you would think of him as your own. No one else in the industry has this knack of creating an atmosphere of 'apnapan'. Preity Zinta as Naina is wonderful and a perfect choice for the role. I have no idea how Dharma productions even considered Kareena Kapoor for the role of Naina. Saif Ali Khan is also incredible. Rohit is very similar to Sameer in Dil Chahta Hai but with a lot more emotional depth. I don't care how many times Saif plays that character, I still love him for it and I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing it. Jaya Bachchan who plays Jenny, Naina's mother is incredible in this small role. This character is very real and you can really sympathize with her because of Mrs. Bachchan.
I was very disappointed with the music when it was first released. But the songs grew on me after watching them on screen. The title song is especially good as are Pretty Woman and Mahi Ve. Kuch To Hua hai is also much better on screen. Cinematography is wonderful, another aspect that makes this movie magical. Direction by Nikhil Advani is surprising to say the least. He did an excellent job bringing the story to life. And I will look forward to his next movie. It must have been hard for Karan Johar to give away his story, but Nikhil justified Karan's confidence in him and possibly made a better film than Karan might have. One of the many things I loved about the movie was that it was quite funny. Even during the dramatic moments, I was either laughing or smiling. The screenplay and the dialogues were excellent. Nikhil Advani must have a real talent for comic scenes because they were terrific.
And finally I'd like to commend Karan Johar for writing such a wonderful story with characters that are very down to earth and real. Even though I loved his previous films (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai & Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), Kal Ho Naa Ho is definitely my favorite. I hope we get to experience many more of his wonderful stories that are hopefully made with SRK :) because they are the dream team. If I ever meet Karan Johar, I will shake his hand and give him a hug for creating such a heart warming film.
Naina Catherine Kapur (Preity Zinta) lives in New York with her half-Punjabi, half-Catholic family. Her life is burdened with financial problems, bickering among family members, and memories of a dead father. She is a almost always grumpy and cynical, finding nothing to smile about. The only part of her life she likes is her friend Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) who is a fellow student in an MBA program.
Into this drab life of Naina's comes a waft of fresh air in the guise of Aman Mathur (Shah Rukh Khan). Aman, the eternal optimist is the anti-Naina. He invites himself into the homes and hearts of the residents of the cozy Indian neighborhood and eventually, into Naina's life as well. What they don't know is that Aman is harboring a painful secret.
The rest of the movie is about Aman, Naina and Rohit finding love, hope, happiness and ultimately the joy of living.
*Review*
The feeling I had as I left the theater can be best described as the feel of a woolly blanket on a chilly night. The woolly blanket in this case was around my heart. Kal Ho Naa Ho is by no means perfect. It has its share of illogical moments and cliched scenes. But while watching Indian films, one must get over such hurdles to appreciate them. Or like Naina, we'll be left criticizing everything in sight and forgetting to enjoy the moment. Also we must remember that although its important for the film industry to grow and evolve, its equally as important not to lose what is inherently our Indian identity which is apparent in the songs and the emotional quotient of hindi movies.
That said, for me Kal Ho Naa Ho will go down as one of my all time favorite movies. The performances were wonderful. Shah Rukh Khan gives another performance that will be remembered. He may not be the greatest actor who ever came out of Bombay, but he is one of the few who manages to create characters who seem so friendly and lovable, you would think of him as your own. No one else in the industry has this knack of creating an atmosphere of 'apnapan'. Preity Zinta as Naina is wonderful and a perfect choice for the role. I have no idea how Dharma productions even considered Kareena Kapoor for the role of Naina. Saif Ali Khan is also incredible. Rohit is very similar to Sameer in Dil Chahta Hai but with a lot more emotional depth. I don't care how many times Saif plays that character, I still love him for it and I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing it. Jaya Bachchan who plays Jenny, Naina's mother is incredible in this small role. This character is very real and you can really sympathize with her because of Mrs. Bachchan.
I was very disappointed with the music when it was first released. But the songs grew on me after watching them on screen. The title song is especially good as are Pretty Woman and Mahi Ve. Kuch To Hua hai is also much better on screen. Cinematography is wonderful, another aspect that makes this movie magical. Direction by Nikhil Advani is surprising to say the least. He did an excellent job bringing the story to life. And I will look forward to his next movie. It must have been hard for Karan Johar to give away his story, but Nikhil justified Karan's confidence in him and possibly made a better film than Karan might have. One of the many things I loved about the movie was that it was quite funny. Even during the dramatic moments, I was either laughing or smiling. The screenplay and the dialogues were excellent. Nikhil Advani must have a real talent for comic scenes because they were terrific.
And finally I'd like to commend Karan Johar for writing such a wonderful story with characters that are very down to earth and real. Even though I loved his previous films (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai & Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), Kal Ho Naa Ho is definitely my favorite. I hope we get to experience many more of his wonderful stories that are hopefully made with SRK :) because they are the dream team. If I ever meet Karan Johar, I will shake his hand and give him a hug for creating such a heart warming film.
I loved having my heart broken.
m_mascaro19 October 2004
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.
Live a lifetime.in every heartbeat (..and in every scene)
jungleking5 December 2003
Being one of the first person to watch Kal Ho Naa Ho in my group, I was constantly battered by the same questions: is it worth it? what would you compare it to? whats it about? etc.
To answer these and other questions:
Was it worth it: well depending on your perspective of what an entertaining movie should be like, then the answer would either be: 'yes definitely' or 'you will be mad to miss it'. It is so worth watching and with it Karan Johar has confirmed the he is indeed a milestone in Hindi Cinema history. The movie is definitely directed by a another (Nikhil Advani), but it is a Johar camp movie. With the Johar camp you associate a good story, good production, good songs and the 'King Khan'.
What would you compare it to? Well to be honest .nothing. It has the originality of `Kuch Kuch', the splendour of `K3G' and the freshness of `Dil Chaata Hai'; but it cannot be compared to any of these or other movies. It is in a league of its own. The story may start as the run-of-the-mill hindi-cinema story, but just when we begin to get comfortable with it, it takes a turn down another path. Don't get me wrong, it is not a complex story at all - but it is unique and compelling.
Would you watch it again? Well to be honest, I am writing this after having watched it a second time. What is so rare about this movie is that even the second time round I laughed at the jokes, tapped at the music and got emotional in the sad scenes.
What's it about? Well it will not be fair to tell you about it, as it's an experience you should have first hand. But it has its plus points: the comedy is great (both in the gujju digs as well as the 'kantabein' scenes); the music grows on you (maahi ve being the best); the guest appearances of 'charmed' actresses; the acting - excellent all round from SRK to Zinta to Saif to Jaya; along with good direction and production. It also has its negative points - but then so do other movies and I would rather not get into those.
It may not be the DDLJ or Lagaan of hindi cinema, but it's the best movie of the year and definitely a movie that will entertain me for years to come.
To answer these and other questions:
Was it worth it: well depending on your perspective of what an entertaining movie should be like, then the answer would either be: 'yes definitely' or 'you will be mad to miss it'. It is so worth watching and with it Karan Johar has confirmed the he is indeed a milestone in Hindi Cinema history. The movie is definitely directed by a another (Nikhil Advani), but it is a Johar camp movie. With the Johar camp you associate a good story, good production, good songs and the 'King Khan'.
What would you compare it to? Well to be honest .nothing. It has the originality of `Kuch Kuch', the splendour of `K3G' and the freshness of `Dil Chaata Hai'; but it cannot be compared to any of these or other movies. It is in a league of its own. The story may start as the run-of-the-mill hindi-cinema story, but just when we begin to get comfortable with it, it takes a turn down another path. Don't get me wrong, it is not a complex story at all - but it is unique and compelling.
Would you watch it again? Well to be honest, I am writing this after having watched it a second time. What is so rare about this movie is that even the second time round I laughed at the jokes, tapped at the music and got emotional in the sad scenes.
What's it about? Well it will not be fair to tell you about it, as it's an experience you should have first hand. But it has its plus points: the comedy is great (both in the gujju digs as well as the 'kantabein' scenes); the music grows on you (maahi ve being the best); the guest appearances of 'charmed' actresses; the acting - excellent all round from SRK to Zinta to Saif to Jaya; along with good direction and production. It also has its negative points - but then so do other movies and I would rather not get into those.
It may not be the DDLJ or Lagaan of hindi cinema, but it's the best movie of the year and definitely a movie that will entertain me for years to come.
Good, though could have been better
Peter_Young26 August 2007
Warning: Spoilers
When I first saw "Kal Ho Naa Ho", I was surprised by the extremely modern way that was used to illustrate the film. I liked to see the Indian actors walking the streets of New York, and having a seemingly ordinary life of American, or at least Indian-American people. As a comedy, it worked partially - the humour is very Indian and some attempts to Americanise it fell flat, while some jokes were quite poor anyway. Still, the film is a wonderful comedy/drama about NRIs, and is very special as such, because most non-Indian films about Indians in western countries are incredibly stereotypical, and here you see a feel-good, positive energy where characters of Indian ethnicity are for once not portrayed as walking clichés.
But it's the dichotomy between the film's two main parts which is really hard to connect with. The first part was very nice, funny and entertaining. I liked the characters of the hot-tempered and sensitive Naina (Zinta), her loyal friend Rohit (Saif), who is a cool guy with a gold heart, but not very confident. Jennifer is a weary working woman, while her mother in-law Lajjo is a typical Punjabi mother in-law. The film is interesting and flows well, and then suddenly from nowhere comes Aman (Shahrukh), a happy-go-lucky guy who seems to have no problems in life, but he does want to solve all the problems in Naina's family when he meets the rather complicated girl, whom he falls in love with at first sight. The character of Aman is a great creation, adding a lot of comedy and humour to the film. Aman tries to get close to her and then, when she finally understands she is in love with him, he rejects her! It is weird, but then we get the real secret disclosed. Aman knows he cannot be with Naina so he tries to serve as a matchmaker between Naina and... Rohit, who also fell in love with her! A typical "Karan Johar love triangle" indeed. But it is not, it is done in a very different and charming way.
Up until that point I really enjoyed the film. The really big problem comes in the fourth quarter of the film: It is so, so slow! There comes the writer's insistence to make it into a bad, lengthy tearjerker, with the usual, overly cheesy elements of its sort, only that it's probably the longest sequence of its sort to have been made in a Hindi film. Anyway, the film is still a good product overall. The direction by Advani is very good. The music is out of this world and every song contributes to the film in its own way, the cinematography is terrific and the sound is superb (mainly because it's live sound).
Shahrukh Khan is mostly terrific, and then quite bad. His comic timing is fantastic, but towards the second half he goes overboard and sadly so, because given the energetic character, he could have extended the light attitude into the other parts as well. Saif Ali Khan is the film's biggest surprise. After Dil Chahta Hai, he shines with a wonderfully understated, sensitive performance. Note the scene when Naina tells Rohit about loving Aman and his expressions. Despite the strong presence of these two leads, however, the film naturally belongs to Ms. Zinta, who delivers a highly convincing performance in the central character. It goes without saying that she is the best choice for this role, which really goes through many transformations throughout the story. Towards the end she really outdoes herself. Jaya Bachchan is natural, highly dignified and restrained. The supporting cast, though, is mostly loud, although most of them come with nice comic turns.
There were undoubtedly too many emotions, but Kal Ho Naa Ho works wonderfully as Bollywood entertainment. It has a nice, quite innovative script in terms of writing style and the background of the characters. The makers paid attention to the American style and environment of the film, and I found the contradiction between the bright, free of worry New York and the tear-jerking proceedings of the story toward the end very interesting even if some of the drama could have been toned down.
But it's the dichotomy between the film's two main parts which is really hard to connect with. The first part was very nice, funny and entertaining. I liked the characters of the hot-tempered and sensitive Naina (Zinta), her loyal friend Rohit (Saif), who is a cool guy with a gold heart, but not very confident. Jennifer is a weary working woman, while her mother in-law Lajjo is a typical Punjabi mother in-law. The film is interesting and flows well, and then suddenly from nowhere comes Aman (Shahrukh), a happy-go-lucky guy who seems to have no problems in life, but he does want to solve all the problems in Naina's family when he meets the rather complicated girl, whom he falls in love with at first sight. The character of Aman is a great creation, adding a lot of comedy and humour to the film. Aman tries to get close to her and then, when she finally understands she is in love with him, he rejects her! It is weird, but then we get the real secret disclosed. Aman knows he cannot be with Naina so he tries to serve as a matchmaker between Naina and... Rohit, who also fell in love with her! A typical "Karan Johar love triangle" indeed. But it is not, it is done in a very different and charming way.
Up until that point I really enjoyed the film. The really big problem comes in the fourth quarter of the film: It is so, so slow! There comes the writer's insistence to make it into a bad, lengthy tearjerker, with the usual, overly cheesy elements of its sort, only that it's probably the longest sequence of its sort to have been made in a Hindi film. Anyway, the film is still a good product overall. The direction by Advani is very good. The music is out of this world and every song contributes to the film in its own way, the cinematography is terrific and the sound is superb (mainly because it's live sound).
Shahrukh Khan is mostly terrific, and then quite bad. His comic timing is fantastic, but towards the second half he goes overboard and sadly so, because given the energetic character, he could have extended the light attitude into the other parts as well. Saif Ali Khan is the film's biggest surprise. After Dil Chahta Hai, he shines with a wonderfully understated, sensitive performance. Note the scene when Naina tells Rohit about loving Aman and his expressions. Despite the strong presence of these two leads, however, the film naturally belongs to Ms. Zinta, who delivers a highly convincing performance in the central character. It goes without saying that she is the best choice for this role, which really goes through many transformations throughout the story. Towards the end she really outdoes herself. Jaya Bachchan is natural, highly dignified and restrained. The supporting cast, though, is mostly loud, although most of them come with nice comic turns.
There were undoubtedly too many emotions, but Kal Ho Naa Ho works wonderfully as Bollywood entertainment. It has a nice, quite innovative script in terms of writing style and the background of the characters. The makers paid attention to the American style and environment of the film, and I found the contradiction between the bright, free of worry New York and the tear-jerking proceedings of the story toward the end very interesting even if some of the drama could have been toned down.
Warm, subtle and deeply moving.
gila_film22 March 2004
I just can believe that I had opportunity to enjoy this. Kal Ho Naa Ho (If Tomorrow Never Comes) is an energetic tale about love, love and LOVE! The plot somewhat predictable (and I better not to rehash it) but Nikil Adhvani as a director made it with a sense of love and that make this as a warm, subtle and deeply moving, a great entertainer indeed.
The chemistry between Shahrukh, Preity Zinta and Saif-Ali Khan is so strong. What a fun-tastic acting fiesta. The songs are ear-catchy and added a plus point, not a waste like many Bollywood's movies.
I know KHNH is a good movie when I first read the premise, but I don't realize that this is a very good movie. Just can't believe that this is Nikil Adhvani directorial debut. Okay, enough comment, just watch it and experience the wonderful journey of life and LOVE.
10/10
The chemistry between Shahrukh, Preity Zinta and Saif-Ali Khan is so strong. What a fun-tastic acting fiesta. The songs are ear-catchy and added a plus point, not a waste like many Bollywood's movies.
I know KHNH is a good movie when I first read the premise, but I don't realize that this is a very good movie. Just can't believe that this is Nikil Adhvani directorial debut. Okay, enough comment, just watch it and experience the wonderful journey of life and LOVE.
10/10
Some loopholes, but overall a great film, a landmark in Bollywood history.
falak11mufc5 December 2003
Okay I will not give a summary of the film. Enough of that already. Straight to the point: Kal Ho Naa Ho is a fantastic film....definitely worth seeing, and worth seeing over again.
Shah Rukh Khan does a great job...as usual. I guess nobody else does emotional scenes AND comedy as well as he does. Saif Ali Khan is great. Again as usual, since he plays that role in many of his films, but he holds the story together....!! And Preity...well, it's her year. She rules Bollywood this year. After Koi mil gaya, she comes back in KHNH, with a much stronger role, probably her strongest role since Kya Kehna....and she excels in it. Yes, why was Kareena Kapoor even considered for this role??? Jaya Bacchan is also worth a mention. Nobody else could have played this role. She is fantastic!!! The special appearances make the film...well...special!!!Some of us would go see any film for 5 seconds of Kajol....especially next to Shah Rukh!!! And all credits to Karan Johar and Nikhil Advani. To Karan for coming up with the film, trusting Nikhil and making it happen, and to Nikhil for a first-class job in his first direction... And the music is wonderful...Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy definitely establishing themselves further in Bollywoodland. And Farah Khan plays her usual magic with the choreography, especially for the song Kuch to Hua Hai, which will keep you giggling in your seat...
Now the loopholes: Why do all Caucasian looking people in America speak Hindi (with an awful accent as well), especially when some of the Indians sometimes afford to speak English!!??!! Why could they not spend some more time and effort to make Shah Rukh mime his rap words well in the Pretty Woman song?? Why, when Saif and Preity find out about Shah Rukh, they both seem more worried about their love lives than their friend's....well...LIFE!!! Why did I leave the cinema feeling that if Shah Rukh was given a dialogue full of hope before then end of the film, I'd have felt better...coz surely that was the point of the film: hope. I felt that the last 20 minutes were not well-explored enough...and too sketchy. One second SRK and Preity love each other, and the next she's still getting married...Why are we not shown the process that goes in between. It would have been good, emotional, and more realistic...
But maybe I'm just moaning about details. Maybe I am being a bit of a Naina Catherine Kapoor....So, I'll end on this note rather...
Seen in the broader context of Indian Cinema, this film is a proper landmark....It's a perfect blend of the East and the West. After rather unsuccessful attempts at copying American Pie-style comedy in Indian films, SOMEBODY finally showed us what it takes to make a success of this kind: A modern comedy (hilarious jokes) with modern direction (cool style of story-telling, I thought) in a true Indian setting. Modern music, but perfectly blended with Indian melody and lyrics. This film will take Indian comedy to new heights. And takes the East-West blend to new heights. And it takes a great film to do that...
And it will leave u, not just proud of being Indian, but of being a Western Indian. Perfect blend....
Shah Rukh Khan does a great job...as usual. I guess nobody else does emotional scenes AND comedy as well as he does. Saif Ali Khan is great. Again as usual, since he plays that role in many of his films, but he holds the story together....!! And Preity...well, it's her year. She rules Bollywood this year. After Koi mil gaya, she comes back in KHNH, with a much stronger role, probably her strongest role since Kya Kehna....and she excels in it. Yes, why was Kareena Kapoor even considered for this role??? Jaya Bacchan is also worth a mention. Nobody else could have played this role. She is fantastic!!! The special appearances make the film...well...special!!!Some of us would go see any film for 5 seconds of Kajol....especially next to Shah Rukh!!! And all credits to Karan Johar and Nikhil Advani. To Karan for coming up with the film, trusting Nikhil and making it happen, and to Nikhil for a first-class job in his first direction... And the music is wonderful...Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy definitely establishing themselves further in Bollywoodland. And Farah Khan plays her usual magic with the choreography, especially for the song Kuch to Hua Hai, which will keep you giggling in your seat...
Now the loopholes: Why do all Caucasian looking people in America speak Hindi (with an awful accent as well), especially when some of the Indians sometimes afford to speak English!!??!! Why could they not spend some more time and effort to make Shah Rukh mime his rap words well in the Pretty Woman song?? Why, when Saif and Preity find out about Shah Rukh, they both seem more worried about their love lives than their friend's....well...LIFE!!! Why did I leave the cinema feeling that if Shah Rukh was given a dialogue full of hope before then end of the film, I'd have felt better...coz surely that was the point of the film: hope. I felt that the last 20 minutes were not well-explored enough...and too sketchy. One second SRK and Preity love each other, and the next she's still getting married...Why are we not shown the process that goes in between. It would have been good, emotional, and more realistic...
But maybe I'm just moaning about details. Maybe I am being a bit of a Naina Catherine Kapoor....So, I'll end on this note rather...
Seen in the broader context of Indian Cinema, this film is a proper landmark....It's a perfect blend of the East and the West. After rather unsuccessful attempts at copying American Pie-style comedy in Indian films, SOMEBODY finally showed us what it takes to make a success of this kind: A modern comedy (hilarious jokes) with modern direction (cool style of story-telling, I thought) in a true Indian setting. Modern music, but perfectly blended with Indian melody and lyrics. This film will take Indian comedy to new heights. And takes the East-West blend to new heights. And it takes a great film to do that...
And it will leave u, not just proud of being Indian, but of being a Western Indian. Perfect blend....
What an introduction to Indian films
zorinant4 March 2012
I would like to start this review by saying something personal. This film was my introduction to Indian cinema. And what a film to start my love for Indian films with.
The story is about a serious girl Naina who's life changes when a new neighbor moves in. Just like Naina these chains of event changed me as well. I loved just about every minute of this film; its fun, its funny, it has great song and dance number, and can actually be dramatic and serious. The acting is pretty good, and stars of course the King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan.
With great humor,fantastic song and dance numbers,and good acting; this 2003 Indian film is my absolute favorite Indian film. And who knows maybe it could be your new favorite Indian film.
The story is about a serious girl Naina who's life changes when a new neighbor moves in. Just like Naina these chains of event changed me as well. I loved just about every minute of this film; its fun, its funny, it has great song and dance number, and can actually be dramatic and serious. The acting is pretty good, and stars of course the King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan.
With great humor,fantastic song and dance numbers,and good acting; this 2003 Indian film is my absolute favorite Indian film. And who knows maybe it could be your new favorite Indian film.
A Reminder of a classic, filled with Wonderful Performances. In all a nice entertainer!
The8thone0011 December 2003
Despites of all denials from Karan Johar, the movie does have a quite a resemblance to Indian classic Anand. Srk playing Rajesh Khanna's role, Priety playing Amitabh Bachchan role, Saif Playing the lady who was the love interest of Bachchan. I repeat it has quite an resemblance. The Performances were great, maybe sharukh get the praises but I personally appreaciated 2 performances. One of Priety and Saif's. Saif is really funny, and the best thing about him is he doesn't overact to make people laugh. I am just wondering how long does he have to wait till people start giving him credit for what he deserves, Saif carries his role wonderfully. Priety is like Julia Roberts of Bollywood, Preety woman. She could act, she proves yet again that she is not just a cute girl with a dimple on her cheek. The highlight of the movie is the funny moments of the movie, and it is filled with them. Shahrukh was good, yet again but Saif is the surprise. The movie was specially interesting with glimpse of all the stars; Sonali Bendre and Sanjay Kapoor, Rani and Kajol, Uday Chopra, Farah Khan. The supporting cast was very good too. Jaya Bachchan proving as her husband Bachchan that despite of her she still one of the best actresses. Lillete Dubey is a M.I.LF. Rajpal Yadav should overtake Johnny Lever any time in Bollywood top comedian slot. Sushma Seth, Dara Singh, the eternal macho man. Reema is nice. Satish Shah and Katki Dave are delight to watch as Gujus. Harry Potter look alike kid and her baby sitter were cute and ofcourse THE KANTABEN, homophobic maid was very funny. It was nice entertainer, nice fun, more funny then emotional. 7/10
This tomorrow should never come...
CAMKG17 December 2003
Aditya Chopra made Dilwale Dulhania Le Jeyenge in 1995. Then daddy Yash came up with Dil To Pagal Hai in 1997. Karan from the Johar family, son of producer Yash Johar then came up with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai the following year. And then the media-shy, reclusive Chopra Jr. came up with Mohabbatein in the millenium. The creative, sensitive Karan Johar then made Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam in 2001. Yahsraj Films then started franchising their super-successful brand of cinema through different directors like Sanjay Gadhvi (who made Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai) and Kunal Kohli (who made Mujhse Dosti Karoge) last year. And now, here come Dharma Productions with Kal Ho Naa Ho.
No, I am not trying to display my cinematic knowledge and nor am I writing a biography on the Chopra and Johar families - arguably the two most successful and popular film families and production houses in Bollywood today. The common link between all these films is that they total about Rs 200 crores ($40 million USD) spent on creating about 25 hours of pretension.
And the latest in this brand of super-superficial and super-superfluous cinema is Karan Johar's - oops! Sorry, Nikhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho. There is tremendous detail in creating new looks for the protagonists, great costumes, technical slickness in terms of photography and production design; the music and choreography are extremely elaborate; even the script is detailed and bound from start to finish.
But the goal of the film is to entertain by poking fun at the obese, the Gujarati - and no, I am neither - the middle-aged single woman, the gay ( or to be more politically incorrect homo), the american - and I am none of these either - Jaya Bachan, Sushma Seth and Satish Shah's intelligence, Preity Zinta , Saif and pretty much everything else that is not Shahrukh. The melodrama reeks of glycerine and manipulation, the romance is so plot-oriented and pre-meditated that it is totally devoid of any chemistry (except for that between Shahrukh and Saif - now there's a film!).
Karan Johar and co. are extrememly talented, professional film-makers. But they fail to understand that cinema is a medium where the imagination is excited to translate that which is human, empathetic, universal, courageous, inspiring, etc on celluloid - and not merely a commercial venture.
But then why fix that which ain't broke. Six of the above eight films have gone on to become blockbusters. And in any case, if the Chopra-Johar brand of filmmaking fails to ring the cash registers in future, they can always use their business acumen and franchising abilities to open a chain of McShahrukh's. 5/10.
No, I am not trying to display my cinematic knowledge and nor am I writing a biography on the Chopra and Johar families - arguably the two most successful and popular film families and production houses in Bollywood today. The common link between all these films is that they total about Rs 200 crores ($40 million USD) spent on creating about 25 hours of pretension.
And the latest in this brand of super-superficial and super-superfluous cinema is Karan Johar's - oops! Sorry, Nikhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho. There is tremendous detail in creating new looks for the protagonists, great costumes, technical slickness in terms of photography and production design; the music and choreography are extremely elaborate; even the script is detailed and bound from start to finish.
But the goal of the film is to entertain by poking fun at the obese, the Gujarati - and no, I am neither - the middle-aged single woman, the gay ( or to be more politically incorrect homo), the american - and I am none of these either - Jaya Bachan, Sushma Seth and Satish Shah's intelligence, Preity Zinta , Saif and pretty much everything else that is not Shahrukh. The melodrama reeks of glycerine and manipulation, the romance is so plot-oriented and pre-meditated that it is totally devoid of any chemistry (except for that between Shahrukh and Saif - now there's a film!).
Karan Johar and co. are extrememly talented, professional film-makers. But they fail to understand that cinema is a medium where the imagination is excited to translate that which is human, empathetic, universal, courageous, inspiring, etc on celluloid - and not merely a commercial venture.
But then why fix that which ain't broke. Six of the above eight films have gone on to become blockbusters. And in any case, if the Chopra-Johar brand of filmmaking fails to ring the cash registers in future, they can always use their business acumen and franchising abilities to open a chain of McShahrukh's. 5/10.
Terrific, emotional film
AishFan25 December 2003
Karan Johar has done it again. This movie is absolutely wonderful. It has it all--comedy, romance, and deep emotions. You have been warned: this is a tearjerker. Don't bother watching it if you hate sensitive films. Shahrukh, of course, is the show stealer. Nobody can ever replace this brilliant star who can transform perfectly into his character. Saif , the underestimated star, is great with comic timing as he was in Dil Chahta Hai, Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, etc. Preity Zinta was good but wasn't as great as she was in Koi Mil Gaya. Jaya has a nice role. Songs are excellent and, in my opinion, the best soundtrack of the year. The portion of "6 din, ladki in" in the second half was a bit of a drag, however. The best part of this movie, though, is its theme. Carpe diem! People are so concerned with their futures that they forget to live the present. God only knows where we'll be tomorrow. Enjoy today before it's too late.
Great movie!
sami8128816 March 2005
This is by far one of the best Hindi movies ever made, in my opinion. The acting is superb, and this is probably one of Preity's better movies. All the actors give a very moving performance. This movie can make you laugh and cry all at the same time, and the storyline isn't the same old things you see in Bollywood films. The main reason I like this film is because it contains modern elements in it. Its set in NY, and its has Western culture blended into it also. Being a teenager living in the US, I personally enjoy being able to relate to the movies I watch and I don't really like movies that are too traditional. I think if you like modernized Hindi movies you'll love this movie. Even if you don't, its most definitely worth watching.
Entertaining
AvinashPatalay14 December 2004
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).
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).
Awesome!!! You should Watch!!!
nedtheone30 March 2006
For all those who want to know whether Kal Ho Naa Ho is a remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anand, the answer is yes. And no.
Shah Rukh Khan's character (Aman) is largely inspired by Rajesh Khanna's happy-go-lucky charmer in Anand. But on the whole, Kal Ho Naa Ho is as different as they come.
The film kicks off with Manhattan resident Naina Catherine Kapur (Preity Zinta) narrating the story of her life over her daily morning jog.
Don't Miss!
The characters in Naina's life are introduced with the same energy that Naina puts into her jog. There is her mom Jennifer (Jaya Bachchan in jeans), who shares a love-hate relationship with her mother-in-law Sushma Seth (at her loudest Punjabi best).
Mommy runs a flop restaurant. Grandmother is a flop singer. Together they are chaos.
Enough reason for Naina to turn into a boring, bespectacled spinster type who takes life too seriously.
The only interesting person in Naina's life is buddy Rohit Patel (Saif Ali Khan). He is uncool with women but thinks he is cool. He is also a typical Gujarati, whose father (Satish Shah) runs a business called Dial A Dhokla.
Enter funny guy Aman, who turns out to be the proverbial angel in Naina's life. He is Dale Carnegie-Jim Carrey-Richard Gere-Deepak Chopra all rolled into one. He zooms into Naina's neighbourhood singing Pretty woman and woos everyone in sight, including uppity Naina.
Naina hates him at first sight, but can't help being overwhelmed by Aman's charm.
Even Rohit takes tips from Aman on how to be cool and influence people. Life is a song and dance till the interval.
And After that everything is mystery, lol what?
This is indeed a breathtaking movie! Go and watch instead of watching silly bollywood movies!
Shah Rukh Khan's character (Aman) is largely inspired by Rajesh Khanna's happy-go-lucky charmer in Anand. But on the whole, Kal Ho Naa Ho is as different as they come.
The film kicks off with Manhattan resident Naina Catherine Kapur (Preity Zinta) narrating the story of her life over her daily morning jog.
Don't Miss!
The characters in Naina's life are introduced with the same energy that Naina puts into her jog. There is her mom Jennifer (Jaya Bachchan in jeans), who shares a love-hate relationship with her mother-in-law Sushma Seth (at her loudest Punjabi best).
Mommy runs a flop restaurant. Grandmother is a flop singer. Together they are chaos.
Enough reason for Naina to turn into a boring, bespectacled spinster type who takes life too seriously.
The only interesting person in Naina's life is buddy Rohit Patel (Saif Ali Khan). He is uncool with women but thinks he is cool. He is also a typical Gujarati, whose father (Satish Shah) runs a business called Dial A Dhokla.
Enter funny guy Aman, who turns out to be the proverbial angel in Naina's life. He is Dale Carnegie-Jim Carrey-Richard Gere-Deepak Chopra all rolled into one. He zooms into Naina's neighbourhood singing Pretty woman and woos everyone in sight, including uppity Naina.
Naina hates him at first sight, but can't help being overwhelmed by Aman's charm.
Even Rohit takes tips from Aman on how to be cool and influence people. Life is a song and dance till the interval.
And After that everything is mystery, lol what?
This is indeed a breathtaking movie! Go and watch instead of watching silly bollywood movies!
Now, that was long!
ericstevenson30 October 2016
As someone who's a huge fan of any movies at all, I'm so glad to have seen such a beloved Bollywood movie. It seems like the only ones most Westerners have actually seen are the Panther Panchali films of the 1950's. Of course, they still release great ones today. This film was 187 minutes and just so happened to be the longest movie I have ever seen online! It was certainly worth it to see the whole thing, though. I heard that most movies in India are three hours long. I guess they just have longer attention spans than us! This actually seemed pretty long even by their standards.
It was weird that this took place in New York City for such a completely Indian film. Of course "Slumdog Millionaire" did the opposite and it was technically a British movie. What I love about this film is how bright and colorful everything is. We get great dance numbers and just so much movement going on. It's hard to keep up with all these characters. They really do work hard to make them all unique. With a population as big as them, it's easy to get a lot of people! There was in fact an intermission albeit quite brief. The second half is when it really starts getting serious. I can understand how such a long film would change in tone so radically. Whatever nationality, you should watch this movie. ***1/2
It was weird that this took place in New York City for such a completely Indian film. Of course "Slumdog Millionaire" did the opposite and it was technically a British movie. What I love about this film is how bright and colorful everything is. We get great dance numbers and just so much movement going on. It's hard to keep up with all these characters. They really do work hard to make them all unique. With a population as big as them, it's easy to get a lot of people! There was in fact an intermission albeit quite brief. The second half is when it really starts getting serious. I can understand how such a long film would change in tone so radically. Whatever nationality, you should watch this movie. ***1/2
Bollywood with a twist
rolfaderhold19 November 2005
Well, if you are as new to the Bollywood phenomenon as I am, you will be as confused by this movie as I was (... and if you are a Bollywood expert, you should skip this review). To Eureopean tastes, and probably also to American tastes, many aspects of the movie seem to be implausible. The male lead, Shah Rukh Khan, THE Indian Top Star, seems not be able to act, but nobody seems to care; the story is outrageously simple and pure kitsch; the movie is extremely long; the actors tend to break out in song and dance for no reason whatsoever; etc. However, the movie is quite charming in its way. The actors, Khan included, are lovable and do not even try to display any skills at the Robert de Niro-type of method acting. The overly emotional acting is highlighted by dramatic panning and freak breezes that even turn up in closed rooms, but it is exactly what the audiences want, and it goes hand in hand with the over-the-top lavish extravaganza of the sets and the well-choreographed song and dance sequences, since ENTERTAINMENT is all the movies aim at. So, if you are a purist, if you cannot accept kitsch for all it is worth and if you want psychological drama instead of bright sets and sentimental love stories, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. If, however, you occasionally indulge in something that is neither intellectually challenging nor deemed high art, but that is clean, bright and bubbly fun, you will enjoy this picture. There I will not bother you with a synopsis but I will only point out that you will probably want to watch one or two other movies to understand this phenomenon. The chances are high that you will see the same actors again, playing the same roles again, only with different names.
a flawless movie
cxw106521 December 2003
WOW
Nikhil Advani, Karan Johar and the amazing cast of this movie have come together to make only the second flawless Bollywood movie of this generation.
What can I saw about Shah Rukh Khan, an actor who even today manages to mesmerise and captivate his audience. In the majority of his movies, even I (a die-hard) find that he over-acts, but in this movie, his is at the pinnacle of his craft. His control is admirable, and I fell in love with him all over again.
Saif Ali Khan, who started his career as a callow youngster shows that he has finally come of age, and his heartbreaking performance in this movie is astoundingly mature.
Preity Zinta is wholly believable as the woman they both fall in love with-- I almost fell in love with her myself (except my heart belongs to SRK!!)
The supporting cast, full of stars in their own right, gave exquisitely balanced performances, with not a gesture or moment of screen time wasted.
Nikhil Advani, I salute you. You have managed to create what I didn't think was possible in todays world-- a Bollywood film that makes you laugh, cry, feel sad and yet happy at the same time, and also doesn't make you ashamed to take your non-indian friends to. The only other movie that has accomplished that recently was DDLJ (and even that had one scene too far).
The songs, which were disappointing on first listen, fit into the film so well that I will cry every time I hear them. They now make perfect sense (in the same way that the songs of KKHH also improved after watching the movie)
The look of the film, the humour, the choreography, the set direction, the cinematography, the everything of this movie are outstanding.
In years to come, I will watch this movie with my kids (I hope), and hope that they will learn what I have today-- that the Bollywood movie is not dead, indeed it is alive and kicking, and Kal Ho Naa Ho, this movie will be a perfect monument to 2003 Bollywood cinema.
Anyone who doesn't like this movie must truly have a heart of stone.
WOW
Nikhil Advani, Karan Johar and the amazing cast of this movie have come together to make only the second flawless Bollywood movie of this generation.
What can I saw about Shah Rukh Khan, an actor who even today manages to mesmerise and captivate his audience. In the majority of his movies, even I (a die-hard) find that he over-acts, but in this movie, his is at the pinnacle of his craft. His control is admirable, and I fell in love with him all over again.
Saif Ali Khan, who started his career as a callow youngster shows that he has finally come of age, and his heartbreaking performance in this movie is astoundingly mature.
Preity Zinta is wholly believable as the woman they both fall in love with-- I almost fell in love with her myself (except my heart belongs to SRK!!)
The supporting cast, full of stars in their own right, gave exquisitely balanced performances, with not a gesture or moment of screen time wasted.
Nikhil Advani, I salute you. You have managed to create what I didn't think was possible in todays world-- a Bollywood film that makes you laugh, cry, feel sad and yet happy at the same time, and also doesn't make you ashamed to take your non-indian friends to. The only other movie that has accomplished that recently was DDLJ (and even that had one scene too far).
The songs, which were disappointing on first listen, fit into the film so well that I will cry every time I hear them. They now make perfect sense (in the same way that the songs of KKHH also improved after watching the movie)
The look of the film, the humour, the choreography, the set direction, the cinematography, the everything of this movie are outstanding.
In years to come, I will watch this movie with my kids (I hope), and hope that they will learn what I have today-- that the Bollywood movie is not dead, indeed it is alive and kicking, and Kal Ho Naa Ho, this movie will be a perfect monument to 2003 Bollywood cinema.
Anyone who doesn't like this movie must truly have a heart of stone.
WOW
thoroughly melodramatic movie with joy and sorrow, but directional loopholes
parindv2 December 2003
I believe that Karan Johar has amazing capacity to make people laugh or cry.
In this melodramatic movie he has put very nice and humorous patches of comedy. But I strongly believe that the movie is with plenty unforgivable loopholes. I cant understand how a person with such a serious heart trouble can run like Carl Louis, dance like Michael Jackson and sing like Enrique.
Please make some realistic hindi movie like Satya.
In this melodramatic movie he has put very nice and humorous patches of comedy. But I strongly believe that the movie is with plenty unforgivable loopholes. I cant understand how a person with such a serious heart trouble can run like Carl Louis, dance like Michael Jackson and sing like Enrique.
Please make some realistic hindi movie like Satya.
STILL UNDERRATED
lovishjain-791929 July 2021
A Good Film!
namashi_131 August 2011
'Kal Ho Naa Ho' is A Good Film, that catches your attention. While The First-Hour is funny & lively, the Second-Hour, though dragging, is emotionally engaging. Also, the performances, are quite good!
'Kal Ho Naa Ho' Synopsis: Life of a very serious girl Naina, changes on the arrival of her new neighbor, Aman, who teaches her a new way to live.
The film works in most times and manages some memorable moments, that stay with you even after the film has ended. But, the second-hour is definitely dragging and needed to be trimmed. The excessive running time, does act as a speed breaker. Nikhil Advani's Direction is good. The Screenplay by Niranjan Iyengar & Karan Johar, is impressive. Cinematography is striking. Music by Shankar-Eshaan-Loy, is Excellent. Editing is fairly nice.
Performance-Wise: Shahrukh does well, but it's Saif Ali Khan, who undoubtedly owns the film. He delivers a wonderful performance, that is truly worth immense praise. Preity Zinta does very well, especially in the emotional scenes. Jaya Bachchan is efficient. Rajpal Yadav appears in a hilarious cameo. Satish Shah, Ketaki Dave & Sulbha Arya are superb. Reema Lagoo, Sushma Seth, Lilette Dubey & Delnaaz Paul, are effective. Sonali Bendre & Sanjay Kapoor appear in a brief roles.
On the whole, A Good film, that is definitely worth a watch. Thumbs Up!
'Kal Ho Naa Ho' Synopsis: Life of a very serious girl Naina, changes on the arrival of her new neighbor, Aman, who teaches her a new way to live.
The film works in most times and manages some memorable moments, that stay with you even after the film has ended. But, the second-hour is definitely dragging and needed to be trimmed. The excessive running time, does act as a speed breaker. Nikhil Advani's Direction is good. The Screenplay by Niranjan Iyengar & Karan Johar, is impressive. Cinematography is striking. Music by Shankar-Eshaan-Loy, is Excellent. Editing is fairly nice.
Performance-Wise: Shahrukh does well, but it's Saif Ali Khan, who undoubtedly owns the film. He delivers a wonderful performance, that is truly worth immense praise. Preity Zinta does very well, especially in the emotional scenes. Jaya Bachchan is efficient. Rajpal Yadav appears in a hilarious cameo. Satish Shah, Ketaki Dave & Sulbha Arya are superb. Reema Lagoo, Sushma Seth, Lilette Dubey & Delnaaz Paul, are effective. Sonali Bendre & Sanjay Kapoor appear in a brief roles.
On the whole, A Good film, that is definitely worth a watch. Thumbs Up!
Not as good as i hoped it would be......sorry
Little_Mizz_Nawtie27 December 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know why i did't enjoy this movie, I'm usually a fan of all the Johar movies. Why is Shahrukh the star of the recent movies of Karan Johar or the Johar family? Is Shahrukh the lucky charm that makes all the Johar movies a hit? this may be one of the reasons why i didn't like it, the fact that a little variety helps. Second i got to admit the performances were OK by Saif And SRK but i didn't enjoy Preity's performance, at some points i felt as though she was overacting, and that she needed to tone done a notch if you know what i mean. ***SPOILER*** Also the part when Shahrukh was on the boat and was trying to get Frankie's attention,i thought okay you need to tone down as well.
But i have to admit,the Aman/Rohit/Kantaben thing was funny!!
Its a movie that i watched once but would prefer the other option if i was asked to watch it again.
P.S nice to see that Sharukh's character was named AMAN, rather then the overused, Raj, RahuL or whatever else begins with R
But i have to admit,the Aman/Rohit/Kantaben thing was funny!!
Its a movie that i watched once but would prefer the other option if i was asked to watch it again.
P.S nice to see that Sharukh's character was named AMAN, rather then the overused, Raj, RahuL or whatever else begins with R
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