Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna turns 20: Karan Johar romanticized, glamorized infidelity

Twenty years after its release, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK) remains one of the most controversial films directed by Karan Johar, with contrasting opinions on the romantic drama starring Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, and Abhishek Bachchan. As a fan of Johar's feel-good cinema, I have watched KANK multiple times, but even after two decades, it raises a crucial question: when does understanding the reasons behind someone's infidelity become an excuse for the act itself?

KANK features everything Johar is known for - attractive actors, lavish songs, and beautiful settings. The storyline revolves around Dev and Maya, two married individuals who fall in love with each other, challenging the conventional norms of happy marriages, emotional unavailability, and the possibility of falling out of love. While the film attempts to explore the depths of unhappy marriages, it ultimately fails to distinguish between showcasing adultery and romanticizing it.

Although a bad marriage can explain why Dev and Maya are unhappy, it cannot automatically justify their betrayal and turning to a third person to compensate for their unhappiness. The accident that left Dev unable to play football does not make him a difficult husband, as his wife Rhea's professional success starts to annoy him. Even before bidding farewell to his sports career, Rhea's success had started causing friction in their marriage.

The opening scene reveals Dev's insecurities and emotional distance, which are primarily due to his frustration with Rhea's success compared to his own lack of fulfillment. The blame for their emotional distance falls on Rhea, despite Dev's minimal efforts to understand her.