Rani Mukerji Is Against 'Decoding' Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Here's Why - Exclusive

Rani Mukerji believes that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a film best experienced with the same innocence it was created with, not endlessly decoded through a modern lens. Even decades after its release, the Karan

Johar directorial faces questions about its characters, themes, and moral choices. But for Rani, who played the beloved Tina Malhotra, the film belongs to a specific moment in time, which was defined by emotion, warmth, and instinct rather than analysis. In an exclusive chat with Zoom, the Mardaani 3 actress explained why she feels the magic of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai should be left untouched.

Rani Mukerji says 'Let's not decode too much'

Rani Mukerji graced Zoom's Fanclub To actually decode it, I always feel that every film has a certain magic at the time for which it is made. And I think at that time this was magic and I would like to say let's keep that magic alive. Let's not decode it too much."

For Rani, the film’s charm lies not just in its story but in the environment in which it was made. Looking back, she recalled the deeply personal and familial atmosphere on set, something she feels is rare in today’s highly scrutinised filmmaking process.

Rani recalls Kuch Kuch Hota Hai memories

Rani Mukerji recalled having unlimited fun on Kuch Kuch Hota Hai sets. She said, “I have a lot of shooting memories. I have memories of Karan's dad Yash (Johar) uncle being there on set.” She fondly remembered the lighter moments that made the shoot feel less like work and more like home and how Yash Johar used to make fun of Rani's mother's shopping habit.The presence of close friends, family, and collaborators added to that sense of togetherness. Rani said, "At this point of time there was Hiroo (Johar) auntie, there were Karan (Johar), me, Shah Rukh (Khan) and Kajol of course. Manish (Malhotra ) was there, Farah (Khan) was there and it was such a beautiful atmosphere where we all used to be together on a film set.”

Rani described the set as one where hierarchies barely mattered and no one was consumed by perfection and said, “It was like a family you know where we're shooting, you know our parents are around, they're enjoying, they're chatting and we are doing our thing. Nobody took each other so seriously." The actress added, "It was not about you know watching the monitor 24 times to scrutinise what's happening, what's not happening. It was more about the feeling. It was more about the vibe of a scene. It was more about camaraderie."The actress stressed that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was never made with the intention of becoming a cult classic or a film that future generations would dissect frame by frame. “It was more about just the feeling of getting the shoot done, but in a happy way, in a friendly way, in a very light-hearted way. It was not as if we were planning to make a film that would become a cult film or a film for the generations today to see and talk about and analyse.” She added that the constant debates around justice, character arcs, and moral correctness simply did not exist back then. Rani concluded by saying that she is grateful she got to be a part of the project.Watch the full interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f24_h4a2Os

Rani Mukerji's work front

On the work front, Rani Mukerji is currently back in action as police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani 3. Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, the action thriller released theatrically today, January 30. The film also stars Janki Bodiwala and Mallika Prasad and is produced by Aditya Chopra and Akshaye Wadhwani. It marks the third instalment in the Mardaani franchise, following Mardaani 2, which earned Rs 47.38 crore at the box office in 2019. She will be seen in Shah Rukh Khan's December 24, 2026 release King.