Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna remains one of the boldest and most polarising films of Karan Johar’s career. Released in 2006, the multi-starrer drama dared to tackle infidelity and emotional dissatisfaction within
marriage—subjects rarely addressed so openly in mainstream Hindi cinema at the time. Featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta, the film marked a significant departure from the director’s signature romantic storytelling.
Recently, while reflecting on the making of the film alongside Rani Mukerji, Karan Johar opened up about how emotionally overwhelming the shoot became for everyone involved, including the actors themselves.
‘The Characters Took Over the Actors’
Karan revealed that the cast became deeply immersed in their respective roles, to the point where the emotional boundaries between fiction and reality began to blur. He recalled how Preity Zinta, who played Rhea, struggled to detach herself from her character’s pain.
“It was such a deeply immersive experience for the actors, because I realised that all the characters, Dev, Maya, Rishi, and Rhea, everyone got so immersed in their roles. At one point, I actually had to tell Preity that this wasn’t really happening, that we were shooting a movie. She was like, ‘But why is he cheating on me?’ and I said, ‘He’s not cheating on you, it’s the character.’”
The director explained that the film’s emotionally raw subject matter forced everyone to confront uncomfortable truths that are often ignored or brushed aside in real life.
Abhishek Broke Down, Rani Felt the Weight
Johar further shared that the emotional strain wasn’t limited to one actor. Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji were also visibly affected during filming.
“There was a moment when Abhishek really broke down on set. You remember there was a scene we were shooting, and he just broke down. There were moments when I could see you just looking sullen and sad, and I realised that everyone was going through something. It felt like you were going through beats in your head, because the film talks about ground realities, emotional realities, things that people go through but don’t like to address.”
Summing up the experience, Karan admitted, “I realised it was a very tumultuous experience.” Rani, responding with her trademark candour, quipped, “Yeah, I think for audiences as well, it was.”
Last year, Rani Mukerji also reflected on why Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna struggled to connect with audiences upon release. She told ANI: “Maybe India wasn’t ready for it. But it’s always nice to be part of films that are way ahead of their time…”
