Are
you
endorsing
infidelity
in
Kabhi
Alvida
Naa
Kehna(KANK)
I
must
tell
you
a
mother
came
up
to
me
after
seeing
the
film.
She
was
very
angry.
'My
daughter
recently
got
divorced.
I
took
her
out
to
make
her
happy
with
a
Karan
Johar
film.
But
look
at
what
you
made
her
suffer!
We
wanted
to
go
into
another
world.
We
didn't
want
to
see
our
lives'.
She
was
upset.
But
I
think
I
had
hit
home.
I
don't
claim
to
be
an
expert
on
marriage
or
anything
else.
I'm
not
endorsing
anything.
KANK
is
my
take
on
what
happens
when
people
marry
for
the
wrong
reason.
The
true
foundation
of
an
enduring
marriage
is
tremendous
love.
If
that
love
isn't
there,
things
can
go
wrong
any
time
in
a
marriage
.
That's
what
happens
in
Alvida.
My
characters
behave
in
a
particular
way
because
they
are
my
characters.
You
don't
have
to
agree
with
what
the
characters
do
or
say.
People
are
reacting
vehemently
to
the
Shah
Rukh-Rani
extra-marital
affair.
Every
married
person
sees
a
bit
of
him
or
herself
in
the
characters.
They're
reacting
to
the
characters.
Alvida
is
like
watching
an
experience
rather
than
watching
a
film.
Everyone
wants
to
know
why
Rani
doesn't
love
Abhishek's
character.
But
she
doesn't!
That's
it!
I
can
show
you
dozens
of
marriages
all
over
the
world
where
the
perfect
spouse
leaves
the
other
marital
partner
cold.
There're
million
of
women
who
go
on
being
miserable
in
passion-less
marriages.
I'm
not
telling
those
women
to
go
out
there
and
have
an
affair.
But
you
don't
need
to
be
in
a
love-less
marriage.
That's
what
Alvida
says.
I
don't
think
marriage
gives
any
man
or
woman
an
identity.
I've
tremendous
respect
for
women
who
haven't
married
because
they
haven't
found
the
right
partner
rather
that
than
being
stuck
in
an
unhappy
marriage.
There's
nothing
worse
than
flogging
a
dead
horse.
Surely
there're
obligations
in
a
marriage
that
go
beyond
self-gratification?
I
agree.
But
children
shouldn't
be
made
an
excuse
to
keep
a
dead
marriage
going.
Preity
says
,
'I'm
not
one
of
those
who
accept
defeat
in
life
by
making
children
their
weakness.
I'm
not
that
weak'.
You
cannot
question
why.
That's
the
way
these
characters
are.
But
a
Karan
Johar
film
influences
a
large
section
of
people.
And
I
haven't
been
irresponsible
towards
my
audience.
The
message,
if
any,
is
marry
for
the
right
reason.
And
if
you're
in
a
miserable
marriage
you're
wronging
two
people.
Amitji
says
in
the
film,
'By
carrying
on
an
incomplete
marriage
you're
denying
love
to
yourself
and
your
spouse.'
Incomplete
relationships
are
of
no
value
to
anyone.
Are
you
trying
to
say
one
should
continue
in
a
miserable
marriage?
Doesn't
every
individual
have
the
right
to
happiness.
I'd
love
our
women
to
become
much
more
independent-minded
and
career-minded
so
that
they
could've
a
life
of
their
own
after
a
broken
marriage.
Yes,
sometimes
marriage
takes
place
under
parental
pressure
or
because
a
person
feels
he
or
she's
getting
old.
Please
treat
marriage
as
a
venerable
institution
which
you
visit
only
when
you're
sure
of
yourself.
But
Karan,
you
aren't
married,
so
how
do
you
know
the
dos
and
don'ts
of
marriages?
I'm
not
married.
But
I'm
an
observer
of
human
relationships.
And
it's
my
right
to
use
those
observations
as
and
how
I
wish.
I
know
there
will
be
various
debates
and
discussions
on
KANK.
And
I
welcome
them.
How
many
films
make
you
think
and
talk
about
it
long
after?
People
are
talking
about
my
protagonists
Dev,
Maya,
Rishi
and
Rhea
as
though
they're
neighbours.
I'm
overjoyed
at
the
level
of
participation
that
the
film
has
provoked.
I'm
so
happy
I've
a
job
that
can
touch
people.
You
can
look
at
my
take
on
marriage
positively
or
negatively.
The
characters
have
their
own
point
of
view.
Rani's
father-in-law
wants
her
to
leave.
Shah
Rukh's
mother
wants
to
stay
with
his
wife
even
though
the
wife
throws
Shah
Rukh
out.
There's
poise
dignity
and
class
in
all
the
characters.
Rani's
character
has
no
motivation
for
leaving
her
husband.
Hers
is
the
toughest
role.
She
rebuffs
a
loving
husband.
But
her
character
Maya
feels
maternal
towards
Rishi
.
She
marries
for
the
wrong
reason.
Alvida
is
a
film
about
very
unhappy
characters.
The
ones
who
do
wrong
feeling
more
unhappy
than
the
ones
who
are
wronged.
I
see
a
lot
of
Yash
Chopra's
Silsila
in
KANK.
Where?
Not
consciously.
I
love
Silsila.
It's
a
super
take
on
the
cult
of
infidelity.
But
I
think
Alvida
tells
its
own
story.
My
admiration
for
Silsila
may
have
subsconscious
crept
into
the
film.
What
was
the
need
for
Kajol,
Arjun
Rampal,
John
Abraham
and
Riteish
Deshmukh(who
was
finally
cut
out)?
Kajol
is
my
lucky
mascot.
Arjun
is
an
important
character
.
He
was
someone
Preity's
character
could've
settled
down
with
after
her
failed
marriage.
But
she
chose
not
to.
John
was
a
fun
thing.
Why
not
have
a
good-looking
deejay?
You
can't
get
anyone
cooler
for
the
job.
As
for
Riteish
there
was
a
whole
chunk
with
Rani
in
play
school
which
had
to
be
cut
off.
Riteish
had
one
scene
with
her.
Stars
are
important
to
a
film.
But
you
must
understand
I
took
a
big
risk
by
casting
these
stars
against
their
images.
Earlier
I
made
good-looking
film
with
white
characters.
Now
it's
good-looking
with
grey
characters.
Both
Shah
Rukh
and
Rani
are
flawed
protagonists.
Why
cast
Shah
Rukh
as
a
cynical
and
bitter
man?
He's
unhappy
because
of
his
failures.
When
I
projected
him
as
the
ebullient
Rahul
and
Aman
in
Kuch
Kuch
Hota
Hai
and
Kal
Ho
Na
Ho
everyone
said
he
needs
a
change
of
image.
I'm
going
to
get
very
upset
if
now
they
people
complain
about
his
change
of
image.
What
do
you
want
me
to
do?
I
think
Shah
Rukh
gives
one
of
his
best
performances
in
Alvida.
He
plays
a
grey
complexed
character
and
he
has
pulled
it
off
with
absolute
conviction.
What's
the
deal
with
Mr
Bachchan?
Abhishek's
father
in
the
film
is
a
flamboyant
character.
And
who
better
equipped
than
Mr
Bachchan
to
play
him?
He'll
be
called
'Sexy
Sam'
for
a
long
time.
He
trusted
that
I'd
handle
his
raunchy
role
with
a
certain
class
and
dignity.
Of
course
Amitji
is
full
of
class
and
dignity.
Mr
Bachchan
at
64
rocks.
Why
do
we
have
to
show
him
as
humble
patriarch
or
a
retired
don?
In
real
life
he
wears
the
coolest
clothes
and
plays
the
coolest
music.
Alvida
taps
his
cool
side.
If
at
64
if
I
show
even
a
jot
of
his
zest
I'd
be
blessed.
Were
you
prepared
to
open
up
a
pandora's
box?
I
did
anticipate
it.
People
say
I've
shown
a
mirror.
And
no
one
likes
a
mirror
image.
I
know
many
Devs,
Mayas,
Rishis
and
Rheas
and
Sexy
Sams.
Each
is
a
work
of
fiction
but
they're
based
on
real
life.
Thirty
percent
of
the
audience
is
shocked.
But
seventy
percent
identifies
with
the
characters.
It's
too
early
to
predict
where
it'll
go
.
The
trade
thinks
it's
an
urban
film.
But
human
emotions
are
universal.
I
hope
it
cuts
across.
This
time
I've
given
no
candy-floss.
It's
more
like
a
slap
on
the
face.
Can
you
ever
go
back
to
candyfloss?
I
can't!
I've
matured.
I've
changed.
At
25
I
made
Kuch
Kuch
Hota
Hai
because
I
felt
mushy.
At
29
I
did
Kabhi
Khushi
Kabhie
Gham
because
I
felt
reverent
towards
my
parents.
At
31
when
I
wrote
Kal
Ho
Na
Ho
it
was
a
manifestation
of
my
fear
of
death.
I
felt
I
was
going
to
lose
someone
dear,
and
I
did(father
Yash
Johar).
At
34
I'm
a
quiet
silent
observer.
.
That's
why
I've
made
KANK.