Not every film finds its way into the audience’s heart. In 2006, Karan Johar took a gamble with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, a romantic drama exploring love outside marriage.
With Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, and Amitabh Bachchan, the film was meant to redefine Bollywood romance. Instead, it stumbled, leaving fans and makers disappointed.
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna: The plot
The film followed Dev Saran (Shah Rukh Khan), a star footballer in New York whose career collapses after an accident. His marriage with journalist Rhea (Preity Zinta) begins to fracture. Across the city, Maya (Rani Mukerji), a school teacher, feels suffocated in her marriage to her childhood friend Rishi (Abhishek Bachchan).
Two broken souls meet. Dev and Maya share their grief, and gradually, fall into a love they know is forbidden. Their extramarital bond triggers chaos, heartbreak, and moral dilemmas.
The story was layered-love, betrayal, and the fragile threads of marriage-but it was also too daring for many in 2006.
Shot abroad, felt at home
Most of the film was shot in New York with a 90-day schedule, while a handful of sequences were completed in Mumbai studios. The global look, sleek sets, and grandeur were designed to impress, and the scale came with a cost-Rs 70 crore, a massive budget for its time.
How did it perform at the Box Office?
Despite the star power and media buzz, audiences weren’t ready to embrace the subject. Many felt uncomfortable watching Bollywood’s favourite romantic hero, Shah Rukh Khan, in the role of a man betraying his wife. The film struggled for acceptance and was far from being the massive hit Johar had envisioned.
Still, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna managed a worldwide collection of Rs 110.26 crore, landing it in the “semi-hit” zone. It may not have matched the hype, but it was no outright failure either.
Nearly 20 years later, the film continues to spark debates. Was it ahead of its time, or simply too heavy-handed for audiences craving light-hearted love stories? According to IMDb, the film eventually won 15 awards, proving that while it divided viewers, it did not go unnoticed.