Karan Johar slams his own film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, admits he got the gender politics wrong: ‘Rahul said all kinds of wrong things’

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is awaiting the release of Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt-starrer Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, talked about his debut film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in a less-than-positive manner.

By: Entertainment Desk

Chennai | July 22, 2023 11:34 AM IST

3 min read

Karan Johar revealed why he didn't ask Shah Rukh Khan to do a cameo in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. (Pic: Karan/Instagram)

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Karan Johar, who made his directorial debut with the 1998 film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, is currently waiting for the release of his upcoming film, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. While promoting his latest film, Karan talked about KKHH and admitted that he got the gender politics of his debut film wrong. He also explained how he has evolved as a filmmaker over the years.

At a recent IIMUN event, Karan criticised his own debut film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and said that it “propagated wrong gender politics.” He said, “I feel like I have grown as an individual, The first film that I made, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I firmly believe that the gender politics of that film was all wrong. It is propagating incorrect gender politics, there is a lot of surfacesness in that film. Of course, there is nostalgia so you love it, but you don’t scratch the surface of the film and see that what Rahul is doing is actually not what I would want all the Rahuls in the audience, or all the boys in general, to do.”

Also read | Manish Malhotra credits Karan Johar for Alia Bhatt’s chiffon saree looks in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, opens up about their equation

Ranveer Singh, the lead actor in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, playfully interrupted Karan during the interview, and said, “Woke zamane mein nahi chalte Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (The film will not work in a woke period).”

Responding to Ranveer’s comment, Karan elaborated that the issue was not just about being “woke” but rather about the representation of characters in cinema. “No, it’s not about woke. It’s about the dynamic we show in cinema and the film is a strong representation of how it can translate to belief today. Rahul was saying all kinds of wrong things. He said, ‘Hum ek bar pyaar karte hai (We fall in love once),” but he got in love twice. He said, ‘Hum ek bar shaadi karte hai (We marry once),” he got married twice. He was contradicting himself throughout the film,” he said.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai revolved around a love triangle between Anjali (Kajol), Tina (Rani Mukerji), and Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan). The story traces their college years, where Anjali falls in love with her best friend Rahul, who, in turn, falls for Tina, a new student. After Tina’s untimely demise, their eight-year-old daughter attempts to reunite her father and Anjali.

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