10 – « Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa » of Kundan Shah (02/25/1994)

Sunil and Anna - Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)
Sunil and Anna

What a delicious movie!

To be honest, the film I’m talking about today is certainly the one that has benefited the most because the huge community of fans sharing this story in their own way with me, adding their feelings and their personal experiences.

Let me explain : this film presents Sunil (SRK), a young man immensely in love, an excellent musician but “loser” in his career in his “academic” and (unfortunately relational) life. It is moreover more bad luck than a reversal of karma. Not that Our Sunil (yes, it is ours, yours and that of each person who has ever experienced a pain or lost a battle (even war!) in his life), so Our Sunil, is a simple boy, a little liar but not mean at all. He is just a human being with his qualities (a very big heart, an immense creativity, a gift for music, a great empathy when he’s inclined to it, a sensitivity on edge,… but also very courageous) and some (not too bad) flaws (a bit of a liar as I said, by circumstances a bit of a cheater, and, if you see that as a flaw, bad in his studies).
Anna (Suchitra Krishna), THE girl, unfortunately only knows how to see this love when hers seems out of reach. Indeed, she comes from a more modest family than the boy she is in love with (they are lovebirds). This one, Chris (Deepak Tijori), from the same band of musician friends as Sunil, is a kind boy, very much in love but oblivious to what is going on in his family and his already thought-out marriage to a pretty girl of a « good family ”. This will cause him to break the heart of his beloved right in the middle of their beautiful story. By domino effect, an event with dramatic consequences for the heart of Our Sunil (I already told you, it IS and REMAINS Our Sunil).

Sunil - Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)
Our Sunil – Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)

The whole story revolves around this young man, so allow me to tell you about the (mis)adventures of our (anti-)hero !
Once upon a time (yes, it’s cute and innocent and there is even a moral at the end (and even several) so I allow myself to use all the lexical fields of the tale), a young woman returning to her village (Anna), a young man musician madly in love (Sunil) and another young man madly in love (Chris). Sunil will do his best to tell Anna that he loves her, time and time again, in different ways, but it seems she never believes him. He seems so sweet, innocent, almost childish, that she doesn’t succumb to his charm (unlike most of us). On the other hand, with Chris, it will not take long to witness his love at first sight.
After a dark story of lies mounted by Sunil in an attempt to conquer Anna, he finally redeems himself in his eyes and those of his friends of the band by saving them in a poorly-known bar. (Great time when you will enjoy (in addition to some very catchy gangster-themed music in love) Boney M’s “Rasputin” theme !)
Then comes a heartbreaking chain of broken hearts: Anna then Chris, Sunil’s father (for something else, eh! I’m not going to tell you everything! (Laughter)) and finally Sunil himself.
But I assure you, it all ends on a positive note full of hope and good feelings as it should !

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)

So what would be missing to convince you to watch it ? Nothing I hope but, just in case, let me add that:
– The characters are extremely human and deeply endearing. This is probably one of the greatest successes of the film and what still earns Shah Rukh Khan immense fervor today. Indeed, Sunil is (and will certainly remain) the favorite character of a whole generation of Indian men who identify with this kind hero, who wants to do well, but a bit of a loser (a “successful loser” as they call him) (and I am no one to identify what this says about the men of 25-35 years old who inhabit this immense and magnificent country! We are too far away to judge anything and, moreover, I let the one who never lived through defeat throw him the first stone … Nobody… ? Ok, so we can continue). On the women’s side, he certainly awakens an instinct for protection but he is also extremely caring, sensitive and cute, which is also worth their favors. Finally, for the older generations, he has a deep respect for his elders and traditions, and never hesitates to take the advice of Father Braganza (Naseeruddin Shah, already seen as a gangster ghost in Chamatkar and here again support for our hero and his savior). He will therefore know how to make himself loved by all.
The other characters are far from bland. Anna is an intelligent and kind young woman. We will also come across some big-hearted gansters (yes, this film definitely supports the theory that « Human beings are inherently good » and I 100% agree on this subject).
– The music is very catchy, the instrumentation is varied and very suitable and I must admit that the singers all have very nice voices. Of course, there is this little « problem » of repires of western music but : first of all it was common and very accepted at the time, and it fits here perfectly to the story !
– There are great moments of jubilation, great despair, a deep nostalgia and the Hope that predominates in this whole story and, for my part, that’s what I really intend to remember!

Sunil - Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)
« Deewana Dil Deewana » – Sunil



So now that I have brushed you a little different aspects of this very nice movie, I hope you give it a chance!
Believe me, you won’t be disappointed! And if it’s with the family, it’s even better!

I leave you now on this sweet musical note « Woh Toh Hai Albela, Hazaron mein akela » (He is very unique, He’s one amongst thousands) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkVVnLPBXmU

One Comment

  • One of my most favorite films! Beautiful write up! Brings back all the nostalgic memories of this wonderful and yet heartbreaking film because of the Climax

Leave a Comment

Votre adresse e-mail ne sera pas publiée.