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By IndiaFM News Bureau
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.
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