KANK......

Normally I tend to stay away; in my head and otherwise from being a movie critic. There are dedicated people out there and they are pretty good at it.

We saw Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna... , an Indian movie a couple weeks ago in Chicago. Long A$$ movie, especially when you plan to see three movies in a row (yeah!! we did that, 9+ hours in the theatre :-) The theme is sublime, but the plot sucked and big time, direction was even worse.

Johar-movies are bigger than life and I normally enjoy them for the very reason. However this one was traumatic. After staying in NY for almost 4 years the awe for Brooklyn Bridge or Grand Central station shots was weak enough to shadow the attrocitiously scripted story line. Although it's always a Chicken-egg thing when it comes to "whether movies are based on current societal trends or does society adapts and adopts by watching the newer movies"

I have always enjoyed Khalid Mohamed's views on Hindi movies; however this time I could not disagree more.

"It's mature, bold and dares to say it loud and clear that a man and woman - both trapped in loveless marriages - have the option to start all over again. Or at least try to," film critic Khalid Mohamed wrote in a newspaper.

Sorry Khalid, if it is not anything, it's NOT mature. A dad leaving a kid, mom and a pretty sane wife just because he one fine day finds someone who is introvert and has more time to listen to his (Shah-Rukh's) non-sense does not seem mature to me. You break marriage vows and sleep with another woman when caught in emotional distress is not bold, it's cowardly, shows the loser in you. Loveless marriage does not give anyone moral or social right to backstab one relation to make other work. People have accepted certain rules to live amicably in a society and those could not be neglected or disapproved at any cost. Most battles are won where there is discipline and troops follow the orders at the expense of their lives. Sometimes these orders may be incorrect but that does not give soldiers right to change it as they want. No war could ever be won where this attitude persists. Military knows it best and hence there are rules like "Court-Martial".

No marriage is perfect, it cannot be, it is meant not to be. No relationship is perfect, forget a man and a woman relation, take case of two-brothers or two-sisters or a mom and a daughter or father and son, two close friends. You need to learn to make adjusments and make things work, if those people mean anything to you. Indian culture places importance on tolerance and hence comparitively more marriages work. No marriage or relation would ever work when "accepting other option" is always at the back of mind.

What annoyed me the most was the wrong message that movie established and rather successfully. It signals that adjustments in a relationship could be avoided and it;s OK to pursue other relations at whim. I agree, in extreme cases, other alternatives must be sought after and there is no need to continue in a marriage, if it is a total misfit. But genuine attempts must be made to make things work before breaking a relationship or else pretty soon there will be a societal chaos. The movie mocks at the term "commitment"; ethics and moral obligations fail with the failure of commitment. If Rani was "so obliged" to marry a pretty Ok, loving and successful Abhishek, then why not stick to it. After dating for 3+ years, she suddenly hates her marriage. Ok agreed, that Abhishek was not what she was looking for and she finds ShahRukh after 4/5 yrs into marriage. Extending this, may be after spending 3/4 yrs with ShahRukh, she finds some other guy who understands her better, now she would "ditch" ShahRukh for him? If no, then is she adjusting herself with the current relation? If so, why would you not do on the first place?

ShahRukh's character is a bigger villian. He messes up 4 other lives (and kills beloved sexy Sam :) to pursue another relation. A father who could ditch his Mom and son, and so easily his wife, would he not conveniently ditch Rani sometime later in his life, when he meets accidently some other hot chic sitting in a bridal dress who has more sob stories and time for him? Holy crap dude, the story line is messed up.

I think this movie is an unsuccessful (an understatement) attempt to mimic "Silsila", while the latter is so convincing and delicately handled the former is a torture. Again, like I said in the beginning, I really respect the concept, that love is primary and relations are next, but the movie portrayed it otherwise, The true message got lost somewhere in the juggling of relations,

Karan Johar - what did you have in mind?

-Pankya