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30 years of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa! Shah Rukh Khan and the eternal charm of unrequited love

As Kundan Shah's beautiful Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa completes 30 years of its release, here's a look back at the film, which shows a redefinition of love, loss, and longing in cinema.

Aishwarya Vasudevan

Feb 25, 2024

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa

Unrequited love stories are one of my favourite genres, and it's so much so that my first tattoo, "always," is related to it. Severus Snape's one-word response to Professor Dumbledore's question, "After all this time?" left me speechless. This hinted at Snape's love for Lily even after her death, which he showed to protect Harry Potter throughout his life.

Shah Rukh Khan: The architect of one-sided love in cinema

But if you ask me where it began, well, the template was set by none other than Shah Rukh Khan more than 30 years ago. The superstar began his career as an anti-hero in movies, which showed him as an obsessive lover, which was the result of "ek tarfa pyaar" and well, he got no love back even after the end credits rolled. However, today, after three decades of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, SRK played a very sweet and naive Sunil, who was exactly opposite from the roles he played in Anjaam, Darr, and Baazigar, but still doesn't get the girl.

On the 30th anniversary of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa I recall SRK infusing charisma and nuance into the role of a romantic entangled in the bittersweet journey of unrequited love. Kundan Shah's film is a watershed moment in Indian cinema because it depicts the nuanced nature of love without sugarcoating it, and it also showcases the superstar's acting chops. One of the most genuine and moving performances in Bollywood romances was Khan's portrayal of Sunil, a charming young musician who is innocent and adores Suchitra Krishnamoorthi's Anna.

ALSO READ: Deepak Tijori on initially rejecting Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa: Didn't give in because Shah Rukh Khan was the hero in the film

Sunil: A relatable and realistic protagonist in the world of unrequited love

Sunil and his mouth organ were painful because they revealed the true meaning of "toote huye dil se hi sangeet nikalta hai." That character echoes relatability that is accessible, imperfect, and remarkably real, in contrast to the colossal heroes that Bollywood is famed for. Acceptance of loss, the beauty of unfulfilled dreams, and the painful yet vital process of moving on are the themes of his journey, rather than the triumph of love. Everyone who has ever loved and lost can relate to Sunil because of Khan's contagious charisma, humorous timing, and ability to portray profound sadness through a simple change of expression.

Acting as the underdog is what makes Shah Rukh Khan's performance in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa stand out. Sunil must overcome not only the girl he loves but also his own fears, social pressures, and weaknesses in a storyline typical of Bollywood's praise for underdog tales. His devotion to Anna is unselfish and passionate, and it is this love that motivates Sunil even in his lowest hours. It is a credit to SRK's acting chops that he can make the viewer care about Sunil even when he makes a lot of blunders.

Mistakes do have consequences, and everything comes down to the film's climax. Shah proved that if karma is real, it happens in this life, whether it's good or bad. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa stands out among the many films about unrequited love because it refuses to sugarcoat the anguish. Rather, it portrays it as an inevitable component of life's path, an experience that moulds the character. Rather than romanticising or idealising unrequited love, Shah Rukh presents it as it really is: painful but innocent, occasionally self-centred but generally altruistic. Sunil and all others who have loved and been unloved find hope in the film's conclusion. Thanks to the superstar's incredible performance, the film becomes a classic with its complex portrayal of unrequited love.

The legacy of Sunil: An underrated gem in SRK's career

Whenever people talk about SRK's unforgettable film career, they keep on mentioning his portrayal of Sunil as an underrated gem. Well, some characters do age well, and the rating tends to get better. It's been more than six years since Kundan Shah passed away. However, nobody ever stops thanking him for bringing Sunil into the big picture through SRK, and nobody could have done it better. Shah Rukh Khan, the best actor that he is, screamed, leaving no white noise, capturing the essence of the iconic character with each passing decade. Every time I watch it, my admiration for Sunil and the superstar's portrayal grows stronger. He demonstrated that the hero's ability to win the audience over is contingent upon more than just a happy ending.

It's alright to be flawed, to fall short, and to keep trying! In a world where heroes in cinema frequently contradict reality, SRK in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa brings us closer to the truth of human passion. It becomes abundantly evident that King Khan, unlike anybody else, brought unforgettable charm to the role of the endearing misfit in an unrequited love story.

ALSO READ: Suchitra Krishnamoorthi on working with late Kundan Shah in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa: He understood me well to bring out a real and vulnerable facet of me

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