Karan Johar’s classic cult film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, and Salman Khan, celebrates 26 years since its release on October 16, 2024. As the movie reaches this milestone, we look back on a moment when Kajol expressed her preference for Salman Khan’s character over Shah Rukh Khan’s in Johar’s film. She also mentioned that her version of Anjali would never wear a saree.
In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Kajol was asked about her portrayal of Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She mentioned that her version of Anjali would never wear a saree but instead would pair track pants with stylish, expensive sneakers and still make it look good.
On being asked who she would have picked between Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) and Aman (Salman Khan), Kajol said, “On script level, maybe I would have gone with Salman’s character, but in the film, if you watch the film, there is no choice about the ending; it has to be the way it is.”
Kajol’s character, Anjali, starts as a tomboy with short hair, secretly in love with her best friend Rahul, and later transforms into a sari-clad woman with long hair after eight years.
In 2019, director Karan Johar admitted that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was his most “politically incorrect” film. According to the Indian Express, he also revealed that Shabana Azmi had strongly criticized him over the phone for the same.
Speaking at the Melbourne Film Festival, Karan recounted how Shabana angrily questioned him, asking why the film portrayed a girl with short hair as unattractive and only made her pretty when her hair was long. When Karan apologized, Shabana retorted, “That’s all you have to say?” Karan replied that she was right, and he had no further defense.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, directed by Karan Johar, is a beloved romantic drama that has captivated audiences since its release on October 16, 1998. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, and Salman Khan, the film explores themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery.
