Jun 30, 2016 07:48 PM
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The film reunited popular onscreen couple Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, who had created a sensation with their previous pairing in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(1995) and later co-starred in two more of Johar’s films, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham(2001) and My Name Is Khan(2010).
Kajol’s cousin, Rani Mukerji—who was somewhat new to the industry at the time and later became a big star, often appearing opposite Shahrukh Khan—had a supporting role in KKHH, along with heavyweight Salman Khan. Johar’s directorial debut is the only film he’s helmed that’s set entirely in India.
The story involves two overlapping love triangles—first between tomboy Anjali(Kajol), big-man-on-campus Rahul(Shahrukh Khan) and the dean’s sophisticated daughter Tina(Mukerji), and then between Rahul, Anjali, and Anjali’s fiancé, Aman(Salman Khan).
Anjali and Rahul are best friends in college. They play sports together and good-naturedly give each other a hard time. Anjali teases him about all the ridiculous girls who flirt with him—she sees herself as better than them. She doesn’t realize that she loves Rahul until Tina arrives on campus from London and captures Rahul’s attention in a way the other girls at school haven’t. Tina is feminine, polished, and hard to get. Not too hard, though, for Rahul, who’s a catch himself. Knowing she can’t compete with Tina, Anjali leaves school without ever confessing her feelings to Rahul, and Rahul and Tina later marry and have a baby.
Tina dies shortly after childbirth, but not before naming her daughter Anjali—after Rahul’s long-lost friend—and leaving letters behind instructing her daughter to find her namesake and reunite her with Rahul, who will be in need of her love. Rahul is a wonderful father to the young Anjali, who grows up to become an adorable eight-year-old on a matchmaking mission. Rahul has had opportunities to marry over the years, but turned them all down. However, little Anjali refuses to fail her dead mother—even though the adult Anjali is no longer available.
The characters are searingly memorable, and Johar’s signature style is set right from the beginning with a film that swept the major awards and became a cult classic.
