Not just a movie, a lifetime of emotions.
Movie Review : Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
There are some movies that we watch not once, not twice, but innumerable times. Yet every time we watch it, it feels like we are watching it for the first time. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is just such a movie. I have seen this movie many times before. The dialogues are memorised, the songs are embedded deep in the heart, and the scenes come to life even when we close our eyes. Yet today, when I sat down to watch it again, my heart was filled with emotion. I don't know why, but a strange feeling was working in my heart. That's when I thought really, the phrase &'old is gold'_ didn't just happen.
Released in 2001, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is not just a superhit Bollywood movie but also the emotion of a generation. Since its release, it has become one of the most popular family movies in India and South Asia. The big star cast, family emotions, relationship tensions, and heart-touching songs, all together, the movie has made a special place in the hearts of the audience.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham popularity in Bangladesh was also noticeable. This movie has been watched repeatedly on satellite TV, DVDs, and in family gatherings. Many families watched this movie together, and from there it became a part of their memories. The movie was also very popular among South Asians living outside India and Bangladesh.
This movie is not just a story, it is a feeling. A story of family, love, pride, distance, and breaking that distance and coming back again. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham reminds us family never gets outdated. Time changes, technology changes, but the complexity of the relationship between parents and children remains the same. Even today, pride breaks relationships in many families; even today, many children go away; even today, many mothers cry silently. This movie tells us in very simple language, pride is actually very small in front of love.
At the centre of the story is the Raichand family a rich, respected and traditional family. The head of the family, Yashvardhan Raichand, is strict, disciplined and puts social status above everything. For him, the honour of the family is the last thing. On the other hand, Nandini Raichand a mother who does not talk much but says everything with the language of her eyes. Her love for her children is silent, deep and selfless.
Rahul, the eldest son of the family who, despite being an adopted child, has never lacked love. He is sensitive and responsible and wants to make decisions with his heart. And the younger son, Rohan, is lively, a little mischievous, but very emotional inside. The story revolves around these four.
The problem begins with love. Rahul falls in love with Anjali a girl from a simple family, whose smile is lively, whose heart is big, and whose values are family-centred. But this relationship is not acceptable in the eyes of Yashvardhan Raychand. Here the movie is terribly similar to our real life. Because in many families, status, society, and “what will people say” are still more important than love.
The strongest aspect of this movie is that there is no clear villain here. Yet the relationship breaks down. Only ego and the “I am right” mentality create a distance between father and son. When Rahul leaves home, he does not just leave a home, he leaves an identity, a relationship, and a place of emotion. Every time I watch these scenes, my chest feels heavy.
The character of Nandini Raichand is the soul of this movie. Jaya Bachchan's performance is so restrained and profound that there is no need to say anything separately. She understands everything, her husband's mistakes, her son's suffering, the breakdown of the family but still remains silent. Seeing this character reminds me of my own mother. How many mothers are there in our society who understand everything but don't say anything? She keeps her own pain to herself and only wants the well-being of her child.
When I see this character, I remember my own mother. How many mothers are there in our society who understand everything but don't say it? Who hides their pain and only wants the well-being of their children. At the end of the movie, when Nandini says, "You are my son, and I am your mother," this one line takes the entire movie to another level.
I noticed that today, while watching this movie, I didn't just immerse myself in the story like before, but I tried to understand the inner feelings of the characters more. Who is making mistakes and who is keeping quiet these silent places touched me more today. Here, 'family' doesn't just mean being together, but trying to understand each other and it also shows how distance is created when that effort to understand fails.
After the movie ended, I thought, why do we move away so easily? Why does pride become bigger than love? Why is the word "understand" not said at the right time? This movie didn't teach me any big lesson. It didn't even give me any advice. It just held a mirror in front of me. In that mirror, I saw some of my own habits, some mistakes, and some unspoken feelings.
Standing and watching Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham today, I felt that old does not mean old feelings. Some things deepen with time. This movie is the same. Where it used to entertain me, today it silences me. After the movie ended, one thing kept running through my mind, family does not mean being right all the time. Family means making mistakes, suffering, moving away, and trying again. This movie does not give any assurance that everything will be okay. But it does give hope—if you try, maybe something can be changed.
I know I will watch this movie again. Maybe at another time, in another state of mind. And then I will experience something new again. Because Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is not a movie for me—it is a feeling that changes with time.