Kamal Ghorui
‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’, widely known as KANK, is a 2006 Hindi-language musical romantic drama written and directed by Karan Johar. The screenplay was co-written by Shibani Bathija and Niranjan Iyengar.The ensemble cast included Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, and Kirron Kher.The film was set largely in New York City and explored emotional and relational complexities within modern marriages. It was promoted with the tagline, “A Love… That Broke All Relationships.”Karan Johar has now confirmed that the film is being developed into a long-form web series.
Karan Johar shares 2 UPDATES
The filmmaker is expanding the story into an episodic format for a digital platform. In a conversation with The Week, Johar spoke about the film’s reception and the reactions it triggered.He said, “We’re actually adapting it into a long-form series. The root of that film, it was, of course, released in 2006 to very polarised responses. I had many people come up to me and ask me whether I was unwell after that film, because they said, ‘How can you endorse infidelity?’ And I was like, ‘How can you endorse something that’s already so sold out’?”
He also recalled a theatre moment that stayed with him.
“I still remember when I was watching the film with an audience a day prior to its release. There was a very traditional couple watching the film, and there’s a moment where Shah Rukh and Rani check into a hotel room. The lady, she had come with her husband, turned dramatically to him, and he very calmly said, ‘It’s a dream sequence.’ After five minutes, they realised it was not a dream sequence, and then they got up and left. And then I realised that we are in such a polarised audience space, that people judge what happens in their homes, they forget it, they brush it under the carpet, but they don’t want to watch it on celluloid, even though it’s probably a reality in their own home.”He further added about the series, “So we’re doing a series, a long-form show for a platform, which I’m not able to give you too many details about right now, but it will be out soon.”Karan Johar also confirmed the return of his talk show in the same interaction. When asked, he said, “This year, Diwali, season 9.”
When Karan Johar reimagined ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’
Earlier in 2025, during a chat with Sania Mirza on Myntra’s Glam Stream, Karan Johar spoke about modern casting ideas for his iconic film ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’.He said Alia Bhatt would play Anjali, Ranveer Singh would be Rahul, and Ananya Panday would play Tina. He also suggested Janhvi Kapoor or Sara Ali Khan as possible alternatives, referring to them as part of the younger generation of actors.
About ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’
‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ is considered one of Johar’s most experimental mainstream films. It directly addressed infidelity and emotional dissatisfaction within relationships.Despite its strong cast led by Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Rani Mukerji, the film received mixed responses upon release. Over time, however, it has gained recognition as a layered narrative.
