25 Years On, 25 Things I Just Don’t Get About Karan Johar's 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'

'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' mein kuch bhi hota hai hum nahi samjhenge...

Who called it Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and not Kuch Bhi Hota Hai?

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It's been 25 years since Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, released. I decided to watch KJo's 1998 directorial debut again in 2023, and here are 25 moments from the film jahan kuch bhi hota hai, hum nahi samjhenge...

1. Nobody comes to say their final goodbyes to Tina (Rani Mukerji), nobody comes to offer tissues to Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan)... TBH, there's more drama when my phone battery dies!

Rahul was popular in college, now he has no friends or family. 

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...even Tina's father didn't show up for her funeral. Isn't this film directed by the same guy who told us "it's all about loving your family" a few years later?

2. Tina doesn't have "zyaada waqt" but enough to write eight letters to her daughter

Keep calm and put on a happy face.

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You may argue that she wrote the letters before she went into labour, but how did she know that it's a beti even before the beti was born?

PS: Also, doesn't Tina look too calm and pain-free for someone who's bleeding to death, literally.

3. Low-key feel bad for Anjali (Sana Saeed) who is the first to wish herself, on her birthday, while her dad and daadi sleep the night away

This 8-year-old kid looks more fresh than the models in the Liril ad.

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Anjali Jr's father takes a flight from London and a train to Shimla when she sneezes on the phone, but doesn't wake up and walk to the next room to wish her on her birthday.

Poor thing had to put ten alarms to wake up on her special day.

4. So are we being told that Anjali Jr has been READING these letters from her mom since she was one?

Bollywood taking away all the geniuses.

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 Man, her IQ must be higher than Sunny Deol's.

5. "You're a big girl" at 8 Anjali, so let me ask you to be our family's Sima Taparia

Anjali: 1, Sima Aunty: 0

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Turns out 8-year-old Anjali is a better matchmaker than Sima Taparia ever will be.

PS: My mom didn't trust me even when it came to finding the right dress for myself when I was eight.

6. Anjali (Kajol) ke bhi roop badalte hain...

All's fair for a guy's attention?

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Conversation between Anjali (Sr) and Rahul goes like...

Rahul: Ladkiyon ki tarah matt chilao

Anjali: Ae mujhe ladki matt bulao

*a few moments later*

Anjali: All I want is, to look, dress and act like Tina because Rahul ki attention ke liye kuch bhi karega...

7. Rahul jaise red flag se Ladki Bachao, ladki padhao ... but clearly education for women has never been a thing!

Not the role models we are looking for

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Tina left Oxford University in the final year and came to her dad's (Anupam Kher's) college because her dad was missing her and Anjali Sharma left college just before final-term exams because a boy wasn't interested in her.

8. Rahul's logic: Date all the girls you want, but you're 'take home to mama' type only if you can sing a "gaana woh bhi Hindi mein"

... and if she sings Om Jai Jagdish, then the relationship will head straight to the mandap.

9. Rahul says, "Pyaar dosti hai" and all hell breaks loose.

The villain - English Literature class

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"Pyaar kya hai? What is love?" Miss Briganza's (Archana Puran Singh's) one question pretty much wrecked Anjali Sr's life. Obviously, she didn't want to think of a relationship until then, and definitely not with Rahul, but now that pyaar dosti hai, she has no choice but to fall in love, right?

10: This gang performs to a well-choreographed song, 'Koi Mil Gaya' that it's hard to believe none of these guys could sing or dance till two scenes back.

koi jaadu mil gaya

11. "At least tum unn stupid ladkiyon ki tarah nahi ho jinke peeche main bhaagta hoon" Rahul tells Anjali when one such "stupid girl" is standing right there!

Feeling really sorry for Tina, tbh.

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Forget all your worries like Rahul forgot about Tina in this scene.

12: This point is just for you to read the letter you may have missed in the movie... go on, read it!

Perfect time to rewatch the film.

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Padhai mein kya rakha hai? really!? and this letter has been lying with Anjali since days, but she decided to go back home only after being rejected by a boy #boysbeforebooks

13: Anjali Sr has walked out of Rahul and Tina's life for good, and they make absolutely no effort to stop her or reach out to her...

Best Friends Forever, what's that?

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... because Tina knew that their future daughter is the only one who can solve this mission impossible of finding Anjali's contact details and getting her back into their lives.

14: 8-year-old goes on a mission to fulfil her mom's last wish

Maybe time to reflect on that expression, Rahul?

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But why is Rahul so shocked to see Anjali Jr in the same station outfit as Anjali Sr? Didn't they travel together? Oh, forgot that this Anjali is too independent, must have travelled alone #kuchbhihosaktahai.

15: Anjali Jr finds out that Anjali Sr is getting married, she prays to God and whoa, shaadi pushed!

Anjali Jr: "Yeh shaadi nahi ho sakti, mummy ne kaha tha nahi ho sakti"

*seconds later*

Babaji to Anjali's mom: "Anjali ka mangal bhaari hai, shaadi December se pehle nahi ho sakti"

... and the first call that's made in that moment is to Rifat Bi, who doesn't react or even say a word except "Hello" and hangs up immediately to give the Khannas and Malhotra the "good news"!

16. Now Anjali Sr is just the kinda client Sima Aunty would love

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"Pyaar toh maine karr liya hai, isse samjhota hi samajh lo", Anjali tells her mom when asked if she is in love with the green flag Aman or is still stuck on the red flag Rahul.

17. Having the most personal chats while a "blank call" is ON is my personal favourite WTF moment in the film

Not awkward at all!

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Aman: "Waise bhi tum ek mahine ke liye Shimla jaa rahi ho, summer camp ke liye"

Aman: "Mujhe kyun aisa lagta hai ki tum mujhse pyaar nahi karti?"

Anjali: "Kyunki nahi karti!

Aman: "Aur mujhse shaadi nahi karna chahti?"

Anjali: "Right, nahi karna chahti"

We're not making this up, this entire conversation happened while the "blank call" was on. In fact, there were moments I felt Anjali Sr was even adjusting the receiver so the caller on the other end could hear all about their relationship and plans clearly, not kidding.

18. My second favourite WTF moment comes in soon after, when Anjali Jr calls Rahul and Anjali Sr calls Aman and the "comedy of errors" that happens right after at the conference

Not a big deal

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Rahul was talking to his long-lost best friend. Anjali Sr was talking to the guy she's been madly, deeply in love with for so many years, but nope, nobody here recognises anyone's voice. Yeh kaisa pyaar... yeh kaisi dosti?!

19. And a few scenes later, when Rahul appears on 'The Neelam Show', Anjali Sr recognises his voice in one go. Wah! How convenient!

Maybe it's the "I love you, Anjali" that did it and she didn't want to listen to Rahul rant like the bad old days.

20. Anjali's daadi is allowed at a camp where no parents are. I can't even think what parents would do if something like this happened IRL.

Yeh toh 'chitting' hai!

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Almeida tells daadi, "No mummy, daddy, daadi are allowed here", and that's about it. No rules are followed. Daadi pretty much runs the show with Anjali Sr at the camp.

21. Okay, so Anjali Sr hasn't once said "I love you" to Aman in her life, this time she says those magical words with so much lust and passion, and instead of being shocked or surprised, he just very casually says, "I love you too"!

Aman makes Kabir Singh's Preeti look smarter, no kidding!

22. This camp had ONE teacher, and this ONLY teacher decides to leave suddenly because... why not?! Ma camp, ma rulez!

So, all those kids who have come to a different city because "unhe singing aur dancing ka shauk hai" are abandoned by their only teacher, while their parents are also away in a different city... because teacher can't handle her emotions and wants to run away from the situation once again.

23. Rahul travelled to Shimla with ONE duffle bag that had a new suit for each day and a casual wear for each night AND he also did not forget to pack the dupatta that Anjali Sr gave Tina "jab woh apni nayi zindagi shuru karne jaa rahi thi"

Kahaani laal dupatte ki...

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Or maybe he had the dupatta handy all day every day, in hope to return it to Anjali for when woh apni nayi zindagi shuru karne jaa rahi ho!

24. It was Anjali Sr's mangal that was bhaari, and not Aman's... how did the wedding happen then?

Two-and-a-half minutes of my life wasted!

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I mean, yes, she agrees to marry Aman and take that chance because she wasn't into it anyway... but why did she take that chance with Rahul, who she got after a lifetime of struggles? Should have pushed the wedding to December, IMHO. Now we'll never know if they lived happily ever after.

25. Tina's dad missed his daughter's funeral, but makes sure he attends his son-in-law's wedding... bohot nainsaafi hai!

Remember.... #BeTheBiggerPersonBeLikeTina

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Oh, wait... Tina was there too! #BeTheBiggerPersonBeLikeTina