'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' Nostalgia: Reliving the Classic, 21 Years On

-Inside NE Desk

The quintessental Bollywood rom-com 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' is celebrating its 21st anniversary today. The Karan Johar directorial remains etched in memory as truly one of the genre-defining movies in Indian cinema and catapulted its star, as well as director, to superstardom in the industry.

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Despite being released more than two decades ago, the film's appeal has been able to transcend generations and it has been able to find newer audiences, thanks to an incredible and enduring run on television screens.

The film, which was way ahead of its times, shall always be remembered for its heady mix of hum-along classic songs, exhilarating and fast-paced storytelling, and for striking a perfect balance between comedy, romance, and melodrama. That, and the chemistry between the leads, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukherjee, ensured that the film would continue to run in the theaters for many weeks, and would eventually find another home on television screens.

[caption id="attachment_42979" align="alignnone" width="660"] 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' often draws comparisons to Archie Comics (pictured above)[/caption]

Although critics pointed out that it borrowed many elements from the beloved 'Archie' comics, desi movie fans truly did not care, as the dynamic and slick production values of the film had seldom been seen before in a film coming out of Bollywood.

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After the release of James Cameron's 'Titanic', 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' was the biggest event-film to be released in India, and many vow to have watched it multiple times during its incredible cinematic run.

As one generation rekindles nostalgia, another is still discovering the love, faith, loss, and hope depicted in the film. And if it endures on television screens (there is every indication that it will), more generations are bound to fall in love with this new-age Bollywood classic.

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