20 Years of Kal Ho Naa Ho: Love, Loss and Lessons from the lead cast

There are rom-coms and then there’s a cult-favourite like Kal Ho Naa Ho, directed by Nikkhil Advani and written by Karan Johar and Niranjan Iyengar. It’s been 20 years today since we made “Har pal yahan, jee bhar jiyo. Jo hai sama kal ho naa ho” the biggest truth of our lives. You’ve got one life, live every moment like it’s your last.

20 long years since the sheer joy of laughing at Shah Rukh Khan a.k.a Aman Mathur’s epic comic timing, Saif Ali Khan a.k.a Rohit Patel being his adorable self and Preity Zinta a.k.a Naina Catherine Kapur’s dimples that are still as fresh as ever in any Bollywood buff’s memory like it was yesterday. Who could forget Kantaben, never has a supporting role made such a huge impact that people still recall so fondly. Some of the most hilarious scenes are between Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khand and Sulabha Arya who essayed the memorable role.

The simplicity with which this rom-com won our hearts and continues to do so is unparalleled. They take you into a world of magical storytelling and Kal Ho Naa Ho has every layer packed with perfection. The lead cast had unique characters, each of them flawed and a tale of their own that brought in a confluence of several characters and their stories to tell. As the film is being celebrated for a milestone today, here’s deep diving into what each of the three main characters taught us and left us with a baggage full of memories that make us rewatch this film again and again.

Shah Rukh Khan a.k.a Aman Mathur

Aman Mathur – the ideal man with all the qualities. That Shah Rukh Khan’s off-screen charm is well-known to all goes without saying. But to date, his role as Aman from this film has served as an example of pitches like – “The kind of man we wish to have as a partner.” Aman’s love for Naina was true and pure, so much so that he wanted to leave back love behind for her even if he was not there. For a girl like Naina who would overthink too much, and feel too much, Aman would balance it out with his steadfast positivity towards life and taking challenges head-on. Before a loving partner, he was a good friend who put his friendship first. He was the perfect companion for Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) who in certain ways was a victim of unrequited love on some levels, had a friend who made him win over the love of his life. 

Aman taught us how some things are just out of your hands, and when times like that knock at your doorstep, you’ve got to do what’s right even if it’s not fair. The iconic scene where Aman unknowingly confesses his love for Naina to his mother still brings tears to our eyes for the helplessness is palpable. Who can forget the diary scene where Aman’s monologue is replete with the feelings his heart can’t contain for Naina? It’s true. No one does romance like Shah Rukh Khan. As a dying man, he makes that last promise to Rohit that in his next life, Naina will be his, and with that, he has won us over once again. 

Love never dies, Aman taught Naina how to smile again, he made Rohit be with his love forever, a friendship like that is one for the ages.

Preity Zinta a.k.a Naina Catherine Kapur

Naina Catherine Kapur, first shot and you see a bitter, forever irritable person, going through life as mechanically as ever. Her house has her mother and grandmother constantly fighting. Her father being her role model is written out to be someone who committed suicide. Naina’s pain and search for peace, stability and self-acceptance couldn’t have been more relatable. But like most people, she had that one solid friend in Rohit (Saif Ali Khan). Life didn’t stop after the many tragedies she faced, just like it doesn’t off camera. But they say love changes people, and Naina’s character growth and transition has its most beautiful moments when Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) comes into her life. 

She learns to smile and laugh unapologetically again, flowers look prettier, the sun shines brighter and she’s in complete sync with her inner being. Naina’s character was the epitome of how love conquers all. She’s the narrator of the entire story, it’s the ending where she tells Gia (her sister) how Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) taught her to live life again that has our heart. The bittersweet moment where her true love remains unfulfilled but she finds the partner of a lifetime in her best friend Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) is an everyday story for most of us common folks.

Saif Ali Khan a.k.a Rohit PatelThe best friend one could ask for. Saif Ali Khan as Rohit was like your 3 AM friend. He was there, pulling your leg, irritating you, dragging you to nonsensical things like a salsa dance class for your parent’s anniversary. But he had his moments when he went on a date gone wrong with an aged lady and made sure to make it special, that is where you see the goodness in his heart reflect. His slow and steady transformation into being a flirt but then falling head over heels in love with his only friend Naina, is heartwarming.