It's 2021 and a two-hours film today may seem like a stretch, but hit play on Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and you will probably find friends or family members joining you. Not just that, you will even recite dialogues or know Kajol's punchlines at the back of your hand. This is what Karan Johar served back in 2001 to a generation that saw a modern, grand, and stylish take on family. Yet, at the heart of it, K3G, as it's fondly called, was a solid love saga about relationships and family.
Today, as Karan Johar's film clocks 20 years, we take a look at how even after all these years this iconic film has stayed relevant and often finds itself in pop culture.
If you are a fan of K3G, you already know what this means. For those who don't, PHAT = Pretty hot and tempting. When Kareena Kapoor as Poo proclaimed she was PHAT, we just had to believe her. From Chandni Chowk to London. Poo's character arc in the films is one of the most remarkable ones but even more that are her dialogues such as, "How dare you? Tumhara koi haq nahi banta ki tum itni khoobsurat lago. Not fair." Hallelujah!
While Poo was all things classy and snazzy, Pooja (her younger version) was a brat. One of her most memorable scenes was the tongue twister that she dished out to Ladoo Raichand aka junior Rohan when he ends up in Chandni Chowk. "Chandu ke chacha ne chandu ke chachi ko..." can you complete it? Even today, the tongue twister finds a place on pop quiz.
SRK played the suave, funny and sometimes strict older brother Rahul Raichand. Though each actor got their own space to shine, SRK's introduction scene was like no other. In true filmy style, Karan Johar upped the ante as he arrived in a chopper and ran towards his mum as the wind blew strong. All things drama, SRK lived up to the hype as he flaunted his dimples. The entire scene found a whole new meaning when memes flooded this year as SRK's son Aryan Khan returned home.
One of the most funny onscreen pairing was that of Kajol and Daijaan (played by Farida Jalal). One scene that seems to be a rage on Internet is the duo imitating the Brits during morning breakfast. Lakhs of netizens have recreated this scene in full length videos to short reels. Fom professing their love for India every chance they got to hilariously cracking jokes, Kajol and Daijaan were truly one of a kind.
While a large part of K3G was traditional and rooted in family values, Karan Johar did not hold back from branching out into the modern. From Hrithik and Kareena's character transformations to its refreshing music and dialogues, K3G and its characters were way ahead of its time. It starred Jaya Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Hrithik Roshan as part of the lead ensemble cast.
Today, not just Poo's dialogues, but several scenes have seeped into pop culture that have successfully made an everlasting impression. We hope this gem remains untouched in the years to come.