Do you recall the songs Ae Kaash Ke Hum and Aana Mere Pyar Ko, featuring Suchitra Krishnamoorthi and Shah Rukh Khan? That’s from the film Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (KHKN), which completes 30 years this year. The lead actor, Krishnamoorthi, who rose to fame for her role as Anna, is overjoyed: “Wow! 30 years mein logon ka punar-janam ho jaata hai. We are still going strong. I guess it’s a miracle that it’s relevant even today.”

Released in 1994 alongside films from big banners and superstars including Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!, Mohra and Raja Babu, KHKN, starring Krishnamoorthi, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepak Tijori, stood out as an unconventional romance drama of the ’90s, thanks to director Kundan Shah. Krishnamoorthi credits Shah for turning the romance of the era, known for its exaggeration, into something real and honest. “People say KHKN is Shah Rukh’s film. I say it is Kundan’s baby,” she tells us.

Recalling her journey into the film as an inexperienced actor and a popular model at the time, Krishnamoorthi shares that she faced challenges adapting to the “hard work and discipline of a film set”. She also confesses that she had lots of arguments with Kundan Shah due to these challenges: “Oh my God! He was such a hard taskmaster, he would make me cry.” She adds, “I used to say I wanted to go home and meet my boyfriend.”

Reflecting on the enduring appeal of KHKN, a story of romance, heartbreak, unrequited love, dreams and coming-of-age, the actor goes on to highlight the mature resonance the movie holds. However, the fact that Sunil (played by SRK), the male lead, did not end up with Anna is still a major talking point, according to Krishnamoorthi, who adds she still “faces fans’ ire for choosing another guy in the film”. 

Laughing, she tells us about “getting gaalis” online, adding that some even tell her, “You don’t deserve Sunil.”