KANK is an emotional rollercoaster as well, but this one strikes closely to the bone. Everyone who’s ever been in a relationship will see a tiny piece of themselves as Dev (Shah Rukh) and Rhea (Preity) bitterly row over their roles in running the house or as Rishi (Abhishek) constantly slips out of Maya’s (Rani) efforts to “discuss” the way things stand. And how do parents deal with the uncertainty of their children’s marriages? It’s all in there — even if the emotions tilt to a kind of copout when it’s curtains for KANK.
What happens when you meet your soul mate after marriage? Well, married man Dev Saran does on the day that Maya debates whether to tie the knot with good friend Rishi. It’s also the day that Dev’s dreams of a football career crumble; when his bad marriage to the career-driven Rhea starts sliding into worse.
These New Yorkers bump into each other years later at a train station that plays out as Dev’s and Maya’s recurring motif. They start out tentatively as friends and realise it’s the real deal when it’s already too late.
As the painful separations play out, Johar deftly slots different emotions and characters in their places and KANK ends with the same bittersweet note that runs through it.
So what’s most attractive in KANK’s unusual love story? It’s the personalities. Shah Rukh eagerly turns in a difficult performance as the chameleon-like Dev. Embittered, he flies off the handle, but also charms you with his unquestionable logic or wacky conversations. SRK handles a flawed character just perfectly. Maya’s obsession with tidiness clashes with the emotional clutter in her life — welcome back, Rani.
The actress plays Maya so poignant, you feel the helplessness. Preity’s Rhea is driven and strong, but her feelings are a bit iffy. Yet, Abhishek will knock you back on your heels. He’s crazy about Maya, so his pain is palpable and his confrontations, dynamite.
He’s beautifully complemented by his father Sam (Amitabh Bachchan). It’s sexy Sam, all right. Rishi’s flamboyant father has a striking, kinky sense of humour and he’s also more intuitive than the rest. Bachchan nails the character and Kirron (playing Dev’s mother) is her usual effortless self. KANK’s comedy is often naughty and that’s refreshing.
Predictably KANK is also slick technically —whether it’s in Anil Mehta’s cinematography, Farah Khan’s choreography (so fun in Rock and Roll Soniye) or Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music that actually fit in seamlessly. Dialogue writer Niranjan Iyengar does an inspired job. KANK is indulgent in its length and the black beast comic turn doesn’t sit well.
Overall though, this is Johar’s best work and shows not just his growth as a film-maker or a storyteller. No one does a relationship as well as Johar does.