Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai – A Movie, A Journey, A Memory
Netflix recently dropped a documentary called The Roshans, and if there’s one thing Netflix nails, it’s their documentaries on famous personalities. They have this magical way of making stories feel alive. Naturally, a documentary about the Roshan family wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai.
As soon as they brought it up, my mind drifted back to when I first watched the movie. The film itself was brilliant, but the experience? Oh, that’s another story altogether. If I’m writing about it today, it’s because that memory is unforgettable chaotic, hilarious, and heartwarming all at once.
Special shoutout to Nishant here you know this one was not coming. The documentary also played Rahe Naa Rahe Hum and I remembered you, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and composed by Roshan. It struck a chord every time, taking me straight back to the Chitrahaar days on Doordarshan. That programme was a family favourite, and I still adore that song.
Now, before I swim into memories, let me clarify this story dates back to the 2000s. So don’t tell me you were in nursery or just born back then. Let’s just enjoy the nostalgia, shall we?
The Master Plan
Back in 2000, I was living in Bhadrapur with one of my closest friends, who was my schoolmate, college buddy, and roommate all in one. One day, we heard about this movie, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, playing in Damak. The problem? Bhadrapur’s two theatres weren’t showing it. My friend suggested, “Let’s go to Damak” And me? Always up for an adventure, I said, “Okay”
Damak was 50 kilometres away a two hour bus ride back then. We planned everything like pros: leave at 9 AM, reach Damak by 11, catch the first show at 12 PM, finish by 3, and be back home by 6 PM. Foolproof, right? Even if something comes up we had buffer time as well.
The Journey Begins
We left Bhadrapur on time and reached Birtamode, where we had to switch buses because there were no direct routes to Damak. That’s where the cracks in our master plan started to show. The bus to Damak crawled along at a snail’s pace, and by the time we reached Damak, it was 12:30 PM.
We rushed to Damak Chalchitra Mandir, only to find the movie had already started. Back then, there were no endless commercials or trailers before the main show and mind you, we now pay to watch ad in theaters and pay to OTT/YouTube not to watch ads. Bottomline, if you were late, you missed the movie.
Not ready to give up, we headed to Nilakantha Chalchitra Mandir. But they were playing Pukaar, and as much as I adore Madhuri Dixit, our budget couldn’t handle a second trip to the theatre. Plus, we were here for Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai
Three Hours of Nothingness
With three hours to kill and no money to splurge on snacks, we roam around Damak, trying to pass the time. I don’t even remember how we managed those hours it was a mix of boredom, hunger, and sheer determination.
Finally, the moment arrived. We got our tickets and settled in. To be honest, we didn’t know much about the cast or crew back then. But by the interval, we were so hooked that we thought, “Even if they asked for more money, we’d gladly pay” Hrithik Roshan’s debut, the songs, the romance it was all magic.
By the time the movie ended, it was 6:30 PM, later than we had planned. But we didn’t care. The movie was worth every second, every rupee, and every ounce of effort we had put into getting there.
The Midnight Walk
Here’s where things got interesting. We got the bus to Birtamode first that was an easy part. It was around 8 PM when we arrived at Birtamode but after that, there was no sign of the vehicle, and we were stranded in Birtamode. The last bus to Bhadrapur had already left by the time we were on the way to Birthdamode on a Bus, I guess The only option? Walk. Seventeen kilometres. On an empty stomach.
Luckily, we weren’t alone. A few middle aged men were also heading to Bhadrapur, and we decided to join them. The walk was long and exhausting, but their stories and jokes kept us going. Four hours later, we finally reached home. It was midnight, and we were absolutely drained. But in our hearts, we knew it had all been worth it. Cooking in the midnight is no fun I must tell you, that too after 4hrs of the brutal walk.
After couple of weeks later, I ended up watching Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai in Birtamode too, and then again multiple times in Bhadrapur. There was even a time when I had no money for the tickets and had to ask a housemate for help. He agreed to lend me the money, but with a condition that still makes me laugh. He told me he’d give me the money, but only if I took him to the movie as well where I would then pay him back for the ticket later. It was a funny, yet memorable, chapter of my love for the film
Looking back, it’s hard to believe we were that crazy about movies. A single word, “Let’s go,” was enough to set us on a 50-kilometre journey with no guarantees, no backup plans, and definitely no luxuries. It wasn’t just about the movie; it was about the adventure, the thrill, and the sheer love for cinema that made us go to such lengths.
Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai wasn’t just a movie for me. It was an experience, a story, a memory I’ll treasure forever.
What about you? Have you ever done something crazy for a movie? I’d love to hear your stories.
It was an absolute masterpiece to read your blog! The way you shared your struggle to watch the movie was so engaging, and your writing made it easy to feel your emotions. You captured the journey beautifully, and the ending really showed how worth it the experience was. Great job!
If Netfilx would have access to this story, they would definitely have included this one in the documentary. Anyway, today I’m the lucky one here “You included me in your story, for me it’s like being in a movie.“ thank you so much 😊
Wow what an amazing write up. I can seriously say this is so nostalgic. I remember those mornings when Zee cinema chartbusters was always topped by Kehtaaa hai man aapna Milan duniyaa me yaad garrr haii…. Kaho na payer haii…. A beautiful song with amazing visuals.