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Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai
2000 Hindi-language musical romantic thriller From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (transl. Say It... You're In Love) is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language musical romantic thriller film written, directed, and produced by Rakesh Roshan. The film marks the debut of Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel, and features a supporting cast that includes Anupam Kher, Dalip Tahil, Mohnish Bahl, Ashish Vidyarthi, Satish Shah, Farida Jalal, Asha Patel, Rajesh Tandon, and Tannaz Irani. The narrative follows Sonia and Rohit, whose blossoming romance is tragically cut short, leading Sonia to later encounter Raj, Rohit's lookalike, in New Zealand. As the story unfolds, the two work together to uncover the truth behind Rohit’s death.
The film draws thematic inspiration from the 1986 Kannada film Ratha Sapthami and integrates action, suspense, and musical elements.[2][3] Principal photography took place across India and New Zealand, with cinematography by Kabir Lal. The soundtrack was composed by Rajesh Roshan with lyrics by Ibrahim Ashk and Saawan Kumar Tak, and became one of the best-selling Bollywood soundtracks of the year.
Released theatrically on 14 January 2000, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai received generally positive reviews, with particular praise directed at Hrithik Roshan’s dual-role performance and the music. Some critics, however, criticised the screenplay for its reliance on familiar tropes. The film emerged as a major commercial success, grossing over ₹800 million (US$17.8 million) worldwide, and ranked as the second highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.
The film earned widespread recognition at award ceremonies, winning 92 awards across various platforms—a record acknowledged by the Guinness World Records in 2002 and the Limca Book of Records.[4][5][6][7] At the 46th Filmfare Awards, it won eight awards, including Best Film, Best Director (Rakesh Roshan), Best Actor and Best Male Debut (Hrithik Roshan)—the latter becoming the only actor to win both categories for the same film. The success of the film catapulted Hrithik Roshan to instant stardom, with the media terming his debut phenomenon as "Hrithik Mania".[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai was re-released on 10 January 2025 to commemorate the film's twenty-fifth anniversary, coinciding with Hrithik Roshan's 51st birthday and celebrating the enduring legacy of the film and its lead actors.[15][16][17][18]
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Plot
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Rohit, a struggling singer employed at a car showroom, lives with his younger brother Amit and their foster parents, Lily and Anthony. He meets Sonia, the daughter of wealthy industrialist Mr. Saxena, and the two fall in love. During a cruise organized by Sonia’s friend Atul, tensions arise when Sonia becomes jealous of the attention Rohit receives from other women. After a quarrel, Rohit and Sonia accidentally drift away in a lifeboat and become stranded on an isolated island. Their time in isolation deepens their bond, and they fall in love.
Upon returning, Saxena disapproves of their relationship due to Rohit's modest background and has him fired. Determined to prove himself, Rohit records a song with help from Atul and other friends in an effort to launch his music career. However, on the night of his debut concert, Rohit witnesses the murder of a police commissioner by his former boss, Shakti Malik, and two corrupt officers. While fleeing, he is pursued and ultimately killed when his motorcycle is sabotaged, causing him to drown. His body is never recovered.
Devastated, Sonia is sent to New Zealand to live with her uncle. There, she meets Raj, a cheerful young man who bears an uncanny resemblance to Rohit. Although Sonia initially believes Raj could be Rohit, she learns he is a different person raised in New Zealand. While Raj falls in love with Sonia, she struggles to move on from her grief. When she eventually returns to India, Raj follows her and is mistakenly shot by one of Rohit's murderers, who believes him to be Rohit. Surviving the attack, Raj grows suspicious of the circumstances surrounding Rohit's death.
Together with Sonia and Rohit’s friend Tony, Raj begins investigating. Amit, traumatized into silence after witnessing the murder, eventually speaks and reveals that Malik ordered the killing under instructions from an unseen figure referred to as "Sirjee." To expose the culprits, Raj impersonates Rohit during a staged concert, provoking panic among those involved. During the event, Sonia learns of her father’s complicity, while Raj is nearly shot again.
After Sonia is kidnapped, Raj rescues her and confronts the killers. Malik admits to murdering Rohit but is killed by Saxena before he can reveal more. Evidence retrieved from Malik’s phone ultimately implicates Saxena as the mastermind behind the drug cartel and the murders. He is arrested and confesses to his crimes.
In the aftermath, Raj returns to New Zealand with Amit. Sonia, having found closure and fallen in love with Raj, accepts his proposal, and their engagement is celebrated by their loved ones.
Cast
- Hrithik Roshan in dual roles as:
- Rohit Kumar: Amit's brother and Sonia's love-interest who is murdered in a bike accident after witnessing Commissioner's murder
- Raj Chopra: Rohit's look-alike; Amit's adoptive brother and Sonia’s fiancé who avenges Rohit's culprits after facing attacks from them for him being assumed Rohit
- Ameesha Patel as Sonia Saxena: Rohit's love-interest and Raj's fiancée (voice dubbed by Mona Ghosh Shetty)[19]
- Anupam Kher as Mr. Saxena / Sirjee: Sonia's father who ordered Shakti to kill Rohit
- Dalip Tahil as Shakti Malik: Atul's father, Mr. Saxena's friend; Rohit's former boss and one of his and Commissioner's murderer
- Mohnish Behl as Inspector Dilip Kadam: A corrupt officer in Mr. Saxena's payroll and one of Commissioner and Rohit's murderer
- Ashish Vidyarthi as Inspector Satish Shinde: A corrupt officer in Mr. Saxena's payroll and one of Commissioner and Rohit's murderer
- Satish Shah as Anthony Rodriques: Rohit and Amit's landlord; Lily's husband
- Farida Jalal as Lily Rodriques/Aunty: Rohit and Amit's landlady; Anthony's wife
- Rajesh Tandon as Atul Malik: Shakti's son and Sonia's best-friend and Rohit's friend who helps Raj re-organise to catch Rohit's murderer
- Asha Patel as Neha Chopra: Raj's mother
- Tannaz Irani as Neeta Saxena: Sonia's cousin and Raj's best-friend
- Vrajesh Hirjee as Tony Bahl: Rohit's best-friend
- Abhishek Sharma as Amit Kumar: Rohit's younger brother and murder witness and Raj's adoptive brother
- Parzan Dastur as Mischievous Boy on Plane
- Johnny Lever as Inspector Parab Sharma
- Ram Mohan as Commissioner Verma: His murder was witnessed by Rohit leading to his own murder
- Payal Malhotra as Shobha Malvade: A girl on cruise attracted towards Rohit
- Dimple Inamdar as Dancer
- Jasveer Kaur as Dancer
Production
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Development
When Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai was initially conceptualized, director Rakesh Roshan considered casting Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. However, Hrithik Roshan reportedly objected to his father’s repeated collaborations with established actors and encouraged him to cast a newcomer instead. Rakesh Roshan ultimately chose to cast Hrithik, marking his son’s acting debut.[20]
Casting
The film was officially launched in 1998 with Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor as the leads. Kapoor withdrew from the project shortly after the launch, reportedly due to a misunderstanding between her mother, Babita, and Rakesh Roshan.[21] The role was subsequently offered to Ameesha Patel, who was cast within three days, owing in part to the Roshan family's longstanding acquaintance with Patel’s family.[22]
Filming
The cruise scenes were filmed aboard the luxury vessel Star Flyer.[23] The island sequences were shot in Krabi, Thailand, near the well-known Khao Phing Kan (commonly referred to as James Bond Island).[24] Portions of the song "Na Tum Jano Na Hum" and additional scenes were filmed across locations in New Zealand, particularly Christchurch and Queenstown.[25]
On-set accidents
Hrithik Roshan revealed in a 2001 interview that he nearly drowned while filming the sequence depicting Rohit's death. The scene required him to remain submerged forty-five feet underwater for over three hours without breathing apparatus.[26] In a 2025 interview marking the film’s 25th anniversary and its theatrical re-release, co-star Ameesha Patel echoed the incident, stating that Roshan risked his life during the shoot due to the extended time underwater without oxygen support.[27] She further revealed that Roshan sustained a serious back injury while filming the climax sequence as Raj. During a stunt involving a leap, he fell and was hospitalized at around 3:00 a.m. The injury required complete bed rest and rehabilitation, resulting in a six-month delay in the film’s final schedule.[28]
Reception
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Box-office
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai emerged as a major commercial success and emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2000.[29] It opened to packed theaters across India and quickly developed strong word-of-mouth, particularly due to Hrithik Roshan's rising popularity, dubbed "Hrithik Mania" in the media. The film completed over 100 days in multiple centers and was declared a "blockbuster" by Box Office India.
Domestically, the film grossed approximately ₹620 million (US$13.8 million in 2000), with an additional ₹180 million (US$4 million) from overseas markets, bringing its worldwide total to around ₹800 million (US$17.8 million).[7][8] At the time of its release, it ranked among the top ten highest-grossing Hindi films in Indian box office history.
According to Box Office India, when adjusted for inflation, the film remained one of the top performers of the decade. As of 2011, it ranked as the 11th highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time (adjusted for inflation),[30] and the sixth highest-grossing film of the 2000s in India.[31]
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Critical reception
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise directed at Hrithik Roshan’s debut performance, the film's music, and its production values. However, some reviewers noted that the storyline followed conventional tropes and lacked originality.
Filmfare rated the film 3.5 out of 5 and remarked, "Rakesh Roshan has come up with a winner. A racy script, excellent product values and taut editing result in a storyline that keeps the audience hooked throughout. The music is also good, especially the title song and numbers such as 'Ek Pal Ka Jeena' and 'Chand Sitaare'. Hrithik is very good in the action and dance sequences, and proves his acting calibre in his very first film. Ameesha Patel too performs well."[32]
Sabiha Kalolwala of The Indian Express praised the film's broad entertainment appeal, writing, "Rakesh Roshan has been smart enough to make a film which encompasses all the facets of acting—drama, action, romance, thrill, comedy and tragedy, all of them enacted pretty well by Hrithik Roshan." On the soundtrack, she noted, "There is not even one song which is not enjoyable."[33]
Anupama Chopra of India Today described the film as a high-gloss entertainer, stating, "Rakesh has taken the routine love-story, added a thriller twist and narrated it with style. KNPH isn't about path-breaking craft, it's about blockbuster presentation. Rakesh's sweat and money are apparent in every frame." However, she criticized the antagonist subplot, writing, "What doesn't work is the tired villain track... The plot is as stale as the performances."[34]
Kanchana Suggu of Rediff.com called the film a "great entertainer" and praised Hrithik Roshan’s performance in dual roles: "The ease and style with which he dances, emotes, fights, makes one forget this is his debut film. He's had to essay two different characters, and he's done justice to both." She further complimented the cinematography, music, and direction.[35]
Several reviewers and media outlets noted that the plot twist—where the male lead dies midway through the film and the female lead later encounters a lookalike abroad—was inspired by the 1986 Kannada film Ratha Sapthami.[36][37]
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was composed by Rajesh Roshan, with lyrics written by Ibrahim Ashk, Saawan Kumar Tak, and Vijay Akela. The album features playback vocals by Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Lucky Ali, Kumar Sanu, Babul Supriyo, and Asha Bhosle. In the film, different singers were used to represent the two male characters: Narayan and Sanu primarily lent their voices to the character of Rohit in the first half, while Ali and Supriyo provided vocals for Raj in the second half. The dance sequences were choreographed by Farah Khan.
Two of the songs from the film, "Chand Sitare" and "Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara," were noted for their musical similarities to the track "Voices" by Greek composer Vangelis. The instrumental motif from "Voices" is particularly evident throughout "Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara."[38][39]
The soundtrack achieved massive commercial success, with estimates suggesting it sold between 8.5 and 10 million units. It was one of the best-selling Bollywood soundtracks of the 2000s and contributed significantly to the film’s popularity.[40]
Accolades
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In popular culture
The 2002 Hindi-language romantic film Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, starring Hrithik Roshan, Esha Deol, and Saif Ali Khan, derived its title from the song "Na Tum Jano Na Hum" featured in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai.
The choreography of the song "Ek Pal Ka Jeena" became particularly notable for its signature hook-step, which went on to become closely associated with Hrithik Roshan and is often cited as one of his defining dance moves.[56][57] The hook-step from the film's title track "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai" also gained popularity and became a recognizable routine in Bollywood dance culture. Additionally, Roshan’s performance in "Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara" further cemented his reputation as one of the most accomplished dancers in the Hindi film industry. Over time, several songs from the film have attained cult status and continue to be remembered as iconic tracks in Hindi cinema.[58][59]
See also
Notes
- Tied with Abhishek Bachchan for Refugee
References
External links
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