2003 · Film
Kal Ho Naa Ho
Nikhil Advani's New York-set romantic drama in which a cheerful new neighbour, played by Shah Rukh Khan, changes the life of a serious MBA student and her troubled family.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Kal Ho Naa Ho is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
The story
Naina Catherine Kapur is a serious, unhappy MBA student in New York who lives with her widowed mother Jennifer, her grandmother Lajjo, her brother and her adopted sister. The family's café is failing, and old grief and quarrels hang over the house. Her closest friend is her classmate Rohit. Then Aman Mathur moves in next door. His high spirits slowly win over Naina's family, he starts helping them solve their problems, and he urges Naina to enjoy life. As she falls for him, Aman seems strangely determined to keep his distance.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A big Dharma-style romance with songs, comedy and family drama, set among Indians in New York. It runs over three hours and has a sad, tear-jerking turn, so it is best for teens and adults who want an emotional watch.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Kal Ho Naa Ho was Nikhil Advani's first film as director. Karan Johar wrote the story and screenplay, Niranjan Iyengar wrote the dialogue, and Yash Johar produced it under Dharma Productions. It was the last film Yash Johar produced before his death in June 2004. It was shot in Toronto, New York City and Mumbai, and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy composed the songs, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.
The film opened on 28 November 2003. Box Office India estimated its worldwide gross at ₹86.09 crore, the highest for an Indian film that year, and it did especially well overseas. At the 51st National Film Awards it won Best Music Direction and Best Male Playback Singer (Sonu Nigam). It won eight of its eleven Filmfare nominations, the most of any film that year, including Best Actress for Preity Zinta, Best Supporting Actor for Saif Ali Khan and Best Supporting Actress for Jaya Bachchan.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Romantic comedy-drama
- Runtime
- 187 min
- Director
- Nikhil Advani
- Cast
- Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Jaya Bachchan, Sushma Seth
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Kal Ho Naa Ho in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Kal Ho Naa Ho is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Is Kal Ho Naa Ho in Hindi?
- Yes. Kal Ho Naa Ho is a Hindi-language film.
- How long is Kal Ho Naa Ho?
- Kal Ho Naa Ho runs for 3 hours 7 minutes (187 minutes).