The film Kyun…Ho Gaya Na! impresses with its visual style, from the polished teak sets to the lush outdoor scenes. The choreography, specifically in the “Pyar mein sau uljhane” musical number, is a highlight. Viewing the leads, Arjun and Diya, as characters separate from the actors, Vivek Oberoi and Aishwarya Rai, enhances the viewing experience. The film joins a lineage of movies exploring gender dynamics through contrasting personalities, reminiscent of Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai.
Aishwarya Rai’s performance embodies the romanticism of the Chopra-Dixit school of film, her character creating a dreamy foil to the lively Arjun. The film includes many crisply written dialogues and compelling moments between Oberoi and his screen-father, Om Puri. The scene where father and son must do dishes due to the absence of domestic help is a great example of this. The second half struggles when Mr. Bachchan’s character appears. Instead of allowing the lovers to resolve their issues, his character inserts himself. The scenes with the children, intended to be cute, fail to resonate. The narrative’s pacing becomes irregular, with certain sequences, such as drunken conversations and dance steps, feeling unnecessary.
Vivek Oberoi noted that the film was less about a romantic relationship and more about the interaction of two different personalities. The actress, Aishwarya Rai, portrays a character with strong romantic ideals, while Oberoi’s character views love differently. Oberoi points out that the film is not a standard romantic comedy but a story about a man and a woman. He found his character enjoyable, as it allowed him to play pranks on Aishwarya’s character. Oberoi found no difficulty in portraying the cynic, as he sees acting as the process of building associations for a character. He cherished his time with Amitabh Bachchan and Om Puri and appreciated their comedic talent.