Preity Zinta reveals why Shah Rukh Khan’s Kal Ho Naa Ho climax made her cry: ‘My first love died in a car crash’

Even two decades after its release, Shah Rukh Khan's Kal Ho Naa Ho continues to tug at heartstrings, and it turns out, the pain felt onscreen was very real for Preity Zinta. The actress, who played the iconic role of Naina Catherine Kapur, recently opened up about the emotional weight she carried while filming the movie’s heart-wrenching climax, revealing a personal tragedy that made the experience even more intense.

During an interactive session with fans on Twitter, a user wrote to Preity, “@realpreityzinta ma’am every time I watch Kal Ho Naa Ho, I cry like a kid. You absolutely nailed Naina Catherine Kapur. Learnt a lesson as well that is love sometimes means letting go. When you watch Kal Ho Naa Ho after 20 years of shoot, do you cry like us? #pzchat.”

The actress responded with raw honesty, “Yes I cry when I see it and I cried when we were filming it too! My first love died in a car crash so this film always hit different �� Fun Fact – Most scenes all actors cried naturally… And Aman’s death scene had everyone crying in front of the camera and behind it too!”



The climax of Kal Ho Naa Ho, where Shah Rukh Khan’s character Aman dies in a hospital bed with Naina by his side, is considered one of the most emotional moments in Bollywood cinema. Preity’s revelation adds a poignant new layer to the scene, and shows how deeply the role resonated with her.




Directed by Nikkhil Advani and written by Karan Johar, Kal Ho Naa Ho released on November 28, 2003, and was a major box office success. Alongside Preity Zinta, the film starred Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan in lead roles, with strong performances from Jaya Bachchan, Reema Lagoo, and Sushma Seth. The film’s music, composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, is still loved by fans around the world.



In celebration of its 20-year legacy, the film saw a special re-release in theatres on November 15.

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