Karan Johar takes risks with this film, but not the kind of risks that make it an interesting movie. There are some great moments--I love the song "Mitwa" especially, but a lot of the other songs feel extra drawn out and the dramatic moments are constantly pushing into sentimental territory--sentimental even in comparison to Johar's other films. At times this felt like a mashup of the bad parts of Kabhi Kushie Kabhi Gham (random sports interludes, scantily clad firangis, and an oversexed Amitabh Bachchan) and Kal Ho Naa Ho (heavy emphasis on the New York City setting). And yet I was able to enjoy K3G and KHNH much more than KANK because each of them had many redeeming moments.
There is not much chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee--which is amazing. These two have acted together with great success in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Paheli, among others. But somehow the drawn-out-ness of the film combined with the heavy handedness of the portrayal (adultery! adultery! these two are committing adultery, the film screams) doesn't give the actors much to do. Shah Rukh Khan's character is basically a jerk; we never get a sense of why Rani Mukherjee's character might like him. Preity Zinta, so compelling as a bookish MBA student in Kal Ho Naa Ho, is dull and shrill as a Devil Wears Prada career woman, and Abishek Bachchan seems to have no personality at all. No wonder Shahrukh and Rani want to escape their marriages!
All in all, this movie was very disappointing; perhaps I had too high of expectations. Hopefully in his next film, Karan Johar will not get so distracted by things like adultery and New York City and can make a character-driven love story that lets his high-paid actors shine.