# Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (soundtrack album)

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is the soundtrack album to the 2006 film of the same name directed by Karan Johar and produced by Dharma Productions starring Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherji, Preity Zinta and Kirron Kher. The album featured musical score and soundtrack composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy with lyrics written by Javed Akhtar.
The album was released under the Sony BMG record label on 16 June 2006, that preceded with an overseas release four days prior. It received positive response from critics and audiences and became the second-highest selling Bollywood soundtrack of the year, alongside winning numerous accolades.

## Background

The original score and soundtrack were composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy who previously associated with Johar on his production Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and thereby replacing Jatin–Lalit, who had composed for Johar's previous directorials. The trio composed the soundtrack in Goa and recorded at his own studios in Mumbai. The title track is a melodramatic emotional ballad featuring a sad version, both rendered by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik. The trio also composed a trance version of the title track, which was something unusual in Hindi films. He further borrowed the opening tune for "Tumhi Dekho Naa" which also sung by Nigam and Yagnik.
"Mitwa" is a Sufi rock ballad number, which marked the debut of Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali into the Hindi film music scene. When the trio composed the song in Goa, they wanted an exotic voice for the vocals. Shankar Mahadevan had listened to Amanat Ali's "Ankhon Ke Sagar" on radio and impressed with his vocals. He then contacted his friend from the radio station, to gather information about the singer, and eventually approached him for recording it. A remix version of the song is titled "Mitwa – Revisited". The trio also composed two club numbers: "Where's The Party Tonight?" by Shaan, Vasundhara Das, Loy and Mahadevan, and "Rock 'N' Roll Soniye", a 1960s rock and roll number, sung by Mahadevan, Shaan and Mahalakshmi Iyer. Since the genre of the soundtrack was similar to Kal Ho Naa Ho, the trio ensured not to make the album sound repetitive.

## Release

In March 2006, it was reported that Sony BMG had acquired the distribution of the film's soundtrack, for a price of ₹8 crore (US$920,000). The album was launched first at United Kingdom on 12 June 2006, for the overseas distribution, with Johar, Khan and his wife Gauri. The album was officially launched in India on 16 June 2006. The release coincided with a grand music launch at the 7th IIFA Awards in Dubai.

## Reception

Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama dismissed the initial negative reaction and hype around the album and described it as "yet another fine product from the team that delivers the kind of path-breaking music expected from it." Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com called the album "a treat for the melody-starved." S Sahaya Ranjit of India Today called the album "a good mix. Enjoy the unpredictability of the trio." Karthik Srinivasan of Milliblog added, " Karan may have taken the success of KHNH's music a bit too seriously and has unfairly (to SEL, i.e.,) used it as a model for KANK".
The album opened at #1 and retained the top position in the music charts for 10 straight weeks, despite facing tough competition from musical hits like Gangster: A Love Story, Fanaa and Krrish. According to the figures from Box Office India, the album sold over 1,900,000 copies in India making it the second best-selling album of the year, marginally behind Dhoom 2. It has been listed as one of the best Bollywood soundtracks.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Bollywood Movie Awards | 26 May 2007 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Won | |
| Bollywood Movie Awards | 26 May 2007 | Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | |
| Bollywood Movie Awards | 26 May 2007 | Best Female Playback Singer | Alka Yagnik for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Won | |
| Bollywood Movie Awards | 26 May 2007 | Best Costume Designer | Manish Malhotra | Won | |
| Filmfare Awards | 17 February 2007 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [15] [16] |
| Filmfare Awards | 17 February 2007 | Best Background Score | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [15] [16] |
| Filmfare Awards | 17 February 2007 | Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [15] [16] |
| Filmfare Awards | 17 February 2007 | Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar for "Mitwa" | Nominated | [15] [16] |
| Filmfare Awards | 17 February 2007 | Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [15] [16] |
| Filmfare Awards | 17 February 2007 | Best Female Playback Singer | Alka Yagnik for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [15] [16] |
| Global Indian Film Awards | 7–9 December 2006 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [17] [18] |
| Global Indian Film Awards | 7–9 December 2006 | Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [17] [18] |
| Global Indian Film Awards | 7–9 December 2006 | Best Male Playback Singer | Shafqat Amanat Ali for Mitwa" | Nominated | [17] [18] |
| Global Indian Film Awards | 7–9 December 2006 | Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [17] [18] |
| Global Indian Film Awards | 7–9 December 2006 | Best Female Playback Singer | Alka Yagnik for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Won | [17] [18] |
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | 7–9 June 2007 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [19] [20] |
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | 7–9 June 2007 | Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [19] [20] |
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | 7–9 June 2007 | Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [19] [20] |
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | 7–9 June 2007 | Best Female Playback Singer | Alka Yagnik for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [19] [20] |
| Screen Awards | 6 January 2007 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [21] [22] |
| Screen Awards | 6 January 2007 | Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar for "Mitwa" | Nominated | [21] [22] |
| Screen Awards | 6 January 2007 | Best Male Playback Singer | Shafqat Amanat Ali for "Mitwa" | Nominated | [21] [22] |
| Screen Awards | 6 January 2007 | Best Female Playback Singer | Alka Yagnik for "Tumhi Dekho Naa" | Nominated | [21] [22] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Music Director | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Background Score | Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Lyricist | Javed Akhtar for "Mitwa" | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Male Playback Singer | Shafqat Amanat Ali for "Mitwa" | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Male Playback Singer | Sonu Nigam for "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Female Playback Singer | Alka Yagnik for "Tumhi Dekho Naa" | Won | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Female Playback Singer | Vasundhara Das for "Where's The Party Tonight?" | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Track of the Year | "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" | Nominated | [23] [24] |
| Zee Cine Awards | 1 April 2007 | Best Song Recording | Abhay Rumde, Shantanu Mukherjee | Nominated | [25] [26] |