“It’s a great acknowledgment of my work!” says a buoyant Karan Johar from New York. ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ has just been acquired by The Library of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library). His second film to be picked up after ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’, the script is intended for usage for research purposes by students, filmmakers, writers and actors.

“I’m in New York and really, the film is following me in a wonderful and introspective way”, he adds. “I’ve had people coming and patting me on my back, others screaming at me, but it’s been a gamut of revelations — of two extremes! I’ve never had such reactions to any of my films before.”

From heated debates to party conversations, the film seems to have gotten a lot of attention – not all of it good, but Karan’s not complaining.

“What’s surprising and what I look at as a victory is that people identify with the characters as real people not, Shah Rukh, Rani, Abhishek and Preity. Loads of people have asked me why does Rani leave Abhishek, and that is the point. She is a real, flawed person. If it was a dreamy, celluloid fantasy she would never leave a man like that.”

“Many who have said unflattering things are probably in extreme denial and those who’ve loved it perhaps are in a stage in their lives where they identify with it. Sure, it’s scary, but all the attention’s been flattering.”