KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM... (2001) — 25TH ANNIVERSARY: RELEASE DATE, CAST, SONGS & SOUNDTRACK FACTS

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., fondly known as K3G ("Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness..."), is one of the defining Hindi family dramas of the 2000s. Written and directed by Karan Johar and produced by his father Yash Johar for Dharma Productions, the 2001 blockbuster united three generations of stars — Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor — with Rani Mukerji in an extended special appearance. As the film turns 25 on December 14, 2026, here is a complete look at the K3G release date, cast, songs and soundtrack facts.

Movie Credits

Film: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001)

Director: Karan Johar

Producer: Yash Johar

Studio: Dharma Productions

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor; Rani Mukerji in an extended special appearance (per the indicine cast list)

Release Date: 14 December 2001 (25th anniversary: 14 December 2026)

Music: Jatin–Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya, Aadesh Shrivastava (guest composer)

Lyrics: Sameer (most songs), Anil Pandey ("Suraj Hua Maddham")

Label: Sony Music India

Soundtrack & Music

The K3G soundtrack, released by Sony Music India, carries 11 tracks across three composers: Jatin–Lalit composed five songs, Sandesh Shandilya five, and Aadesh Shrivastava one as guest composer. Lyrics were written by Sameer for most of the album, with Anil Pandey writing "Suraj Hua Maddham"; the background score is credited to Babloo Chakravorty (spelt Babloo Chakravarty in some sources). The album's exact release date is inconsistently reported — Wikipedia's soundtrack infobox gives 28 November 2001, while the film article gives 26 October 2001 — so it is best described as a late-2001 release. Commercially, the album was a phenomenon: it sold 2.5 million units within 30 days and 3.5 million in total, making it the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack of 2001 (per Wikipedia). It remains one of the most successful album-era releases, comparable to later blockbuster soundtracks such as the Aashiqui 2 (2013) movie album, and you can compare it with a modern epic-scale soundtrack in our Ramayana Part 1 soundtrack breakdown.

1. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" — Lata Mangeshkar — Jatin–Lalit — Sameer — 7:55
2. "Bole Chudiyan" — Kavita Krishnamurthy, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Amit Kumar — Jatin–Lalit — Sameer — 6:50
3. "You Are My Soniya" — Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam — Sandesh Shandilya — Sameer — 5:45
4. "Suraj Hua Maddham" — Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam — Sandesh Shandilya — Anil Pandey — 7:08
5. "Say 'Shava Shava'" — Alka Yagnik, Sunidhi Chauhan, Udit Narayan, Sudesh Bhonsle, Aadesh Shrivastava, Amitabh Bachchan — Aadesh Shrivastava — Sameer — 6:50
6. "Yeh Ladka Hai Allah" — Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan — Jatin–Lalit — Sameer — 5:26 (some sources title it "Yeh Ladki Hai Allah")
7. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" (Sad Version, Part 1) — Sonu Nigam — Jatin–Lalit — Sameer — 1:53
8. "Deewana Hai Dekho" — Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Kareena Kapoor — Sandesh Shandilya — Sameer — 5:46
9. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" (Sad Version, Part 2) — Lata Mangeshkar — Jatin–Lalit — Sameer — 1:53
10. "Soul of K3G" (Instrumental) — Sandesh Shandilya — 2:15
11. "Vande Mataram" — Usha Uthup, Kavita Krishnamurthy — Sandesh Shandilya — 4:14

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" sad-version title video, uploaded by SonyMusicIndiaVEVO. Please note: this is the official sad-version video, not the full-length title track video.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... turn 25?

The film released theatrically on 14 December 2001, so its 25th anniversary falls on 14 December 2026.

Who composed the music for K3G?

The 11-song soundtrack features five songs by Jatin–Lalit, five by Sandesh Shandilya and one by guest composer Aadesh Shrivastava, with lyrics by Sameer and Anil Pandey.

How many songs are in the K3G soundtrack?

The Sony Music India album has 11 tracks: the title song, "Bole Chudiyan", "You Are My Soniya", "Suraj Hua Maddham", "Say 'Shava Shava'", "Yeh Ladka Hai Allah", two sad-version reprises, "Deewana Hai Dekho", the "Soul of K3G" instrumental and "Vande Mataram".

Who sang the K3G title song?

Lata Mangeshkar sang the full 7:55 title track; Sonu Nigam and Lata Mangeshkar perform the two sad versions. Fans of her other classics can also explore our Tujhe Dekha To lyrics (DDLJ) article.