Always Kabhi Kabhi follows four students in their final year at St. Mark's School, tracing how friendship, first loves, and big dreams collide under the weight of growing up. The story centers on Sameer A. Khanna, known around campus as Shortcut Sam, a popular athlete who falls for Aishwarya Dhawan—a new girl whose Bollywood ambitions light up the classroom and the hallways. On her first day, she and Sam strike up a bond, and their relationship quickly becomes the year’s emotional heartbeat. As the school gears up for a Shakespeare play, Aishwarya is cast as Juliet, a turn that sparks envy and ambition among their peers. Sam throws himself into learning Romeo’s lines to win the role of Romeo and, perhaps, to win the approval of the feared Ms. Das, Ms. Das who guides the students through the dramatic journey.
Across the group, Tariq Naqvi and Nandini Oberoi—“Nandy”—navigate a tumultuous blend of affection, pride, and misunderstanding. Tariq carries the pressure of meeting his parents’ dream of MIT, while Nandini, left to herself as her parents travel, spends time with friends and money in ways that mask a deeper longing for attention and care. Their evolving romance unfolds amid the year’s chaos, including a party at Hellfire where Sam’s attempts to protect Aishwarya collide with trouble, leading to his arrest and a scheme by corrupt cops to squeeze money from him. Aishwarya’s path is further complicated when her agent renames her Kashish and nudges her toward a bikini photoshoot and film contracts she may not want, while Sam discovers the looming tally of ₹50,000 that ties his fate to both the police and the Shakespeare prize. On Aishwarya’s 18th birthday, Sam’s confession of love collides with parental disapproval, widening the rift between personal desire and family expectations.
As the year progresses, Aishwarya’s career temptations clash with Sam’s devotion, and the couple’s misunderstandings threaten to pull them apart. Yet a pivotal moment arrives when Aishwarya suffers a serious accident, sending her into a coma and forcing the group to confront the consequences of their choices. Tariq and Nandini reframe Romeo and Juliet to reflect a world where parental permissions, not fate, shape destiny, staging the performance of their lives through the song “Antenna” to voice their grievances and dreams. Sameer A. Khanna steps forward, exposing the police’s true motives to the Commissioner, while Aishwarya begins a slow recovery and finds a path toward reconciliation with Sam. Tariq earns his place at IIT, and Nandini tells her parents that what she wants is their time and attention, not money. The film culminates in a finale that blends comedy, heartbreak, and resilience as the students rise above the obstacles before them, with a final musical moment featuring a guest appearance by Shah Rukh Khan to celebrate the year’s hard-won growth and friendship.
