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Monday, August 18, 2008

Falling in love with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge PosterThree women, three kisses, three heartbreaks, a couple of apologies that's Bachna Ae Haseeno (BAH). But this post isn't about BAH it's about Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) (English title: Braveheart Will Win the Bride), that super-duper hit, a film that BAH pretends to be an extension of (parasite would be more appropriate).

People tend to boast of the number of times they have watched a particular movie, usually Sholay tops such a list, but DDLJ too is a worthy competition. I have actually lost count for both the films, though Maahi's (Minnisha Lamna) count was 17.

The other day, a friend from Bangalore called up to enquire which year we passed the secondary school exams (he was at an interview and was filling up those unending HR forms). "Abbey 1995. DDLJ release hua tha na us year," I replied. For my generation it perhaps released at the perfect time. It has become a sort of a landmark.

I still remember the first show, three of us schoolmates - two boys and a girl - bunking school and sitting in the second class seats of Shillong's Payal Cinema (the tickets for the cheapest seats cost us Rs 40 each in black. The actual price back then was Rs 1.65). The release then was a rarity for Shillong - a film hitting the city's screens on the same day as the rest of the country. We usually had to wait for a few months, by then half the city would have already watched it on video tapes. Huge posters of Kajol and Shah Rukh were plastered all over. "Come fall in love," they said. When the film ended I told the female friend that I'll come back for more.

Come back I did. As the shows went by I didn't need to purchase tickets in black anymore and could enjoy the luxuries of the balcony (Rs 5.10) or the Dress Circle/Payal Circle (Rs 6.10). During the winter vacations twice or thrice a week I ventured out alone to Payal Cinema and watched Raj romance Simran and win over everyone on and off the screen.

The Raj bug hit many of us hard. A friend actually turned into a SRK in DDLJ clone and thereby earned the affections of many a female. Even today, whenever I happen to come across the film on TV, I give the remote a little rest for a while.

Aditya Chopra had indeed made a brilliant film, something that cannot be replicated. The story, the music, the performances - all had an endearing charm about it. From snowy Switzerland to mustard yellow Punjab the trip has us in a trip. The Rajs of the world looked for their Simrans and vice versa.

DDLJ also introduced me to another thing Stross beer (in film advertising works). It was the first beer that I tasted and I had made a pen stand out of that very first beer can. I think I still have that somewhere.

Though I didn't go out shopping for the leather jacket and the cap or joined mandolin classes, I did look for those little lockets that SRK wore, without success.

Another thing that I happened to notice, DDLJ perhaps began the trend of movies deriving their titles from popular songs. Nowadays every other movie does so.

In the usual post-movie alternative endings discussions, one question was common - what if Raj was unable to reach out to Simran and pull her on the train? What if?

Nothing much. His Pops would have pulled the chain.

While the dilwale took away the dulhaniya we all sat and fell in love.

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8 Comments:

Toonfactory said...

Hey nice post, in fact I was in class 9th back then...I think this film ended the trashy era of films which prevailed during late 80s-early 90s in Bollywood

Indianblogger said...

Loved your post. Made me feel nostalgic. There are a few scenes in the movie that I love. That "Palat" dialogue was my fave.

San said...

Reading this post has made me hum out lod the tune of "tujhe dekha"

I don't know what it was about this movie - maybe it was the era or my age but this movie inspired people like me to dream .. ah i did enjoy it :)

come fall in love - yeah tried and failed but hey ho can still sing and dance in the rain though :D

ps - Somyadip - i'm still waiting for your aunty ji story!

ohitsme said...

Very well written piece on the film. I am too old to be so moved by any film but yes I agree it was a sweet, clean and entertaining film, something that Indian film industry needed

Anonymous said...

Very interesting post, Soumyadip. A sudden wave of nostalgia came over me as I thought of that certain day when I watched it. I was doing my B.Com (in Calcutta) then and saw it with a group of male/female friends (and obviously after bunking college & paying 'black' prices).

I used to watch Hindi movies ocassionally but was never an ardent fan. Maybe because that era was a bad one for hindi movies (good ones were very few and far between). I would prefer English/hindi old/classisc/B&W movies even back (and still do as a matter of fact) then but was dragged along with the whole 'college group' thing and especially the girl I had a crush on was also going so I let myself get dragged along :) and sat next to her during the movie as well so I DID enjoy the movie VERY much.

Fond memories and good memories. Those were the good ol' days. Perfect setting for a perfect movie. Might watch it this coming weekend but will need to find the damn DVD first (I do own a copy).

Aditi said...

Very well writte.. same for me too.. i was in class 10th.. again perfect for my age..

I didnt like the concept of falling in love at first sight at that time... but watching thi smovie made me feel how somebidy can fall in love .. after being with him for 30 days... that made my concepts of love.. how it happens probably.... i was beginning to learn love.. in that age

and then i too strted dreaming.. ki asia koi aayega.... and best part it did...

i got married.. and some traces of my hubby.. i relate to him.. i just wacthed the movie for first time with him.. just last week... thats way i was searching blogs on this film.. as it rekindled the nostalgia back in 1995

though not all, but some had resemblances... may be negative part only of SRK... the leg pulling.. wen kajol get angry wen sometimes SRK plays around her.. same way i get angry with him (my hubby).... i still am in a fantasy world.. adn find resemblance in hubby.. very dreamy still now at the age of 30.. but cant help it

Aditi said...

hey but i want more... can somebbody tell me.. where can i download unreleased visuals , interviews, making of the movie... pls pls help me

Soumyadip said...

Aditi You can find some of the deleted Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) scenes here and here.