Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

Director:

Aditya Chopra

Writers:

Aditya Chopra (screenplay)
Javed Siddiqui (dialogue)

Release Date:

20 October 1995 (India)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Musical | Romance

Plot:

Raj is a rich, carefree, happy-go-lucky second generation NRI. Simran is the daughter of Chaudhary Baldev Singh...

Plot Keywords:

Love | India | Nri | Wedding | Trip

Awards:

11 wins

Cast

Shahrukh Khan	...	Raj Malhotra
Kajol	...	Simran Singh
Amrish Puri	...	Chaudhry Baldev Singh
Farida Jalal	...	Lajwanti
Anupam Kher	...	Dharamvir Malhotra
Satish Shah	...	Ajit Singh
Achala Sachdev	...	Simran's Grandmother
Himani Shivpuri	...	Simran's Aunt
Pooja Ruparel	...	Rajeshwari / Chutki
Damyanti Puri
Lalit Tiwari	...	Simran's Uncle
Hemlata Deepak	...	Simran's friend
Mohit Kumar
Mansoor Merchant
Govind Khatri

Also Known As:

Lovers Will Walk Off with the Bride (UK) (informal English title)
The Big-Hearted Will Win the Bride (USA) (informal English title)
The Brave Heart Will Take the Bride (USA) (informal literal title)

Runtime:

189 min | Japan:183 min | USA:181 min

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi | English | Punjabi

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Germany:6 | India:U | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Angel Underground Station, Islington, London, England, UK

Company:

Yash Raj Films

Trivia:

Aditya Chopra had lots of trouble filming the scene where Raj (Shahrukh Khan) jokes with Simran (Kajol) about the previous night. The reason was that every time Shahrukh Khan would open his shirt, Kajol would not stop laughing. The pictures of the lips on the chest were drawn by Kajol.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: During the climax, the railway station where Raj and Kuljit have a fight is shown to be 'Apta' (as seen on the signboard). Apta is a small station near Mumbai and is more than 1700 km away from Punjab where the plot is based.

Quotes:

Raj Malhotra: You son of a gun.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Heyy Babyy (2007)

Soundtrack:

Ho Gaya Hai

Like every movie of its kind, and yet like nothing I've ever seen

Dilwale made me glad to be a Westerner, just so I could experience the sheer rush in the glorious way this film simply throws its Indian sensibility in your face. It is one of the most completely, openly joyful films I have ever seen. In many ways a totally Western film, it is yet completely un-Western, and absolutely invigorating.

I found the (rather oddly looped in places) mix of Hindi and English dialog to be a lot of fun to follow (as incomplete as the subtitles sometimes seemed). The Indian/Western pop structure of the songs was entertaining and infectious. The choreography is simply amazing, and some of the most sheerly athletic I've seen. The Indian roots of the dance routines were at first almost unnerving--at once familiar yet bizarre, almost surreal (to my Western eyes). It was sheer fun making the cultural adjustment.

The plot is predictable, almost pedestrian--certainly not what you'd call "never done before," and yet I found myself completely absorbed in the story, and rooting for the main characters. This is in large part due to Shahrukh Khan's and Kajol's performances as Raj and Simran. He is totally endearing, and she is totally hot!, and their on screen chemistry is as cute & perky and smoldering & steamy as Fred and Ginger at their peak. It was, simply put, fun to watch them having so much fun.

Director Aditya Chopra was, I understand, only 24 when he made Dilwale, and the film was so successful its Indian first run lasted a world-record 11 years (and may still be going on, as far as I know). A heckuva testimony to Bollywood indeed. This movie has instantly become one of my favorite musicals, and I look forward to finding more films from Chopra, Khan, and Kajol. What a treat!