Thursday 23 February 2012

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge 1995




Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

DVD cover of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Directed by Aditya Chopra
Produced by Yash Chopra
Written by Aditya Chopra
Javed Siddiqui
Starring Shahrukh Khan
Kajol
Amrish Puri
Farida Jalal
Anupam Kher
Music by Jatin-Lalit
Cinematography Manmohan Singh
Editing by Keshav Naidu
Distributed by Yash Raj Films
Release date(s) 20 October 1995 (1995-10-20)
Running time 189 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget INR4 crore (US$880,000)[1]
Box office INR123 crore (US$27.06 million)
worldwide[2]
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Hindi: दिलवाले दुल्हनिया ले जाएँगे; English: The Big Hearted Will Take the Bride), also known as DDLJ, is a Hindi language film released on 20 October 1995. A romantic comedy, the film marked the directorial debut of Aditya Chopra, who also wrote the story. It was produced by his father Yash Chopra, and stars Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. The film tells the story of a young couple who fall in love on a European vacation, and relates how the boy tries to win over the girl's parents so that she can marry him rather than the boy that her father has chosen for her. It was filmed in India, London, and Switzerland.
Earning over INR106 crore (US$23.32 million) in India and INR15 crore (US$3.3 million) overseas, the film became the biggest Bollywood hit of the year, as well as one of the biggest Bollywood hits ever.[3] During the 1996 awards season, the film won 10 Filmfare Awards, the most ever for a single film at the time, and also won the National Award for most popular film of the year.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was included in the Cinema India showcase, "The Changing Face of Indian Cinema", which toured the United States in July and August 2004. Indiatimes Movies ranks it among the 25 Must See Bollywood Films. It was one of two Hindi films in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list (the other being Mother India). It also placed twelfth on the British Film Institute's list of top Indian films of all time. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was declared an all time blockbuster and it remains the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema. As of 2011, it was still playing at the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.

Story

Raj Malhotra and Simran Singh (Shahrukh Khan and Kajol respectively) are young first generation British Indians brought up and living in London. Raj is the only child of wealthy widower Dharamvir Malhotra (Anupam Kher), who spoils his son excessively. Simran is the elder daughter of petrol station/convenience store owner Chaudhry Baldev Singh (Amrish Puri), a very socially conservative Punjabi Indian man whose only dream is to one day go back to his native Punjab. One day Raj tricks Baldev into selling him some beer after closing time by feigning an urgent need for headache medicine, making him very angry. Baldev angrily denounces Raj as a disgrace to Indians. Simran dreams of her Prince Charming, a stranger who comes into her life and sweeps her off her feet, and writes about him in her diary. Her mother "Lajo" (Farida Jalal) tells her not to get her hopes up.
One day a letter comes from Ajit (Satish Shah), Baldev's best friend in India, saying that his son, Kuljeet (Parmeet Sethi), and Baldev's daughter, Simran, should marry each other, in accordance with a promise the two fathers had made to each other when their children were infants. Simran agrees to marry him out of respect for her father, but before the wedding, she begs her father to allow her to go on a trip to Europe with her female friends; her last chance to see the world before her marriage to a complete stranger and relocation to India. Even though he is very strict, Baldev relents and permits her to go, on the condition that she promises never to betray his trust.
During the trip, Simran meets Raj, who is on the same Eurorail package tour with some of his friends. After some initial misadventures, he falls in love with Simran. Only after sometime at their moment of parting at the railway station in London does Simran realize that she too has fallen in love with Raj. Simran goes home and tells her mother that she loves someone and cannot go through with her wedding to Kuljeet. Baldev overhears their conversation, and is furious that Simran broke her promise that she would never betray his trust. He is adamant that she marries Kuljeet as planned, that her heartbreak is of her own doing, and they will leave for India as soon as possible.
Even though Simran does not want to marry Kuljeet, her family returns to Punjab. As it turns out, Kuljeet is an arrogant alpha male who takes pride in being a hunter and boasts to his macho friends that he will engage in marital infidelity. Lajo tries to spare her daughter's feelings, but cannot stand up to her domineering husband. Both Simran and her sister Chutki are completely unimpressed with Kuljeet and his brash friends.
Raj, however, does not give up. He follows Simran to Punjab at the urging of his bold father, meets her privately, and assures her that he will save her from the arranged marriage, and marry her with the consent of her father. Raj befriends Kuljeet and pretends to be a friend of the family. He helps with the wedding preparations and soon gains everyone's friendship. At the same time, Kuljeet's sister, Preeti (Mandira Bedi), falls in love with Raj, and things become complicated when Raj's father suddenly appears in India and fixes Raj's marriage to Preeti mistaking her to be the girl his son loves. During this time, Lajo catches Simran and Raj feeding each other and realizes that Raj is the boy that Simran met on her trip. She calls them both and gives all her jewelry and tells Raj to run away with Simran because no one will understand their love. Raj tells Lajo that everything will be fine and that he will only take Simran if her dad Baldev says so.
However, everything comes to a climax when Baldev sees a photograph of Raj and Simran together from their trip. He exposes Raj's true identity in front of everybody, slaps him, and angrily tells him to leave, as Simran will marry Kuljeet regardless of what anybody thinks. As Raj leaves and is sitting at the railway station, Kuljeet and his friends follow him and nearly beat him senseless with sticks for his deception. When they also attack his father, Raj flies into a rage and single-handedly beats Kuljeet and his friends. Baldev and Ajit arrive, stop Raj, and tell him and his father to go on their way. Raj and his father board a train out of the village. However, as the train begins to pull out of the station, all the females in the family arrive. Simran tries to follow, and is stopped by Baldev. She begs him to let her go, and he eventually comes to his senses and realizes that no one will ever love his daughter as much as Raj does. He tells Simran to join Raj on the train, Cast

 Production

Development

Filmmaker Yash Chopra decided to launch his son Aditya, who had been working with him in assistant director and producer roles, as a director with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Aditya had complete editorial control, and made a film according to his own tastes and sensibilities. Yash did not see major portions of the film until it was nearly completed. When he finally saw the finished product, he is said to have cried with joy.[4]
The film was among the first films to be produced with the large and rich South Asian diaspora in the West as its target.[5] Some films that later followed this trend include Pardes (1997), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kal Ho Na Ho (2003), and Salaam Namaste (2005); the diaspora market is seen as a safer financial investment than the desi market.[6] Director Aditya Chopra originally wanted to cast Tom Cruise for the role of Raj, as he wanted it to be an Indo-American affair, but was dissuaded by his father/producer Yash, who did not want a foreign star.[7] Instead they decided to go with a theme of non-resident Indians (NRIs). Chopra then asked Shahrukh Khan to play the lead in the film, who initially was not really interested because of the romantic nature of the film. Chopra eventually convinced him to do it, and Khan has since then expressed his gratitude to Chopra for making him a star.[8] Chopra then cast Kajol to star opposite Khan. The two actors had previous worked together in Baazigar (1993) and Karan Arjun (1995).
Filming of the European trip scenes was done mainly in Switzerland, including Saanen for the train station and bridge scenes,[9][10] Montbovon for the churches, and Gstaad for a song sequence.[11] Numerous scenes were shot in England and India.
Saroj Khan was the choreographer, but after several disputes with Chopra, she was replaced by Farah Khan near the end of the shoot. Farah choreographed "Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane." Manish Malhotra was in charge of costume design, with help from Karan Johar. Sharmishta Roy was the art director.[12] The film's title was suggested by one of the actors Kirron Kher, and was taken from the song "Le Jayenge Le Jayenge" from the 1974 film Chor Machaye Shor. The Raj character sings small parts of this song throughout the course of the film, and it recurs at the very end. DDLJ may be the only film with a "Title suggested by" credit.[12]
After filming was complete, Chopra decided to make a Hollywood-style documentary of the filmmaking process, which had never been done before in India. Karan Johar and Chopra's brother Uday were put in change. On 18 October, The Making of DDLJ was aired on Doordarshan, the national channel, two days before the film's premiere.[12]

Themes

Yash Raj Films was previously known for using foreign (non-Indian) locations for item numbers in their films. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge started the trend for films designed to appeal to the Indian diaspora, which have foreign locations as integral parts of the story. The characters are themselves diaspora, and tend to be able to move around with ease between India and the West.[6] This film repeats the usual conservative agenda of family, courtship and marriage, but it proposes that Indian family values are portable assets that can be upheld regardless of country of residence.[13] In fact, Raj (who was brought up in London) is the "good guy" of the story, whereas Kuljeet (raised in India) is seen as the "bad guy". This is a reversal of sorts from typical Indian films, which usually portray Indians as being morally superior to Westerners.[14]
The story also aims to capture the struggle between traditional family values and the modern value of individualism.[15] Though Raj and Simran want to be together regardless of her father's plans for her, Raj tries to win over the father rather than simply eloping. In this and other Indian stories, family values are ultimately more important than the romantic plot. Individual desires have to take a back seat to moral values and rules of conduct.[16] The film implies that "Indianness" can be defined by the importance of family life: whether at home or abroad, it is the Indian family system that is recognized as the social institution that most defines being Indian.[5]
Also there are themes of the purity/sanctity of women being related to the purity/sanctity of the nation. In the scene after Raj and Simran spend the night together and Simran is concerned that something happened, Raj tells her: "You think I am beyond values, but I am a Hindustani, and I know what a Hindustani girl’s izzat [honour] is worth. Trust me, nothing happened last night." This speaks to the first generation Indian diaspora and their need to try and sustain a value system.[5]

Release

 Reception

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge opened to full houses and good reviews all over the world.[17] It was a hit among both Indians and NRIs,[18] and became the first Hindi film blockbuster to feature NRIs as main characters.[19] Earning over INR106 crore (US$23.32 million) in India and INR15 crore (US$3.3 million) overseas, the film became the biggest Bollywood hit of the year,[2][20] and second highest grossing of the 1990s behind Hum Aapke Hain Kaun...!. It would eventually become one of the biggest Bollywood hits of all time.[21] Adjusted for inflation, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is believed to be among the top five highest grossing Hindi films. Its adjusted gross is approximately INR293 crore (US$64.46 million).[22]
Tom Vick reviewed the film for Allmovie and said, "An immensely likeable movie, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge performs the rarely achieved feat of stretching a predictable plot over three hours and making every minute enjoyable."[23] When DDLJ toured the United States in 2004 as part of the Cinema India showcase, "The Changing Face of Indian Cinema",[24] Charles Taylor reviewed the film for Salon.com and said: "It's a flawed, contradictory movie—aggressive and tender, stiff and graceful, clichéd and fresh, sophisticated and naive, traditional and modern. It's also, I think, a classic."[25] Avinash Ramchandani of Planet Bollywood gives the film 9 of 10 stars.[26]
Anupama Chopra included the film in her list of "The 20 Best Hindi Films Ever Made", writing, "Perhaps the innocence of Raj and Simran’s romance in which they can spend the night together without sex because Raj, the bratish NRI understands the importance of an Indian woman’s honor. Perhaps it’s the way in which the film artfully reaffirms the patriarchal status quo and works for all constituencies—the NRI and the local viewer. Or perhaps it’s the magic of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol who created a template for modern love, which was hip and cool but resolutely Indian."[27] She also calls the film a milestone that shaped Hindi cinema through the 1990s.[8]
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was ranked amongst Indiatimes Movies list of the 25 Must See Bollywood Films.[28] It was one of the two Hindi films in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list (the other being Mother India from 1957).[29] It placed twelfth on the British Film Institute's list of top Indian films of all time.[30] The film did very well on the awards season of its release. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, and swept the Filmfare Awards with 10 wins, a record number at the time.[31]

Legacy

In 2001, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge overtook Sholay (1975) as the longest-running film in Indian cinema.[32] In February 2009, the film set a record by completing 700 weeks of continuous play in a Mumbai theatre.[33] On 20 October 2009 the movie completed 15 years of non-stop running.[34] As of 2011, it is still playing at the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.[35] Producer Yash Chopra decided to organise a celebration in February 2011, when the film completed 800 weeks of running, and theatre owner Manoj Desai said he has no plans to discontinue the screening of the film.[17] There are often people in the audience that have seen the film 50 times or more, but still clap, cheer, mouth the dialogs, and sing along with the songs,[8] raising comparisons with Hollywood's longest running film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). People keep coming back not just to see the film, but to be a part of an experience.[36] In early 2011, a theatre strike threatened the film's uninterrupted showing streak. Producer Yash Chopra contacted theatre owners to try and ensure that the film would continue. He wants the film to go for at least 1000 weeks.[37]
Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in the famous train scene
Audiences appreciated the duo of Shahrukh Khan and Kajol so much that they went on to work together in several other successful films including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), and My Name Is Khan (2010), and are often referred to as Indian cinema's most loved on-screen couple.[38][39] Khan himself credits this film with making him a star,[8] and says that the film "changed the entire scene for romantic movies of the 90s".[40] Some newer films have paid homage to classic scenes from the film. For example, Jab We Met (2007) and Bodyguard (2011) both included scenes very similar to the train scene in DDLJ, wherein a girl is running to catch a moving train and is helped aboard by a boy with his outstretched arm.[40][41] The film's popularity has also led to numerous other references in contemporary films.[42]
The British Film Institute (BFI) commissioned a book about Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. It was the first Hindi film chosen for a series of studies on international films, called "BFI Modern Classics". The author was Anupama Chopra, and the book released in 2002.[43] After a unexpectedly long delay, the film was released on DVD by Yash Raj Films on 7 January 2002. The release included the making-of documentary, and highlights from the film's premiere, and from the 1996 Filmfare Awards ceremony.[44]
In 2006, members of the film team were honored at a dinner event on the occasion of the film's 500 week anniversary. It was hosted by the Consulate General of Switzerland in Mumbai and by Switzerland Tourism.[45] In 2010, Yash Raj Films signed an agreement with Indian and Swiss tour companies to provide a tour package called "YRF Enchanted Journey". It will allow people visiting Switzerland to view sites and


Filmfare Awards
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is tied for second place with Devdas (2002) for the most number of Filmfare awards going to a single film with 10. Only Black (2005) has more, with 11. This was also only the second film to win the four major awards (Best Movie, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress), after Guide in 1966.[31]
Wins
Nominations

National Film Awards

Star Screen Awards

Music Videos

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge - Trailer - YouTube
2 min - 10 Feb 2009
yrf
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U9SpwJ9TCs
Dilwale Dulhania le Jayenge - Tujhe Dekha To
2 min - 22 Apr 2009
yrf
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCTW2GfcepQ
Dilwale Dulhania le Jayenge - Ho Gaya Hai
6 min - 30 Dec 2008
kumar525
www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Watch Videos Online | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge | Veoh.com
190 min - 27 Aug 2008
www.veoh.com/.../v1574649124Cw8eM6?

Soundtrack

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Soundtrack album by Jatin Lalit
Released
25 July 1995
Genre Hindi Film Soundtrack
Length 38:32
Label
Producer Jatin Lalit
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars.... [48]
The soundtrack features 7 songs composed by Jatin Lalit, with lyrics by Anand Bakshi and voice rendered by Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet, and Udit Narayan. Anand Bakshi won his third Filmfare Best Lyricist award after 14 years. Bhasker Gupta wrote for All Music that the soundtrack was the best of Jatin Lalit's career, and calls it the beginning of the fifth wave in Indian cinema soundtracks.[49]
The soundtrack was listed by Planet Bollywood as number 6 on their list of 100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks,[50] and in 2005 was judged the top Hindi soundtrack of all time by on-line voters on the BBC Asian Network.[51] The wedding song "Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna" from the film became an all-time hit, and is played in weddings across the South Asian diaspora to this day.[52][53]
No. Title Singers Length
1. "Ghar Aaja Pardesi"   Manpreet Kaur, Pamela Chopra 7:29
2. "Mere Khwabon Mein"   Lata Mangeshkar 4:17
3. "Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane"   Udit Narayan 5:14
4. "Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main"   Asha Bhosle, Abhijeet Bhattacharya 5:51
5. "Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko"   Lata Mangeshkar, Udit Narayan 5:49
6. "Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna"   Lata Mangeshkar, Udit Narayan 4:50
7. "Tujhe Dekha To"   Lata Mangeshkar, Kumar Sanu 5:02
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