Released on October 20th, 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful Bollywood projects that requires no introduction.
This was the first directorial venture of Aditya Chopra and the acting debut of Karan Johar. DDLJ was the first film to televise its making. But these are just minor reasons for this film’s popularity. It saw Shah Rukh Khan and KajolDevgn in lead roles and had Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Mandira Bedi, Parmeeth Seethi and Anupam Kher as the supporting characters.
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge has had the distinction of running for one thousand and nine uninterrupted weeks at Maratha Mandir, one of Mumbai’s older cinema halls.
Although the film’s plotline was fairly simple, it was the moments accentuated by the songs that made DDLJ a hit with all kinds of moviegoers. Reportedly Aditya Chopra said this before the movie released, “My film is not different. I’m making the most commercial, cliche movie ever made. I’m making the oldest story in the book. As long as the taporis clap when the song comes, I’m happy.”
Thus, it was obvious that the three hour ten minute long movie had to have the best and simply unforgettable songs. The fact that Bollywood buffs remember the lyrics to the songs even after twenty four years of their release proves that the music composers and lyricists of the film were able to deliver some evergreen hits that have secured a place in the Bollywood archives.
While Lata Mangeshkar’s Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye successfully captured the young Simran’s notions about the man who occupies her dreams, Mangeshkar’s duet with Udit Narayan, Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna is an all-out celebratory song without which any Indian mehendi function is incomplete even today. Zara Sa Jhoom Lo Main saw an intoxicated Kajol running down the streets of Switzerland in a red mini skirt, voicing her innermost desires.
On the other hand, Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam went on to be the love anthem for every Bollywood fan and remains one of the most popular love songs ever. The movie boasts of many other melodies which are not just picturized perfectly but also have the most relatable lyrics and unparalleled composing.
