Without a doubt Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a great landmark not only in Shahrukh’s career but in Indian cinema as well, having won an unprecedented  ten awards and the distinction of being India’s longest-running movie, still being played in a Bombay cinema over ten years after its release in 1995!
Every aspect of this immensely popular movie is of very high quality, and the story itself, while contemporary and uniquely Indian, is still timeless and never ceases to draw audience sympathy and attention.   The age-old quest for true love and overcoming great obstacles to be with the loved one translates into any language, culture and time period, and when the film’s producer and director belong to the acclaimed Chopra family, and its leading stars are Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, then it is certain to be an all-time blockbuster!
Having directed Shahrukh in super hits like Darr (1993) and  Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)  Yash Chopra produced Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and let his son, Aditya Chopra direct and earn his first Best Director award.  Unlike these earlier Chopra productions however, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has a more down-to-earth feeling and a theme even many non-Indian viewers can relate to, namely the dilemma of pleasing one’s parents yet also following one’s own heart in choosing whom to marry.
Shahrukh and Kajol made the perfect on-screen pair for the viewing public, so good was their rapport and team work together, earning them both Filmfare awards for Best Actor and Best Actress.  Shahrukh steps into the character of Raj, a rich and childishly playful young man, with his usual apparent ease and confidence, and makes Raj an irresistibly likeable person.  His dynamic and charismatic personality fill the screen in every scene, while Kajol and other supporting actors add a perfect balance to this romantic drama.
Although there are many light-hearted and even comical moments as Raj meets Simran on a group tour through Europe’s most beautiful places, the story takes on more serious dimensions when Simran returns to India with her family in order to marry the son of her father’s old friend.  While at first accepting the Indian tradition of parents arranging their children’s marriages, her view changes when she realizes she has fallen in love with Raj, but now must marry a man she has never even met.
Simran’s strict and tradition-honoring father is played by Amrish Puri, best known for his many villain roles over many years, but as straight characters his personality also conveys the appropriate balance of sternness and fatherly love.  It is the father’s firm insistence on the tradition of the arranged marriage that forces Raj to play his best hand at winning the father’s affection in the hope that he might change his mind and approve of Raj as a son-in-law instead. 
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge throws a spotlight onto Indian life and culture as it carefully portrays the issues changing Indian way of thinking in our day, namely the younger generation’s desire to marry for love and the person of their own choice.   Indian traditions as seen from the father’s viewpoint but also the role of Indian women are delicately expressed, while the younger generation is caught between wanting to respect and honour their parents and traditions, but yielding to the pull of their own strong emotions and desire for happiness.
This process of change is not unique to India, since arranged marriages or simply following parents’ wishes in such matters have prevailed in many other countries and cultures, and are also only now struggling to find a compromise between old and valued traditions and the new, independent mindset sweeping across the world.  It is no surprise therefore, that Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge continues to be popular in many countries, being translated and released on DVD in one country after another.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has two distinct parts:  the first part shows the blossoming romance between Raj and Simran as they travel through Europe, at first apparently not liking each other and finding themselves in various funny situations.  Picturesque sceneries of Switzerland feature in this first part as well as in the songs, particularly the big hit Tujhe Dekha To.
In bold contrast, the second part of the film is rich in Indian landscapes, traditions and costumes, and at the same time the suspense quickly escalates as Simran’s wedding plans are made, yet she waits for Raj to somehow intervene and take her as his bride instead.  There is a sweet and charming innocence to the young couple’s love and desire to find their parents’ approval, which must surely reflect the feelings of many young Indians today, thereby making Shahrukh and Kajol such beloved idols and firmly establishing Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge as an all-time great romantic classic.

by Barbara Burkowsky

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