First-time director Aditya Chopra, part of a famous Indian filmmaking family, struck gold with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Brave Heart Will Take the Bride, 1995), which became the longest-running film in India’s history, swept the Indian Filmfare Awards, made superstars of its two young leads, spawned some hit songs and inspired many Bollywood imitations.

A romantic comedy about second-generation Indians who live in England but are still influenced by the traditional values of Punju culture, the film focuses on the family of Chaudhry Baldev Singh (Amrish Puri), a London-based immigrant with two daughters, Simran (Kajol) and Chutki (Pooja Ruparel). Chaudhry, who has raised his daughters to believe that their life in England is temporary and that someday they will return to their roots in India, has arranged for Simran to marry his best friend’s son, Kuljeet (Parmeet Sethi). Chaudhry’s plans go awry when Simran loses her heart to another immigrant, an impulsive young playboy named Raj Malhotra (Shahrukh Khan) who eventually follows Simran and her family to India in an effort to win her as his bride.

The theme of displaced Indians feeling alienated in foreign lands and longing for home has since become a common one in Bollywood films. In his book Bollywood Cinema, Vijay Mishra discusses Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge as the first Indian film to address the subject specifically to Indian audiences living abroad. As in most Bollywood productions, music plays an important role, with Simran and Raj falling in love to the mandolin refrain of "Tujhe Dekha" and Simran dancing sensuously in the rain in a number called "Mere Khwabon Mein."

Among the movie’s Filmfare Awards were Best Film, Director, Actor (Khan), Actress (Kajol) and Best Supporting Actress (Farida Jalal as Kajol’s conflicted mother).

Producers: Yash Chopra, Pamela Chopra (associate), Uday Chopra (associate)
Director: Aditya Chopra
Screenplay: Aditya Chopra, Javed Siddiqi
Cinematography: Manmohan Singh
Art Direction: Sharmishta Roy
Original Music: Jatin-Lalit (Jatin and Lalit Pandit) Principal Cast: Shahrukh Khan (Raj Malhotra), Kajol (Simran), Amrish Puri (Chaudhry Baldev Singh), Farida Jalal (Lajjo), Anupam Kher (Dharamvir Malhotra), Karan Johar (Raj’s friend).
C-192m. Letterboxed.

by Roger Fristoe