THE GLORY OF DDLJ

THE GLORY OF DDLJ

Dil Wale Dulahaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) a 1994 film which has recently completed 1,000 weeks. Indian cinema lovers have bestowed the warm love for this film. Today any film which is hit runs for 1 month and a super hit film runs for 2 months. Multiplex has replaced the single screen theaters. DDLJ has not only witnessed this change but reign in both times.

 I remember those days when people from nearby villages use to come to town to see films. Yes, it was 1994.Hum Aapke Hain Koyon, Rangeela, Bombay, Cooli No.1 et al. watching a film was a celebration.

Indian cinema possesses the glorious legacy of song and dance sequences. Aditya Chopra was confident to make this film. He convinced SRK and Kajol to work on this film. SRK who was in news for his successful negative roles and he was happy about it. SRK and Kajol did not know that this film will write their fate. SRK became super star after this film.

On social background Indian was on the way to globalization. Internet was yet to be rooted in Indian society. The youth was very much interested in going abroad and carving their career. It was a love story, a routine love story but told in an extra-ordinary manner.  NRI Indian young boy met a girl when they both were on Europe tour. He was enjoying his failure as being a rich spoiled brat and Kajol being an apple of daddy’s eye, which is enjoying her one and only month of her life. She is ready to sacrifice their life for their parents. 

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies”. Said Aristotle

The sweet Europe tour gets over and Raj and Kajol come together. The journey of Europe with lot of fun and exciting bites they find the real nature of each other. This is the beauty of this DDLJ love story. Raj who try to portray how responsible and caring he is completely opposite of his screen character and Kajol who is otherwise homely who try to be high hilled and bubbly girl. This is the successful equation.

Indian people have enjoyed this film not only for its foreign locations but for the portrayal of story. 1994 onwards we have witnessed the ups and down of economy. That was the per-mobile and pre-internet era. Today’s youth who is born after 1994 are known as internet generation. They have also liked this film may be because the NRI up market families and their nostalgia for their Indian ethos and love for soil. We are not going in the question of how genuine their love for Indian ethos and love for soil   

I remember the lines of Pablo Neruda here,

“Someday, somewhere - anywhere, unfailingly, you'll find yourself, and that, and only that, can be the happiest or bitterest hour of your life.”

 Sudden realization of love from the by SRK and Kajol takes a twist to the story. They long for each other and then their involvement with family members and with each other takes us through many ups and downs. SRK try every possible way to win the heart of Kajol’s family. Kajol begins considering his as her future husband. The magical portrayal of first love attracts the youngsters.

This Pablo Nerudian passion which he mentioned in his100 Love Sonnets, I would like to share it now,

“so I wait for you like a lonely house
till you will see me again and live in me.
Till then my windows ache.”

Raj (SRK) and Simran (name given by Raj to Kajol) became synonyms for lovers in the decades of 90s and 2000s. I remember many people had their name Raj. They felt silver screen proud that their name is Raj. It always has been one of the famous names from India. Today it is rarely used or not used at all. Credit goes to DDLJ.  Every boy in India became Raj and every otherwise homely and average looking dusky girl is proud to be Simran.

I think DDLJ will complete more 20 years as it left the legacy for nearly two generations. The youngsters who motivated by DDLJ must be in their 40s and have small children now. There are chances; this small generation may follow the Papa’s classic DDLJ. The early teen generation of 1994 must be getting married now. The third generation of on the more lovers, who patronized DDLJ many times for its saga of love and Indian ethos many a times and enjoyed cinema experience in theater, they remember the magic of dark, AC and cinema hall experience of DDLJ. Most of the times these on the move lovers part but they have nostalgia for this DDLJ theater romance.

Many youngsters of internet generation are making their face when they hear the name of DDLJ. Smart phones that connect everything to anything, Internet offer you the leaping vision. These gadgets have not only altered the space and time but they have made us more confused about human emotions. Today when asked to a college freak about DDLJ, his reply stunned me. Connecting this love story or SRK devotion for love and courtship is beyond their intellectual periphery.

It is worth taking a look, how we have grown from 1994 an ear of landline to today’s smart phone. That was the era of letter friend columns in news paper and today with whatsapp. Chat machines and cyber café are the object of yesterday. Whatsapp has over taken the email account. The very equations of love have changed. Gone are those days when people use to praise lovers and their courtship.  DDLJ we also find the last mile stone of love story.  Today we have love story as it is the basic ingredient of Indian cinema but we do not find that charm what we find in DDLJ.