‘Dil Chahta Hai’ turns 19: 10 reasons why the film will always be loved

When it comes to bromances in Bollywood, it doesn’t get better than director Farhan Akhtar’s 2001 friendship saga ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. As the film completes 19 years of existence, Gulf News looks back at the iconic film that shone the spotlight on quarter-life crises and how three 20-something college mates graduate life and heartbreak with honours.

“#19yearsofDilChahtaHai … Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for the love you continue to show it. To my amazing cast and are, wherever you are, see you at Chapora Fort. Jahaaz our bhi bada ho gaya hai [The plane has become bigger now],” tweeted its director Akhtar, alluding to a poignant scene in the film where three friends sit on a wall of the fort overlooking the sea and ponder about the tensile strength of their friendship. He also posted a video of some of the best scenes from the film on Instagram for the occasion. Here are 10 reasons why the movie has a timeless appeal …

1. ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ is a fine example of a movie with an impeccable, flawless cast. Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khan and Saif Ali Khan formed the trio of best friends from college who had a pulse on what the other was thinking. Each character spoke to you. If Aamir Khan was the suave Akash who injected fun and verve into a rich, commitment phobic brat, Sid — played by Akshay Khanna — as his silent, pensive and brooding buddy was his perfect foil. They had contrasting personalities, but they made a lot of sense together as best friends. Saif Ali Khan was the quintessential amiable jester who is caught between the crossfire among two best buds who have a fall out. Each had a different equation with the other, but this pal triangle was a treat to watch.

2. It’s one of those rare films in mainstream Bollywood that explored the idea of a 20-something Sid falling in love with an older divorced woman, played brilliantly by Dimple Kapadia. She’s caught in a messy divorce and custodial fight for her daughter, but Kapadia brought a lot of grace and gravitas into her role. Remember the year was 1991 and OTT platforms with its dark, hyper-sexualised content was yet to make their way into our lives. While we have to applaud director Farhan Akhtar for exploring uncomfortable, non-conformist love story, our only gripe is that he copped out towards the end. Re-visit the film and you will know what I mean. Was it absolutely necessary to show her die and Khanna’s character stumbling upon a younger version of Dimple Kapadia?

3. ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ also explored the delicate, tenuous relationship between Mumbai’s privileged, upper middle-class young men and their parents who are eager to see them settle down by getting married and holding onto a stable job. The scene in which Akash and his straight-laced parents have this uncomfortable conversation about being serious in life is comic gold.

4. While the film was predominantly male dominated, the women also stood out. Preity Zinta was fabulous in her role as the demure Shalini, who is confused in love. But it was Tara Jaiswal (Kapadia) that had my heart. The scene in which she breaks down when her ex-husband denies visitation rights of her daughter makes you tear up. Kapadia brings her years of experience in her craft into this role. Zinta too was memorable, while Sonali Kulkari as the adorable Pooja ticked all the right boxes.

5. When ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ released in 2001, it became the byword for cool, sophisticated cinema in Bollywood. Through his debut directorial feature, Akhtar set the bar high for bromances and friendship tales. Until then, it was bombastic, larger-than-life action heroes that captured a movie-mad India’s imagination, but ‘DCH’ introduced a set of cool boys into the mix.

6. One of the reasons why ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ worked seamless was its background score and songs by Shankar Ehsaan Loy. The title track — which saw three boys in a swanky convertible with top-down and wind knifing through their salon-perfect hair — has become an anthem of sorts signifying freedom enjoyed by young people. There is something still liberating about watching three men going on a boy’s trip. Long before ‘Hangover’, there was ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ that made three friends heading for an impromptu holiday to Goa highly desirable.

7. The word on the Bollywood street is that it was Hrithik Roshan (pictured), Abhishek Bachchan and Akshay Khanna who were supposed to be their famous trio. But Roshan and Bachchan reportedly walked out of the project and Akhtar had to wait 10 months to get an appointment with Aamir Khan to discuss the film. Akshay Khanna was originally supposed to play Akash, who was eventually played by Aamir Khan.

8. This movie is the sum part of its scenes laced with humour and pathos. The scene in which Sid (Khanna) gives a spurned young woman a life lesson on letting go in love and life still has the power to strike home. Another standout scene is when Akash (Khan) takes over his rich dad’s business operations in Australia, but breaks down over the phone overwhelmed in love. The father asking his son to return to India still rattles.

9. ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ is one of the well-rounded movies that spoke about those significant relationships that young men have with their parents and their partners in love. Even the fights were searingly honest and realistic in this film.

10. Director Farhan Akhtar has never ruled out the possibility of a sequel to his seminal hit ‘DCH’. But it might be with an all-women cast, if he ever were to go down that road again.