Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani: 7 reasons why this Bollywood blockbuster still trends

Over a decade after it first swept audiences off their feet, director Aryan Mukerji's glossy romance and friendship saga 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' is making its grand comeback to cinemas in India this weekend. If you haven't seen this glossy film, now is a good time to put a ring on it. From its unforgettable characters to its timeless appeal, here’s why YJHD continues to define love, friendship, and wanderlust for an entire generation.

The perfect casting: Director Ayan Mukerji proved that he knew a thing or two about casting the right actors in his film. The movie united Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, two of Bollywood’s most talented actors, along with Kalki Koechlin and Aditya Roy Kapoor in one frame. The fabulous four, who formed the core friendship group, had such great chemistry with each other. Padukone as the nerdy, class-topper Naina Talwar who goes on an impromptu trekking trip with her unfamiliar school mates was pitch-perfect. Director Mukerji also knew how to capitalise on the immense chemistry between the once loved-up couple Kapoor and Padukone. The handsome pair had gone their separate ways in their personal lives after a doomed affair, but they taught us that being colleagues after a break-up isn’t a recipe for failure. Who said exes can’t remain friends? Plus, Koechlin as the kooky and nutty Aditi who secretly harbours a crush on her rakish best friend Avi (Kapoor) is also an interesting tangent that made this movie enjoyable.

The perfect romance: Can love conquer all? ‘YJHD’ is determined to convince you of that theory. It’s a movie that will propel you to put your Dirhams down on happily-ever-after endings, Think about it: even though its central characters Naina and Bunny have distinct personalities and temperaments, they make ‘opposites always attract’ theory fetching. If Naina loves to play it safe, Bunny is all about playing it wild. The tale of these two finding a middle ground is highly engaging. Our favourite scene remains the one where the two watch the sunset together in Udaipur and Naina schools him about seizing the moment rather than running after every beautiful experience in life. Her ‘live-in-the-moment’ spiel made us want to take down notes.

A big fat destination Indian wedding: Every bride and groom will harbour unrealistic expectations of a dreamy destination wedding after watching this romance. The second half is filled with fantastical wedding shots that could rival a nation’s GDP budget. Aditi (Koechlin) lavish, upper-crust deserves another film altogether. The money spent on her wedding ceremony could feed a village, but it makes for a voyeuristic, pleasurable experience. While a luxurious wedding doesn’t guarantee a good marriage, YJHD seems to peddle the belief that it’s always a good start. The romance is a glorious ode to how Rajasthan is the perfect setting for a destination wedding. Austerity is snubbed royally in this film, produced by Karan Johar, a top director-producer who loves all things shiny, glossy and sparkling.

Songs that never go out of style: It’s not often that a movie has songs that are consistently spectacular. But this film scored high on the music front. The love song ‘Kabira’ captures loves in all its complicated glory, while the celebratory song ‘Balam Pichakari’ makes you want to dance and play with colours. The fun spirit of this film is contagious. The film worked because of its well-sung and well-choreographed songs. Another keeper is ‘Badtameez Dil’ where you see Kapoor and Padukone’s impressive dancing skills. It’s a feel-good film that makes you believe in unicorns and rainbows.

Glossing over the dents in the story: If you watch the film closely, you may find the love story regressive. Why would an accomplished woman like Naina Talwar wait for years, pining for a school crush who is cavalier towards her feelings. The movie also portrays women as this nurturer, while men go around hunting and having fun travelling the globe. The lack of ambition in a woman and her slavish attitute towards love might seem deplorable, but Padukone injects that character with incredible vulnerability. The film re-inforces the stereotype that women are perennially waiting for their perfect man to complete their life and inject it with meaning. But if you are willing to gloss over those flaws, there’s lots to love in this fun, zany romance.

Clothes that make your world go round: This movie is littered with supremely good-looking people. Their toned bodies, their wardrobes and their perfectly done-up faces are worth admiring. ‘YJHD’ is a beautiful film with gorgeous people in it. The movie has immense repeat value because it’s a very pretty film with prettier leads.

Travel vicariously: Travelling to exotic, beautiful locations seem to be a distant reality for all those who are practicing social distancing. But even if you can’t travel for fancy holidays and adventures, you can perhaps travel vicariously through this film. The movie takes you to the snow-capped mountains of Manali, to the streets of Paris and to the lake in Udaipur. In less than three hours, you have done a lot more travelling virtually than most people do for a year. But it isn’t just the scenic locations that make this movie work, it’s the characters and their incredible acting prowess. It’s one of those rare films that leave you hankering for a sequel.