As this post’s title suggests, I have some strong feelings about Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ for short). If you only watch one Bollywood movie make sure it’s this one. I have yet to meet someone who hasn't fallen in love with this film. It has the perfect mix of youthful charm with a gooey romantic center. The leads Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have amazing chemistry and the music is down right iconic. In short, you'll love it and if you don't we can't be friends. You don’t have to take my word for it either. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge appears as one of only two Indian films in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Released in 1995, it has been continuously shown in cinemas making it the longest-running film in Indian Cinema. So what makes this movie so great? How much time do you have? This may take a while.
Now you'll forever equate true love with running and hugging in a field of mustard plants.Our heroine is Simran (played by my personal favorite Kajol), whose family moved to London from India when she was a small child. Her father is a bit overprotective and is obsessed with ensuring his family maintains the traditional Indian (in this case Punjabi) values of their homeland. None of this Britishness for his wife and daughters. This doesn’t seem to bother Simran. She listens to popular British tunes, and quickly changes to old school Indian music when Papa Simran gets home. She’s learned to walk that line between cultures like so many first generation kids. She’s respectful of her family’s traditions and still tries to carve some independence for herself. So far it’s worked.
The lovely Simran. We'll get to the eyebrows.While Simran has a decent relationship with her father, as evident mainly by her doing everything he asks, we see a deeper more intimate bond with her mother. Simran shares entries from her diary with her mother about a mysterious man who visits her dreams. She hasn’t met him yet, but we’re about to. Cue dancing!
And this is our hero: Mr. Raj Malhotra (played by THE Shah Rukh Khan). Hmm, from Raj’s intro we know he plays rugby in the rain, likes to race air planes and is no stranger to the (hitchhiking?) ladies. Raj’s character represents the antithesis of Simran’s. Here’s a guy who eschews the qualities typically associated with proper behavior by Indian men. Raj doesn’t pass his exams and parties all night with friends. He tries to buy beer at a gas station that has already closed by lying and when caught in the lie, runs away beer in hand. (Bet you can’t guess whose father owns said gas station. Psst, it’s Simran’s dad.) One of my favorite aspects of Raj’s character is his relationship to his own father. They’re honest and understanding with one another. Papa Malhotra has worked hard his entire life and barely had a childhood; he’s okay with letting his son play around in a prolonged state of carefree adolescence.
So here are our main characters folks: Simran and Raj. Obviously they fall in love. This wouldn’t be a Bollywood movie otherwise. But it takes a while and Papa Simran is anything but helpful. Simran and Raj both live in London but couldn't exist in more separate worlds. It's going to take a series of unlikely events to bring these two together. How unlikely? Prepare yourself, this is Bollywood.
Simran's dedication to her family's traditions is tested when her father gives her hand in marriage without so much as glancing her way. What's worse is she has never met her intended; he is the son of a family friend back in India. Papa Simran doesn't even question that his daughter may have other ideas in mind for matrimony (like say a mysterious man she keeps dreaming about). Simran agrees to the marriage and returning to India permenately under one condition: a rail trip through Europe with friends. Papa Simran agrees and Simran's off to enjoy her last days of (semi)autonomy. She may think this is her last hurrah but it's just the beginning.
Running late the day of her trip Simran just makes it to the train and is given a helping hand by...you guessed it: Raj! He is also taking a trip to Europe and was also running late. The first meeting! Will there be sparks? Longing looks, an instant connection?
No.
Not a good start. Simran deflects Raj's standby pick-up lines like a pro. She's not impressed. Her friend is though and that's enough to ensure Raj & Co. tag along with the girls through their first stop in Paris. Simran tries her best to ignore Raj, he makes sure she can't. His teasing gets out of hand (at least by Indian standards) when he gets a little too handsy during a bizarre dance number incorporating trumpets and thriller-esque dance moves.
Simran can't stand Raj and decides to keep her distance, which is fine except they both end up missing their train and are left behind in Switzerland while arguing over who is going to buy a big shiny cow bell at a tourist shop.
If you weren't so worried about a stupid bell this wouldn't have happened.They're stranded and what's worse is they're together. Simran decides she's better off on her own and takes off to hitchhike (never heard of stranger danger there Simi?). Raj rents a car and decides to try and catch up with the rest of the group at the next train station. As he drives he sees a flustered Simran being escorted into a police car. It turns out Swiss police don't like hitchhikers, especially ones that have no form of identification. Raj to the rescue! By pretending to be Simran's husband he convinces the police to not carry her off to jail. You're saved Simran! You're totally grateful, right? Not exactly, although she does manage to cool off enough to thank Raj for the save and for renting a car that will let them catch up to friends by the day's end.
Five minutes into the drive, and after Raj gives Simran the endearing nickname Senorita, the car breaks down. Not.Good. It's impossible to catch up with the train by nightfall now. Raj and Simran find lodging for the night at a nearby guest house. As they both walk into a large, spacious room complete with sofa and queen bed, Simran asks "Where's your room?". Here's the thing, Raj explains, they only have one room available so we'll be sharing. Wrong move Raj. Simran is a proper Indian girl and even the suggestion of sharing a room overnight with a man is outrageous. She refuses to share. He refuses to leave. The only option left is for her to spend the night in a decrepit barn. Wait, what?
Yes, Simran would rather freeze to death in an old barn than share a room with Raj. Raj turns out to be too nice of a guy to leave her out there alone so he joins her in the barn for the night (isn't this the same as sharing a room?!) Raj apologizes for suggesting they share a room, Simran forgives him and they're friends again. That is until it snows and the temperature drops. Raj pulls out a bottle of alcohol to help keep warm and Simran is shocked he would drink in front of a lady. Better than dying in front of a lady he replies. Zing! Raj soon discovers Simran is slightly less of a prude than he thought when he awakes in the night to find his bottle half empty and Simran singing loudly.
Simran wakes the next morning in the guest room bed with no memory of last night. What's worse is she's wearing Raj's shirt. Okay, time to panic! Raj walks in nonchalantly with breakfast and Simran pleads with him to tell her the truth. Did anything happen last night? You tell me he says while pulling open his shirt to revel lipstick marks on his chest, does it look like something happened? Simran freaks out, and I mean that literally. She screams and holds her head in her hands. The whole thing would be ridiculous if it wasn't so sincere. Seeing she didn't get the joke, Raj tries to calm the hysterical Simran to no avail. Finally he grabs her face and sets the record straight.
Raj makes it clear that despite what others may think he is Hindustani (Indian)and this means he understands how important a woman's virtue is. He's not low enough to take advantage of it (just mock it endlessly.) It's a powerful scene and firmly establishes Raj an iconic NRI hero (NRI meaning non-resident, or foreign born, Indian). It's also an eye-opening scene for Simran who gets to see Raj being sincere for the first time since ever. It doesn't last long. He's back to his joking self in no time but there is a definite shift in their relationship. I think we can safely call them close friends.
Raj and Simran's roller coaster of a vacation is nearly over and once they reconnect with their friends it's pretty much smooth sailing. That is until Raj finds out about Simran's impending marriage. He mocks her mercilessly, but there's no escaping the tinge of sadness on his face. He quizzes her to see how far she'd really go to please her family. What if she fell in love with someone else, would she still marry this stranger her father picked out? What if this person she fell in love with was on this Europe trip? What if that person was him, would she leave everything to be by his side?
You're engaged?Simran's face flashes annoyance then confusion as she takes in his words. Is Raj declaring his love? Does she feel the same?
Aaaannnndddd...INTERMISSION.
I warned you this was a long movie. Part 2 will be up soon! Hang in there, we still have crazy eyed Papa Simran to deal with along with enough love songs to last a lifetime.
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