Aditya Chopra’s classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge completed 30 years earlier this week. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri and Farida Jalal in pivotal roles, the film redefined romance in Hindi cinema. It continues to warm the audience’s hearts even after three decades.
One of the major reasons for the film’s success were the dialogues penned by the veteran writer and literary figure Javed Siddiqi, along with Aditya Chopra. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Siddiqi said that it’s a moment of happiness not just for him but everyone associated with the film to see the love pouring in even after these many years.
Didn’t expect the film to become a classic hit
Siddiqi said that they never expected the film to become so big while they were working on it. “When a film is being made for which writers, director and all come together, they always think that they are making a major and successful film,” he said. “Now, whether it happens depends on different factors. I always say that while cooking if you add the right ingredients in the right manner, the dish becomes tasty, else it turns out to be bland. The same is the case in films, if all the things are present as per requirements.”
He elaborated, “Now, the likes and dislikes of the audience change after every 10 years. It is important to write or make something while keeping in mind what people in the current era would like. There is surely a risk factor in it. It is important for the maker to be farsighted. When we were making this film, nobody had an idea that it would become such a big hit.”
Aditya Chopra showed immense maturity in his first film itself
Siddiqi noticed various fine qualities in Aditya Chopra while working on the film despite it being the latter’s debut. “Adi is a sincere and intelligent man,” he said. “Most importantly, his dedication is remarkable. He is so involved in his work that he doesn’t think of anything else in the world. If he is convinced about what he is doing is right, he won’t listen to anyone. This is a very good quality. If a person doesn’t believe in himself, he easily believes in what others tell him. Self-confidence is very necessary for a filmmaker, which Adi possesses.”
The writer added, “Whatever he thought at that time, was right as per that era. The credit of adding all the ingredients in the film goes to him. As a seasoned writer, I can say that the field that he chose for his film was such that its chances of failure are generally low if done well.”
What a senior Yash Raj Film official said about the film
Siddiqi narrated a funny incident of a person working in Yash Raj Films at that time having no confidence in the film while it was being made. “Someone working at a high post at Yash Raj Films told me to ask Yash ji (Yash Chopra) why is he making such a film. I asked him why is he saying that. He said, ‘Is this a film? It’s a travelogue’ (laughs). Woh sahab pata nahin ab zinda hai ki mar gaye, but I always remember this jumla of his. I feel it became a memorable travelogue,” said the veteran writer.
Love vs traditional values have always worked in Indian cinema
Siddiqi pointed out that the conflict in DDLJ was something that has always worked in our movies. “If you look back at the history of Indian cinema, whenever we have shown a clash between love and traditional values, those films have become classics,” he said. “For example, Mughal-e-Azam, Pakeezah, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Ek Duuje Ke Liye, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, etc. Similarly, Dilwale Dulhania Ke Jayenge had a new sort of romance and the centuries’ old traditions and values of Punjab. It had a no-go situation and a question as to how these lovers will come out of it.”
The reason behind Kajol being called ‘Senorita’ in the film
During the initial phase of the bond between SRK and Kajol in the film, the former addresses the latter as ‘Senorita’. Revealing the reason behind this, Siddiqi said, “A lot of people, including Yash ji, asked me, ‘What is Senorita, Javed sahab?’ I said, ‘What else can he call her?’ He can’t call her ‘devi’, ‘lady’, ‘madam’ or even ‘behen ji’. Plus, I always see a Spanish girl when I look at Kajol. Her features are very Spanish. This is what I feel. I had said this to Kajol as well. Hence, we went ahead with Senorita and it worked.”
Lines like “Bade bade deshon mein aisi…” and “Jaa Simran jaa” becoming iconic
DDLJ has a few lines that have become memorable over the decades. One such dialogue mouthed by Shah Rukh’s character is, ‘Bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain, Senorita’. “It’s a cheesy line,” Siddiqi said, “which he repeatedly says to control a particular situation. Even when we talk, we say things like, ‘Jaane do yaar, yeh sab toh hota rehta hai’. It is the same thing; just the wordings got changed.”
Coming to ‘Jaa Simran Ja’, the veteran writer added, “When Simran asks for permission from her father (Amrish Puri) for the Euro trip at the start, he says the same dialogue. So, they also used it in the end by keeping the earlier situation in mind and used it very well.”
Thoughts and expectations while writing such dialogues
Siddiqi said that one doesn’t think that a particular line will receive claps or become hit or iconic while writing. “I have written several dialogues that have been popular for years,” he said. “Around 40 years ago, I had written, ‘Teri jaat ka baida maaroon’, which is remembered even today. As a dialogue writer, I am giving information and fulfilling my needs through words. So, you don’t think how one particular line will be perceived.”
Citing an example of another classic Hindi film, he said, “People have been repeating the lines from Sholay, which are actually meaningless. Where is the dialogue-baazi in a line like, ‘Kitne aadmi the?’? Similarly, how did ‘Arre O Sambha’ become popular? There is no magic of dialogue baazi in this dialogue. But because people like the film, they like its characters and once they like the characters, they like everything about them.”
Also Read: Before Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol’s classic, there was another Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge — released in 1980!
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