Mumbai: Recalling her memorable performance as Raj in “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, Shah Rukh Khan says it’s been 30 years but it feels like yesterday and Kajol believes her character of Simran still resonates with the audience because it represents millions of young women in India.
“Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, directed by Aditya Chopra and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, redefined modern romance in Indian cinema, immortalizing its characters Raj and Simran in the hearts of many film lovers. It is also the longest running film in Indian cinema, with audiences still standing in queues at the ticket window to watch a show at the famous Maratha Temple in Mumbai.
As the film celebrates its 30th anniversary, its iconic lead pair, Shah Rukh and Kajol capture the timeless magic of DDLJ. Shahrukh attributed the success of the film to the pure heart with which Aditya Chopra and his producer father Yash Chopra made it.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been 30 years since ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ released. It feels like it happened yesterday because ‘small things like this keep happening in big countries…’ but it still feels unbelievable. “I am truly grateful for the love I have received from people all over the world for playing the character of Raj – the place the film has created in the hearts of people across the world is bigger than anyone could have imagined,” Shah Rukh said in a statement. And I will never forget that moment when everyone started coming… watch the film and fall in love.
The actor is still ruling the industry and has delivered three consecutive hits in 2023 with “Pathan”, “Jawaan” and “Donkey”. Shahrukh also won the first National Film Award of his career this year for “Jawaan”.
According to the superstar, the impact that ‘DDLJ’ has made on the hearts of people across the world is unprecedented.
The superstar further added, “…so many couples come up to me and say they got married or fell in love after watching this film. I also think it has had such a happy impact on the pop culture of India and South Asians…there are years of falling in love here.”
Kajol, who brought Simran to life and created one of Hindi cinema’s most successful pairings with Shah Rukh in films like “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, “My Name Is Khan” and “Dilwale”, still looks back on this legacy with great fondness.
“Thirty years of DDLJ seems unreal! The film has become a legacy and a nostalgic experience for a generation. That classic was made with the carelessness of youth and the sincerity of first love, they never imagined that Raj and Simran would make the entire nation hold their breath at a railway station. The songs, the dialogues, the mustard fields – everything from that world seeped into pop culture and stayed there.”
Kajol said that Simran is a chapter that never ended for her and it is connected to most of the girls in the country.
“Almost every romantic film that came after has a part of DDLJ, because somewhere, history was made and it never left us. For me, Simran is a chapter that refuses to end. She represents millions of girls across this country – girls who want to do as their parents do, who hold tradition in one hand but reach for freedom with the other. That’s why she still resonates Is. Every time someone says, ‘Ja Simran, Ja’, it shows the belief that courage and love can co-exist,” Kajol shared in the statement.
The actor said that the film has become an experience that audiences now pass on to their children, which is what makes it unique.
“The audience who loved this film when they were sixteen are now watching it with their children, and loving it more with each passing year. Maybe that’s what turning thirty does for a person – you start to know yourself better.
“But when a film reigns for thirty years, it defines a generation’s idea of who they are and what love means to them. It has become a template for how Indian cinema dreams of love. I am grateful to the audience who still see me as that girl in the white suit, running towards the one she loves… just with more courage,” she said.
Both Shahrukh and Kajol have been friends and this helped in creating their great chemistry on screen.
“With them, it was effortless from the very first time. There’s a kind of understanding, a rhythm and a trust that just clicks. You know exactly how the other person thinks, how they’ll react, how a look, a pause or even silence will land. That’s why the magic on screen feels so natural; it’s not acting in the traditional sense, it’s reacting, playing and bouncing off each other in a way that feels real. Seems like.
He added, “There’s a lot of mutual respect and spontaneity in our equation. We never had to overthink, plan too much or put in too much effort. Even in the most emotional or intense scenes, there’s this unspoken trust that the other person will meet you halfway. And I think the audience feels that way; they feel a sense of authenticity, even if they don’t know the work behind it.”
He also credited Aditya Chopra and his approach to the film, which balanced both tradition and modernity with honesty.
“Paying attention to family expectations, balancing tradition and modernity, and learning the courage to follow your heart are themes that don’t go out of style. They connect with every generation, whether you’re experiencing love for the first time or looking back on it with nostalgia,” she said.
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