Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge might have been released in the autumn of 1995 but the romance drama continues to be a part of pop culture even today. While it continues its dream run at Mumbai’s iconic Maratha Mandir even 27 years after its release, the recent reason behind why it is making headlines can be attributed to the fact that it was re-released in theatres on the occasion of Valentine’s Day this year. It is also a part of conversations among film lovers and millennials on social media today because of its continuous reference in the recently released Netflix docu-series The Romantics, which chronicles the legacy of Yash Raj Films.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge had a simplistic storyline – boy meets girl, sparks fly, parents oppose but boy convinces his lady love’s family and wins them over. While Raj and Simran might have been born and brought up in London, they remained rooted in their Indian tradition and it is this relatable conflict that struck a chord with Indians and the diaspora all across the world. The unfathomable popularity of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has often also given rise to a dialogue on the remake of the film. In fact, last year, a south-based portal reported that actor Vijay Deverakonda will be seen in the remake of the film with producer Aditya Chopra, which was slammed by Yash Raj Films. And in an exclusive conversation with News18, its leading lady Kajol stated that a Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge remake is a complete no-no for her.
She said, “My personal opinion is that I don’t think that films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge should be remade. I feel the same for K3G (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham; 2001). I feel that magic can only be created once. If you recreate it, it just fizzles out and it won’t have the same feel.” She also added that comparisons with the original film of 1995 would be inevitable and that it would leave the audience disappointed. “You’ll always be disappointed regardless of how well it is portrayed and done. Magic has a feel to it. Films give you that feel. You feel something when you watch them for the first time and nothing replicates that feeling,” she asserted.
Having been a part of a slew of love stories in the earlier years of her career, Kajol’s focus has now shifted to films that align with her personal sensibility. And that’s why, the last few years saw her headlining mainstream films with off-beat subjects like Helicopter Eela (2018), Devi (2020), Tribhanga (2021) and Salaam Venky (2022). Interestingly, barring Helicopter Eela, the others have been helmed by women filmmakers – Priyanka Banerjee, Renuka Shahane and Revathy, respectively.
Happy with the paradigm shift that has taken place in the Hindi film industry over the past few years, the 48-year-old remarked, “On the sets of Tribhanga, there were so many strong women. The same goes for Salaam Venky. We had women in every department, right from make-up and hair to production and choreography. I thought it was amazing!” The actor, who will next be seen in The Good Wife and Lust Stories 2, lauded the changing landscape and further continued, “It’s heartening to see the gender balance being restored. The film industry has always been a male-dominated space due to practical reasons. It’s so heartening to see so many women – right from DoPs to sound recordists – coming up in areas where you would never see them before. That’s the fabulous part of this era.”
But working with female makers isn’t a conscious decision that Kajol has taken. While she acknowledged the conversation about equal representation of men and women on a film set, she iterated that she would continue to be drawn towards scripts that are meaningful and interesting irrespective of the gender of the director helming them. “I remember a reporter once came up to me and asked if I would only work with female filmmakers from now on. But what do I do if I only have female directors coming to me and offering me some fabulous scripts? I’ll give both Renuka and Revathy ma’am the biggest compliment that there’s no gender issue when they’re on set. They’re just really fine directors and writers. Having said that, I’ve worked with some fabulous directors regardless of them being male or female,” elaborated the actor, who completed three decades in showbiz recently.
Read all the Latest Movies News here
Comments
0 comment