Sydney Blach
Movie Review; DDLJ
Bollywood; TR 3:30-4:45
April 5, 2010

DDLJ

Diwale Dulhaniya Le Jay directed by Aditya Chopra is just one of many films that features the silver screen sensations Kajol and Shahruhk Kahn as hopeless young lovers. Released in October of 1995, the film was a proven success nation wide, and to the day holds its title as one of the biggest Bollywood hits of all time. Presumably, the reason for its success is because it not only speaks to and Indian audience living in India itself but to an Indian audience living overseas as well. At the beginning, the film is based in London where the audience is presented with two different Indian families who maintain their “Hindustani” identifications regardless of their living abroad. This concept was well received seeing as there were many Indian Diaspora families across the world at the time who could relate to families struggles within the film. The film not only gave the Diaspora families a sense of security that they are not alone, but gave the families back in India who have family-members abroad or children who wanted to study abroad the security that though no longer living in India, their Indian-ness has not been lost.
Though the background revolves around the Diaspora family, the primary focus of the film is of course a love story, in this case the love between Simran and Kajol. The love story between Simran, played by Kajol, and Raj, played by Shahruhk starts as foreshadow with Simran telling her mother, Lajjo, that she had a dream about falling in love with an unfamiliar man. While Simran sings her song about this man whom she has yet to meet the audience is introduced to Raj who is busy joking around with his friends and failing to receive his college degree. From the moment the two characters are introduced it is clear that Raj is the man in Simran’s dreams. This assumption becomes even clearer when both characters decide to take a three month long tour around Europe with their friends and it is Raj’s helping hand that pulls Simran onto the train she nearly missed.
At first Raj seems childish and rather annoying constantly joking around and pulling pranks at Simran’s expense, while Simran is seen as very mature and respectable. The differences between the two characters seem rooted in the fact that Raj was raised by his father who is extremely wealthy and lets Raj have and do whatever he may please, while Simran’s father is very much rooted in tradition and works hard to provide a comfortable life for his family. For instance, while Raj’s father had no problems letting his son run around Europe for a while, Simran’s father only agreed after he sees her praying and is assured that she is a good Hindu girl. In addition, he agreed to the trip only under the condition that when she returns she would be married to his long time friend’s son, Kuljit, and the family would move back to India.
As the trip proceeds the two begin to fall deeper and deeper in love with one another and Raj’s trickster ways seem to be left by the way side. Finally, the three months comes to an end and the couple is forced to go their separate ways despite their passion for one another. Simran and her family pack their life in London up and move to India to proceed with the marriage arrangement, and Raj returns to his father who immediately notices the change within his son, and asks who the girl he fell in love with is. After a heart to heart with his father, Raj is determined to win the hand of the girl that he loves- hence the name of the movie- The Lover Will Take the Bride. Raj arrives at Simran’s house in London too late and is told that the family has already left for India for the wedding, but this does not stop Raj. Instead, he travels to India himself, befriends Kuljit, and lives incognito within the house of Simran’s husband-to-be, winning the hearts of both families by helping with the wedding to-dos. Though Simran poses the idea of eloping together on several occasions, Raj refuses stating that he does not want to steal her from her father, he wants to win her.
Eventually his identity is revealed as the man that Simran fell in love with in Europe and he is forced to leave the household. When Kuljit hears of this deception he chases Raj down at the train station and the two break out into a violent battle. Raj is left bloody, bruised, and bride-less until finally, something within Simran’s father changes and he gives his graces to his daughter to go with the man she loves. The movie ends with Simran once again running after the train and Raj pulling her on board this time in order to live happily ever after. Together.