Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

The phenomenally popular Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (it played in Indian theaters for five years straight) is, in many ways, a perfect introduction to Bollywood. With a perfectly executed classic Hollywood boy-meets-girl plot, charismatic stars and great songs, it overflows with the specific kind of joy that only great Bollywood movies can produce. The film is dominated by Shah Rukh Khan, who careens through it like a hyperactive Cary Grant, charming everyone in his path and generally showing why he's been one of the most popular bollywood stars of the past decade. Khan can be hard to take seriously in dramatic efforts like Dil Se and Asoka, but he excels at comedy. His interactions with Amrish Puri as Simran's stern, glowering father, are particularly hilarious. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is also a very picturesque film.Its beauty doesn't end when the action moves to Punjab for the second half, where several scenes take place in a gorgeous field of yellow flowers stretching to the horizon. An immensely likeable movie, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge performs the rarely-achieved feat of stretching a predictable plot over three hours and making every minute enjoyable. --platform47.com

Dilwale made me glad to be a Westerner, just so I could experience the sheer rush in the glorious way this film simply throws its Indian sensibility in your face. It is one of the most completely, openly joyful films I have ever seen. In many ways a totally Western film, it is yet completely un-Western, and absolutely invigorating. I found the (rather oddly looped in places) mix of Hindi and English dialog to be a lot of fun to follow (as incomplete as the subtitles sometimes seemed). The Indian/Western pop structure of the songs was entertaining and infectious. The choreography is simply amazing, and some of the most sheerly athletic I've seen. The Indian roots of the dance routines were at first almost unnerving--at once familiar yet bizarre, almost surreal (to my Western eyes). It was sheer fun making the cultural adjustment. The plot is predictable, almost pedestrian--certainly not what you'd call "never done before," and yet I found myself completely absorbed in the story, and rooting for the main characters. This is in large part due to Shahrukh Khan's and Kajol's performances as Raj and Simran. He is totally endearing, and she is totally hot!, and their on screen chemistry is as cute & perky and smoldering & steamy as Fred and Ginger at their peak. It was, simply put, fun to watch them having so much fun. Director Aditya Chopra was, I understand, only 24 when he made Dilwale, and the film was so successful its Indian first run lasted a world-record 11 years (and may still be going on, as far as I know). A heckuva testimony to Bollywood indeed. This movie has instantly become one of my favorite musicals, and I look forward to finding more films from Chopra, Khan, and Kajol. What a treat! --platform47.com

Dilwale is a coming of age romantic film of the 90s that makes you want to fall in love.

The lush locales of Europe and the rich vegetation of Punjab provide an ideal backdrop for the romance. The scenes are excellently crafted to convey the delicate dilemma of the main characters.

The performances are brilliant. Shah Rukh manages to time his bursts of energy very well. His tendency to get carried away is well curtailed here. Kajol is all subtlety and grace. The best part is that the support cast too makes its presence felt especially Amrish Puri and Farida Jalal, who play Kajols parents.

All this makes this movie a not-to-be-missed one and I would be surprised if many of you have. --platform47.com