Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:54 pm Post subject: 25 Reasons to watch DDLJ again!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 reasons to watch DDLJ again! (Courtesy of Express Features Service)

The film has been running for 500 weeks, but how much do you know about it?

1 Aditya Chopra initially wanted to cast Tom Cruise for the role of Raj Malhotra

2 Kirron Kher came up with the title Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This is the first film in the history of Bollywood with a credit of ‘title suggested by’.

3 The working title of the film was The Braveheart will take the Bride

4 Sooraj Barjatya watches DDLJ almost every week, and especially before starting a new film

5 Aditya Chopra always thought that he would make his debut with Mohabbatein, a story about three sets of lovers and a music teacher. He eventually made that one in 2000.

6 SRK’s famous leather jacket was bought by Uday Chopra from a Harley- Davidson store in Bakersfield, California, for $400

7 SRK initially refused the film because he regarded romances as ‘‘pansy stuff.’’ It took Adi four meetings to convince him

8 In case SRK didn’t agree, Adi thought of approaching Saif Ali Khan

9 Initially, Armaan Kohli was supposed to play the role of Simran’s fiance, Kuljeet. Eventually, Parmeet Sethi got the role because he came for the screen test wearing boots, jeans and a waistcoat

10 Mere Khwaboon Mein Jo Aaye was the first song to be recorded. Aditya Chopra rejected 24 verses by Anand Bakshi before giving his nod to this one

11 It was Manish Malhotra’s idea to dress Kajol in a green outfit for Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna. Adi was against it since Punjabi brides traditionally wear red, maroon or pink

12 The famous Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jaana Sanam sequence amidst the yellow sarson flowers was shot in Gurgaon

13 Saroj Khan left the shooting in a huff after a disagreement with Aditya. SRK recommended Farah Khan, who choreographed Ruk Ja

14 In 2001, DDLJ broke the continuous exhibition record of the movie Sholay at Minerva theatre (5 years, 1975-1980)

15 Karan Johar assisted Aditya on the sets, while Uday (his younger brother) was also one of the assistants

16 Besides assisting Adi, Karan Johar also acted in the movie. He played ‘Ponchy’, one of SRK’s friends

17 Adi named SRK ‘Raj’ after Raj Kapoor

18 SRK’s full name in the movie is Rajnath, after Rishi Kapoor’s name in Bobby.

19 In the scene in which Anupam Kher tells SRK about the (non) accomplishments of his forefathers in academics, he actually recited names of his real, not- so-academically successful uncles

20 The film was mired in two major controversies after its release. Honey Irani and Javed Siddiqui said that they hadn’t been given credit for screenplay and dialogues respectively

21 Adi’s screenplay specifies that Simran is a vegetarian while Raj is willing to eat even a beefburger

22 DDLJ was the first film to have a 30-minute television show on its making. The Making of DDLJ was telecast on Doordarshan

23 HMV’s executive director Harish Dayani estimates that one in three households in India owns the DDLJ soundtrack

24 Adi used to practice his camera angles with Karan Johar posing as Kajol and Uday Chopra as Farida Jalal

25 Mandira Bedi made her film debut with the film Dus saal baad

Yash Raj Films recently reunited Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol for a photo shoot to bring in the 500 weeks celebration. While the lensman was setting the lights, Kajol was fretting. When SRK asked her the reason, she said, ‘‘Gosh, can you believe it, our movie is 10 years old. My God, we are getting old. Our kids are growing up. It’s so weird.’’ While trying to soothe her, SRK just couldn’t stop laughing. Raj Malhotra lives on.

Oh cowboy: Remember the pretty cowbell that Simran bought in Zurich? Yep, the same one that played a silent part in uniting the young lovers. If you hit Maratha Mandir theatre (Mumbai Central) this Friday and participate in a contest, then you can win one yourself from DDLJ producer Yash Chopra

Cruise control: SRK treasures his Harley- Davidson jacket. The cool dude jacket was a take off on Tom Cruise who wore one in Top Gun. Incidentally, Salman Khan wore a similar looking jacket in Maine Pyar Kiya

Green queen: Simran’s all green mehndi attire became a huge hit, just like the song. Interestingly, even at her own wedding with Ajay Devgan, Kajol wore a green Maharashtrian sari

Play it: SRK’s mandolin and the famous DDLJ tune were as much part of Raj Malhotra’s charm as his palat style. The famous line where Raj’s dad urges him to go and fight for Simran, Maine tujhe tun tuna bajane ke liye paida nahin kiya hai, is one of the most memorable father-son scenes in Hindi film industry

Hat trick: Raj’s hat with a feather symbolised his yuppie image. The feather was given huge prominence on the film posters as well.

POLLS

OWNER

VOTES