Earlier this month Dil Chahta Hai – which marked Farhan Akhtar’s debut as a director celebrated its 15th anniversary.
Dil Chahta Hai has been the most relatable portrayals of the yuppie, upwardly moblie, urbane Indian Youth that Hindi cinema had come up with in years: their concerns, their lifestylles, the way they dressed and spoke.
His leading men — Aamir, Saif, Akshaye — have also moved in different directions.DCH propelled Saif, whose biggest successes prior to that had been as Akshay Kumar’s sidekick into viable solo star status. DCH — which played to Saif’s strengths arguably made films like Hum Tum, Salaam Namaste, Kal Ho Na Ho possible. For Aamir, it was one more high point as the thinking man’s (or woman’s) superstar; and while Akshaye Khanna continued with his sporadic film appearances, this is definitely counted among his most memorable performances.
Hindi movies have grown up subsequent to the time that Dil Chahta Hai released. It was a way breaker in now is the ideal time, however different movies have come in the time since, that have prepared ahead with (as much?) skill. Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara took the pal holding film to another level — where Aakash, Sid and Sameer were content with a street excursion to Goa, Kabir, Imran and Arjun streamed off to Spain.
Perphaps it’s nostalgia, perphaps it’s because we are genuinely interested in seening how Aakash, Sid and Sameer turned out, 15 years since we last saw them.
As for Farhan akhtar himself, the actor-director-producer doesn’t seem to have a clear idea just yet about what a sequel to Dil Chahta Hai may entail, if it does get made.
