![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieYes, am still behind on replies. Mea culpa!
Have started my umpteenth rewatch of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge aka "Dangermousie's most rewatched movie ever."
This is the movie that made me irrevocably love Bollywood (and even my husband likes this flick), and that, mircale of miracles, keeps up on rewatches.
And whenever I am tired or down or grumpy, I pop in and presto: ten minutes in and I am grinning and feel happy. If there is such a thing as a perfect movie for me, that is it.
Things I've been thinking about on this rewatch:
1. I love that the movie doesn't open with either Simran or Raj - the lovers who are the main characters, but with Chaudhary Baldev Singh, Simran's father. His bit of reflective nostalgia for India and his resignation to being in England instead, before we know any of the story or meet anyone else, really makes me see him as deeply human. And that is crucial to the story. Unlike many 'obstacle' parents in movies, CBH is not an evil person, not a stereotypical unreasonable father. He is old-fashioned, somewhat autocratic, but he is a person with feelings - he loves his wife and his daughters, he misses his birthplace etc. It's a nuance often lost in DDLJ's successors. And they keep having these touches in throughout the movie - just remember that delicious scene when he comes into a party of women and guys singing and playing around and everyone freezes expecting disapproval, but instead he starts singing to his wife, looking 20 years younger. It's moments like these that make the end and his letting Simran go to Raj believable and not a deus ex machina which makes no sense.
2. Simran's father might love Punjab and be nostalgic for it (we are presented with bright and joyful colors of the fields as opposed to the muted London) but hey, at the end, Simran ends up going with Raj to live in London, she doesn't stay in Punjab. Punjab might be home to her father, but London is Simran's home - she was born there. It's not really about one place being better than another, but which one is a home and which one has those things you want.
3. Simran's little poem about an unknown stranger at the beginning. I love that when she does meet her future love, he isn't some sort of a dream prince - respectful and sweet and with the two of them falling in love at first sight and swooning into each other's arms (which is what you'd expect in a standard romance). Nope, Raj is a joker and is immature at the start and Simran and Raj get along as well as oil and water. But that is the cool thing - Raj might not seem like Simran's ideal but he ends up being it. And unlike Simran who does not change too much from the beginning to the end (why should she? She is awesome already), Raj actually grows up tremendously because of love and obstacles. By the end, he is completely worthy not just of Simran's love or her mother's trust, but every little poem Simran could come up. This is pretty neat.
4. The thing that always gets me the most with this movie is the narrative of female helplessness - in the society Simran has been raised, she has no right to dreams of her own unless they coincide with her father's or that arranged husband she's never met. I always get a lump when she tells her mother she forgot she had no right to dream and her mother replies that of course she has a right to dream, she just can't have them come true. Or the scene when she asks her father to let her have a month out of her own life, as if it's a huge favor. Her life, all of it, should belong to nobody but her! And of course the scene when her mother comes to her in India and asks her to give up her hopes of Raj and remembers how she (Mom) promised to herself if she had a daughter, things like that would never happen to her but she should have known a woman doesn't have a right even to promises.
That is why I love that Raj is so Westernized. I don't think it would occur him to order Simran to do anything any more than it would occur him to fly to the moon (during their trip together all she has to do is show a hint of tears and he goes into an overdrive to try to stop her from crying. You know, even when he acts like a goof, he takes excellent care of her).
And it's clear that what Raj and Simran will have is a relationship of equals. They manage to find equality even within confines of the very rigid traditional Singh household: I loved Raj before, of course, but I think my love reached a whole new stage when he fasted on Karwa Chauth, because Simran decided to (it's a festival at which women fast for health of their husbands or prospective husbands). It didn't even occur to Kuljit, Simran's proper fiance, to do that, but for Raj if Simran fasts, so must he: and he doesn't do it to score points with her or anything, he just does it with no fuss as an internal rightness thing and if Simran's younger sis didn't blab, Simran would have never found out about it.
And of course it's clear that Simran is no meek little woman with Raj. I am not even talking about on the trip, when she is as much of a catalyst and actor as he is. I am talking in the Singh household. She insists that he should be the one who gives her bread and water when the fast is over (a husband is apparently supposed to to it) and gets her own way, making him come up with a solution. She might be stuck in a traditional, rigid society, but she will find as much individuality and freedom as she can within it. (And of course at the end, she is free to go and live with Raj in London, and be free, period, not get limited freedoms within traditional confines).
5. The little scene when Raj confesses his love to Simran in first half and getting no reaction turns into a joke is LOVE.
GUUUH, I love this movie. I plan to watch the second half tomorrow.
Have started my umpteenth rewatch of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge aka "Dangermousie's most rewatched movie ever."
This is the movie that made me irrevocably love Bollywood (and even my husband likes this flick), and that, mircale of miracles, keeps up on rewatches.
And whenever I am tired or down or grumpy, I pop in and presto: ten minutes in and I am grinning and feel happy. If there is such a thing as a perfect movie for me, that is it.
Things I've been thinking about on this rewatch:
1. I love that the movie doesn't open with either Simran or Raj - the lovers who are the main characters, but with Chaudhary Baldev Singh, Simran's father. His bit of reflective nostalgia for India and his resignation to being in England instead, before we know any of the story or meet anyone else, really makes me see him as deeply human. And that is crucial to the story. Unlike many 'obstacle' parents in movies, CBH is not an evil person, not a stereotypical unreasonable father. He is old-fashioned, somewhat autocratic, but he is a person with feelings - he loves his wife and his daughters, he misses his birthplace etc. It's a nuance often lost in DDLJ's successors. And they keep having these touches in throughout the movie - just remember that delicious scene when he comes into a party of women and guys singing and playing around and everyone freezes expecting disapproval, but instead he starts singing to his wife, looking 20 years younger. It's moments like these that make the end and his letting Simran go to Raj believable and not a deus ex machina which makes no sense.
2. Simran's father might love Punjab and be nostalgic for it (we are presented with bright and joyful colors of the fields as opposed to the muted London) but hey, at the end, Simran ends up going with Raj to live in London, she doesn't stay in Punjab. Punjab might be home to her father, but London is Simran's home - she was born there. It's not really about one place being better than another, but which one is a home and which one has those things you want.
3. Simran's little poem about an unknown stranger at the beginning. I love that when she does meet her future love, he isn't some sort of a dream prince - respectful and sweet and with the two of them falling in love at first sight and swooning into each other's arms (which is what you'd expect in a standard romance). Nope, Raj is a joker and is immature at the start and Simran and Raj get along as well as oil and water. But that is the cool thing - Raj might not seem like Simran's ideal but he ends up being it. And unlike Simran who does not change too much from the beginning to the end (why should she? She is awesome already), Raj actually grows up tremendously because of love and obstacles. By the end, he is completely worthy not just of Simran's love or her mother's trust, but every little poem Simran could come up. This is pretty neat.
4. The thing that always gets me the most with this movie is the narrative of female helplessness - in the society Simran has been raised, she has no right to dreams of her own unless they coincide with her father's or that arranged husband she's never met. I always get a lump when she tells her mother she forgot she had no right to dream and her mother replies that of course she has a right to dream, she just can't have them come true. Or the scene when she asks her father to let her have a month out of her own life, as if it's a huge favor. Her life, all of it, should belong to nobody but her! And of course the scene when her mother comes to her in India and asks her to give up her hopes of Raj and remembers how she (Mom) promised to herself if she had a daughter, things like that would never happen to her but she should have known a woman doesn't have a right even to promises.
That is why I love that Raj is so Westernized. I don't think it would occur him to order Simran to do anything any more than it would occur him to fly to the moon (during their trip together all she has to do is show a hint of tears and he goes into an overdrive to try to stop her from crying. You know, even when he acts like a goof, he takes excellent care of her).
And it's clear that what Raj and Simran will have is a relationship of equals. They manage to find equality even within confines of the very rigid traditional Singh household: I loved Raj before, of course, but I think my love reached a whole new stage when he fasted on Karwa Chauth, because Simran decided to (it's a festival at which women fast for health of their husbands or prospective husbands). It didn't even occur to Kuljit, Simran's proper fiance, to do that, but for Raj if Simran fasts, so must he: and he doesn't do it to score points with her or anything, he just does it with no fuss as an internal rightness thing and if Simran's younger sis didn't blab, Simran would have never found out about it.
And of course it's clear that Simran is no meek little woman with Raj. I am not even talking about on the trip, when she is as much of a catalyst and actor as he is. I am talking in the Singh household. She insists that he should be the one who gives her bread and water when the fast is over (a husband is apparently supposed to to it) and gets her own way, making him come up with a solution. She might be stuck in a traditional, rigid society, but she will find as much individuality and freedom as she can within it. (And of course at the end, she is free to go and live with Raj in London, and be free, period, not get limited freedoms within traditional confines).
5. The little scene when Raj confesses his love to Simran in first half and getting no reaction turns into a joke is LOVE.
GUUUH, I love this movie. I plan to watch the second half tomorrow.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 05:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 11:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 06:06 am (UTC)But that is the cool thing - Raj might not seem like Simran's ideal but he ends up being it. And unlike Simran who does not change too much from the beginning to the end (why should she? She is awesome already), Raj actually grows up tremendously because of love and obstacles. - so, so true, one of the main things I like about it.
and Raj as an immature teaser is so fun to watch :D
I think my favorite moment of that drama - aside from the famous/infamous field scene of course;) - is when he lets her think on the trip that they slept together, and when she takes him seriously and starts crying such a look of horror and pain and regret comes over his face, that he made her think that...GUH
they're both such great actors, with such great chemistry, playing fiery and passionate characters to the background of gorgeous settings and amazing music - what's not to love?
no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 11:54 am (UTC)is when he lets her think on the trip that they slept together, and when she takes him seriously and starts crying such a look of horror and pain and regret comes over his face, that he made her think that
Oh, how I love that scene! Because that is so Raj, especially when he is yet not mature: to let a joke get out of control and get carried away (and he is probably grumpy about having to take care of a crazy drunk girl all night so he thinks it's a bit of teasing payback) but the moment he realizes that she is really hurt, that his joke hurt her, he drops all joking and all shields and just is so full of distress and immediate need to make it better. GUHHHH. I bet he never realized she could be so upset. I doubt he is used to a traditional, oldfashioned girl much.
But that is the thing, even early on, he totally takes such good care of her. He barely knows her, but he makes sure she has things to eat, he runs after her when she is drunk (and is hands off entirely) etc etc.
He would make a very good partner, and he is very caring (we actually saw a hint of it early on with his Dad). Quite a contrast with Kuljit who, while not killing puppies, is a lot more traditionally self-centered. Even when Raj is not yet realizing he is in love with Simran, he does care for her well-being but Kuljit is all 'I am going to ditch her and go to London to party with loose girls.' Simran's Dad doesn't realize traditional upbringing doesn't automatically mean good husband material.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 05:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 07:05 am (UTC)I think I have watched that movie more than 50 times since and it is still fresh and cute and totally awesome. Thinking that SRK only took the role as a favour, it is wonderful that it was this role that established him as the romantic lead instead of the bad boy (like in Baazigar) and you can't have a better jodi than SRK/Kajol :)
The story just flows which is not a common thing with BW movies. Most of the times you really feel the length of those movies and I have to admit nowadays I ffw through most of the dance numbers as they seem to interrupt the flow of the story more than they compliment the plot. Sad but true. But with DDLJ everything fits, from the mountains of Switzerland to the mustard fields of Punjab.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 11:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 08:14 am (UTC)It's a nuance often lost in DDLJ's successors. And they keep having these touches in throughout the movie - just remember that delicious scene when he comes into a party of women and guys singing and playing around and everyone freezes expecting disapproval, but instead he starts singing to his wife, looking 20 years younger.
Yeah. Even though Amrish Puri does villain so well, I oddly feel more sympathetic towards this father character than say, Amitabh in K3G. And that moment in Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna is so lovely. :D
Raj might not seem like Simran's ideal but he ends up being it.
Too true. Some people seem to just think he's an ass because he never really has this big moment of regret like "wow, squirting water on her wasn't very nice, bad Raj, I'll treat her better next time!" but the fact is that he does grow up, he just approaches every situation with confidence, or faking confidence (I like the moments where you see he's not sure whether his plan on the 2nd half will work, but he keeps pushing towards his goal anyway).
We watched that scene with Simran and her mother in my Bollywood class and it was pretty hard to watch, because even though melodramatic, it seems very genuine and real - that women in India really do have to make sacrifices as daughters, sisters, mothers.. Not that life is all misery because of that, but it's still not easy.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 11:58 am (UTC)Amrish Puri is more sympathetic than Amitabh in K3G. God, I wrote a whole rant on Amitabh in my K3G review somewhere but the way that man treats his children and holds a grudge for years is horrible. The way he basically lets SRK know he only has his approval if SRK ditches Kajol, when his child is all penitent and weeping at his feet (and he knows how much SRK needs approval, being an adopted child) and won't 'relent' until SRK promises to do what he wants. The way he doesn't even want to see his grandkid. Grrrr.
but the fact is that he does grow up, he just approaches every situation with confidence, or faking confidence
Exactly. And come on, big apology for stuff he did which was all childish nonsense (dancing with her in Paris or water squirting) would be way OTT. When he does messes up seriously (as with his joke about night together) he does explain and apologize...
no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 02:16 pm (UTC)I love the character of Raj. Certainly not the perfect man, but someone who will take care of you, and keep things fun. :D
no subject
Date: 2008-08-28 09:56 pm (UTC)So true. And what more could anyone want?
no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 06:55 pm (UTC)...That's all I have to contribute. :D
Oh, and also, I miss Kajol. The SRK/Kajol combo never lets me down (now, I feel like rewatching Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Khabi Khushi Khabi Gham. Here goes a fortnight!).
no subject
Date: 2008-08-28 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-27 11:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-28 09:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-30 01:35 am (UTC)If I'm writing an essay on Bollywood, this counts as study right?