Throwback Music Review: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge #20YearsOfDDLJ

Anyone who grew up with Bollywood music in the 90s knows that this era is characterized by the evergreen melodies of Jatin-Lalit. DDLJ is one such popular iconic album. Almost every song in this soundtrack is associated with some aspect of people’s love stories today. Let’s take a trip down melodious memory lane…

“Mere Khwabon Mein” is the heroine intro song where Simran (Kajol) is portrayed as carefree but graceful, outgoing but also shy, and practical but a hopeless romantic. As we all know, what made this song particularly famous was Kajol’s towel dance, which Ranbir Kapoor attempted to replicate in Saawariya.

In “Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane“, we become more acquainted with our hero, Raj (Shah Rukh Khan), who is obviously obnoxious, silly, and charming all at once. This peppy jive number has all the fun group choreography that was also characteristic of 90s Bollywood.

When boy meets girl, kuch kuch hota hai (something happens). “Tujhe Dekha” is the most popular song in this album and is frequently used to describe the love at first sight that happens when a boy and a girl lock eyes for the first time. Whether it’s a first crush or a marriage partner, this song generates the same feelings of love with every listen.

Once boy meets girl and girl hates boy, the most logical next step in the relationship is flirtation. “Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main”, the song where Simran and Raj basically take turns being tipsy/drunk, is all about letting loose, getting rid of those boundaries, and building intimacy. No one could have sung this one better than Asha Bhosle and Abhijeet!

Boy and girl become close but then time catches up with them, and suddenly, circumstances force them apart. Through “Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko To Pyar Sajna”, they realize their love for another when they are separated. The mood and picturization of this song are somewhat similar to “Main Yahaan Hoon” from the film Veer Zaara, in which Zaara also imagines seeing Veer everywhere she goes. History certainly does repeat itself!

Simran returns home to find out that her father misses India and that they are moving back to the motherland because Simran’s marriage has been fixed! “Ghar Aaja Pardesi” is a sentimental patriotic song that upon hearing it, you can just imagine Amrish Puri contently strolling through Punjab ke kheth feeding birds.

Fast forward to the wedding. What’s the most important ritual for a bride? Mehndi! And since we are talking about Bollywood here, of course there’s a song for that ritual too! “Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna” is a quintessential Bollywood wedding track that is played during actual Mehndi Sangeet rituals even today. From the outfits to the nakhres to the dancing, this video is filled with Punjabi flavor!