My Autobiography: HAHK & DDLJ – BLOCKBUSTER Indian Movies??
HAHK = Hum Aaapke Hain Koun; DDLJ = Dilwale Dulhaniyan Le Jaayenge.
I guess you already know about these two BLOCKBUSTER Bollywood (Hindi) movies. If you don’t – Well, you are lucky!! But then, such movies (and their clones) often become BLOCKBUSTERS in every regional language in India.
When you are just entering your teens, these two movies are a MUST NOT see. I know these two movies *inspired* and *entertained* a whole generation of youngsters, including your’s truly. Actually, I was *so* *excited* that for a long time I thought these two movies were the BEST ever movies made in the WHOLE world. Until KNPH was released.
KNPH = Kaho Naa Pyar Hai. Yeah, I was a gone-case back then 🙂
When I was *so* young and *so* impressionable, I saw Hum Aapke Hain Koun. That was the first Hindi movie that I saw in the theater. When I came out, I was like ‘WWWooooooWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW‘. I was actually smiling throughout the movie (it seems) and I was completely entertained. For many days, many scenes (and songs) were so fresh in my imagination and were playing repeatedly inside my mind!
Then came DDLJ. The cast, the story, the songs, the Swiss locales and everything else charmed me to no end (for your own sake, DON’T WATCH THE ABOVE EMBEDDED TRAILER). When Kajol ran towards the train to catch Shahrukh’s hand in the climax, I (along with numerous youngsters) were actually cheering for them – ‘Go fast, go … go, the Train is LEAVING!!!’ 😀
Thankfully, due to my board exams, I didn’t see KKHH (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai). I am sure this was another plentifully hyped-up movie!! By the time I saw Mohabattein, I was grown up. A bit. Enough to understand hype from reality.
The point of this post is –
Are we allowing the regional language & bollywood movies to influence our youngsters too much? Are we allowing producers, directors & actors to play with the fragile and innocent emotions of youngsters, for their own profit? Isn’t there any difference between entertainment and influencing? Between fun and temptation? Between infotainment and incitement?
I know youngsters often do not realize the differences but the sad thing is, I see many adults influenced by such movies and the concepts propagated by them.
Destination Infinity
BTW, what movies influenced you the most when you were young? 😉
Honestly, HAHK was my first hindi movie in a theatre with cousins and I liked it because it had Madhuri in it. And Tuffy (or whatever his name is) because I love dogs. I hated them for making Renuka Sahane die.
DDLJ – I watched years after its release and honestly did not like it. I was not charmed. I was not besotted. Nothing whatsoever. I laughed at Kajol for having left such a beautiful souvenir hanging by the door – how foolish, I thought.
While I enjoy entertainment (goofiness quotient being high), I love movies that inspire me. Whatever the language!
But I guess preferences change and as long as nothing untoward happens, a bit of craziness and hero worship is cool 😛 What bothers me are other stupid things shown on the TV or movies – example, Cocktail.
I don’t know much about the recent bolly movies as I have stopped watching them before a few years. Most of the movies were trying to manipulate our feelings and emotions for their own gain and obviously I didn’t like it, once I realized it. I do watch some good movies now and then – Kahaani, Chak De India, etc. I watch them only if I know the story-line and I like it.
Back then, I liked DDLJ more than HAHK. I don’t know why! Maybe because it had more drama? 🙂
Destination Infinity
They are all time favorite movies…
interesting post…
thanks
Oh, so you like them even now? 🙂
Destination Infinity
Been there, done that too.
This post brings back some interesting memories.
Similar English movies?
Destination Infinity
Yeah..who doesn’t love these movies! They were the best memories of the bygone teenage era!
I know of a girl who eloped after watching “Alaipayuthey”, and of another girl who eloped even before “Alaipayuthey” was released!!
Before Alaipayuthey was released? Maybe she saw the preview show??? 😛
Destination Infinity
Interesting post. It will be difficult for anyone to believe. But it is true. I have never seen a Hindi movie in my lifetime so far. Have seen quite a few Tamil movies. They are changing the story line now a days. But, it always used to be either “love triangle” or “big bad rich VVIP as villain and the hero single handedly defeats him and marry his daughter or sister”.
I have enjoyed many Tamil and English movies. But which one influenced me? None.
I guess Hindi and Tamil movies are all the same. Most Indian movies pretty much use the same techniques to GRAB our attention. It’s good to know that you were not influenced by any movie, because it’s difficult not to be influenced, especially when we are in teenage.
Destination Infinity
A lot of movies…which we feel were simply fabulous when we saw them during our childhood or teens… we realise later that they contained a lot of flaws and loopholes which we can easily see today. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai had been my favourite movie during my early teens. Today I can find a hundred reasons to criticize it. I think every generation goes through this, isn’t it?
Absolutely – Every generation goes through this because teenage is the period when we are most vulnerable. Different businesses take advantage of our vulnerability in different ways. The Movie business is just one of them.
Destination Infinity
I loved all these movies too back then. Now I feel what the hell when I watch them 😛 Movies influence youth to a large extent I think. One should think before showing something on screen. Many people do few things only because someone did that in the movie, especially eve teasing or going behind a girl until she agrees to marry him etc.
That’s true – Movies do influence the youth to a large extent. But look at it this way – If the power is handled responsibly and in a positive way, things could change for the better. Maybe movie makers could also make good money. But, most of the crap directors and producers just want to exploit the situation in their hand. What surprises me is, many of the elders (who crossed their teens a long time back) still believe in filmy concepts!
Destination Infinity
Hi Rajesh. This is my first visit to your site. Movies do have an impact on the mind. All the movies that you have mentioned were great blockbusters. Whether old or young every one enjoyed them. But I will not like to see them . At this stage of my life, I enjoy comedies. Movies like Chupke chupke,Gol Maal, and Professor.
You might have visited this blog sometime before – because the first comment generally goes through an approval process and yours didn’t! 🙂 Comedies and subjects that tell a good story are interesting at any age, but our producers and directors will want to instill influencing elements even in comedy movies. Which comedy movie doesn’t come with songs (aka item numbers) and lovers?
Destination Infinity
Well, I also watched them but I was from the group which were neutral to them. The movie which made impression on my minds were the the animated, action movies like Jurassic Park, Godzilla & such. Never considered love themes movies much. 😛
These love stories may keep the young minds in an enchanted unreal world. But some of them like RDB,Kargil,Border. They do have their impressions too. And I think they do some good. 🙂
Of course, false hopes are still hopes and gives the youth something to yearn for. Otherwise, chances are, they might get into other silly temptations…
Destination Infinity
I haven’t watched these movies… so I can’t comment anything on it. I think movies these days are no more inspiring real life, some movies deserve watching and feeling the art and emotions. But lack space for aspiration.
I don’t think we can watch our regional language movies for ASPIRATION. They are more interested in misguiding people than inspiring them. But then, I don’t watch movies these days, so am not sure if something has changed for the good. Though I don’t have much hopes.
Destination Infinity
i guess those movies were far better than what we have today .. like bodyguard, himmatwaala, khiladi 786 etc…..
Ha ha. I have not even heard the names of the above movies, these days I simply do not watch any movie unless I know the storyline in advance and I feel it maybe good. I saw Kahaani recently – nice movie.
Destination Infinity
The movies you mentioned, I enjoyed them when they were released but they never made a mark except as entertaining. It’s like books. Some are great thrillers and we enjoy them. Why not? Others are those you never forget and they make a deep lasting impact. It depends what age you are ofcourse, when you see the movies and read the books.
Some people, inspired by some silly movies (and books?), long for ever-lasting love (read lust). I wish them all the best.
Destination Infinity
Actually, I am not sure that they are silly. It’s entertainment. I think we should never be too old for entertainment, however silly it may seem to others. We all have a child in us. 🙂
Entertainment is fine as long as it just entertains us. But when it is modeled (consciously) to influence us, then it is not longer just entertainment. For example, we read so many thrillers and watch gangster movies. As long as these are designed to tell a good story, it’s fine. But if it goes one step ahead and instigates young people to become gangsters, criminals, etc. (by showing them as some kind of superheros, etc.) then it is clearly not entertainment. It is influencing.
If a superstar smokes cigarettes in a certain style and thousands of his fans start following him, is that a result of entertainment? How could anyone know that the actor/producer was not paid by the smoking lobby to instigate youth to smoke? Or that in order to increase his popularity, the actor is using the fragile minds of youngsters and addicts them to whatever he does on screen? If an actress dances in an item number (almost with no clothes), do you still see it as entertainment?
It is these kind of movies that seem to dominate the Indian ‘entertainment’ market. Pure entertainment is story-telling that does not instigate/influence the youth, especially in the wrong direction.
Destination Infinity
Most movies are bore. But what is of concern is the type of movies made. And censors? They are the worst.
HAHK I did not like. Too many songs on a normal life. DDLJ was OK. But the best I thought was QSQT (Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak). I watched QSQT 5 times.
In reply to your concern, India is a big country and people are different. People have different opinions with few leaders of power. So no point in discussing this point.
Let there be a few leaders of power or just one leader of power. When it comes to individual activities, they have absolutely no control on what individuals do. We watch a particular type of movie, because we want to. Not because it is released by some power center. Maximum that the power centers can do, is to tempt people with trailers and posters. But if we choose not to see certain masala type of movies, they will have to stop making them eventually. But as long as people throng to see silly movies, they will keep making them.
Destination Infinity
all 3 are great movies still one can enjoy them
Yes, now we are at an age where we may not get influenced by these movies and instigated to do silly things after watching them. But imagine the effects of such movies in the minds of teenagers and what they might do, if they are deeply influenced by them.
Destination Infinity
i too loved these two movies- i liked ‘Nadiya ke paar’ too- it’s a film of yester years and the story is similar to HAHK. Most memorable movies for me are Kaho Na Pyar He, Vivah, Kuch kuch hota he, Pyar to hona hi tha, Hero-the love story of a spy, and many many more…