Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
(Aditya Chopra, India 1995, 181 min., 35mm, Hindi w/English subtitles)
Except during the pandemic, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has been running in Indian theaters for the last twenty-eight years. The debut film of writer-director Aditya Chopra (the son of legendary producer Yash Chopra), the film expands the appeal of Indian cinema to the world by shooting in European locations, as well as India. The charismatic couple Raj and Simran (Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol) both grew up in London. Her family was strict and traditional, while his was more liberal and Westernized. Avoiding a marriage that her father has arranged for her, Simran convinces him to let her see Europe via train before the marriage. There, Raj and Simran meet and fall in love, but they still need to convince her father that a love match is right for her. One of the most successful Indian films in history, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was successful in bringing a wider audience to the national film industry.