5 Times Bollywood Remade DDLJ And You Did Not Realise!

Why do we all love DDLJ? How did a fairly predictable movie with acquainted shades of romance end up being a milestone for generations of filmmakers to come? The answer is layered under its vivid treatment that tick marked all expectations of Desi audiences back then! The simple acknowledgment of its tone asserted that an Indian irrespective of his nationality and lifestyle will always be an Indian by heart. It suggested that love can take you places and it also more importantly confirmed that making a girl fall in love is just not enough in India, you have to walk some extra miles and convince the family as well.

As much as it weaved its magic on the Indian viewers with exotic foreign locales, it had to settle its impression with the finale set in Punjab. This of course was largely knitted keeping the India of 90’s in mind. The film arrived, set records and refused to let its color fade away one bit.

Also Read: 5 Times Bollywood Recreated The Iconic DDLJ Train Sequence!

While we keep talking about its larger impact, we have missed how it sort of made filmmakers adapt to the idea and present it in a slightly altered style. Let’s talk about the movies that are evident DDLJ inspirations, only they couldn’t term themselves as remakes.

So here are 5 DDLJ remakes that came and you did not realize:

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya

Kajol convinces her brother to send her away for studies and falls in an unspoken love with a rich, urban guy who has a pure heart. Before the love story could formulate, she is taken back to her village. Dogged to win her from her family, the rich guy follows her and works day and night to win hearts of the girl’s family. The film from the onset is sketched like it’s DDLJ, only the flavor is less intense and more jubilant. Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya is never remembered like it comes from the same school, however if Bhai fans are asked if he has a done a DDLJ brand of cinema, they can take this as an answer.

Hero No. 1

While it essentially borrows its second half straight from Hrishikesh Mukherji’s Bawarchi, the fact is Hero No. 1 is DDLJ, but only funnier. Girl and a boy meet on a Euro trip and fall in love. While the guy’s father is keen on getting them married, the girl’s family has a lot of reservations. To win the hearts of her family, the guy disguises as a servant, enters their house to endlessly impress them. Isn’t that strikingly similar to DDLJ? Hero No. 1 too catered to the same masses but David Dhawan chose to take us on a funnier ride and he didn’t have to worry since he had Govinda by his side.

Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge

Not because the title seems a rip off from the Aditya Chopra directorial, Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge indeed tried spreading the same flavor. Once again a case of ‘guy and girl’ falling in love on a foreign trip and the guy then having to impress each of her uncles in India. The mood once again was chirpy and keeping the traditions on, the groom side was supportive. The brand of DDLJ was once again brightly lit with foreign locales, exciting chemistry and a whole lot of ‘Indianness’ in the second half. Turns out not just the title, the whole journey was a sub text of what we had seen in 1995.

Ramaiya Vastavaiya

A lot of people complained of the film being largely inspired from Salman Khan’s Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya. Only they don’t realize, the original itself came from the brand we embrace as DDLJ. In this rather forgettable journey of love, a foreign return guy falls in love with a girl with a protective brother. In order to win her, he must prove his integrity by going to her village and do whatever it takes to get her brother’s approval. If only DDLJ inspiration was enough!

Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania

The rare DDLJ inspiration that didn’t take any shame in admitting it! While Alia and Varun were natural enough to be themselves, the film in totality was a modern day version of the SRK-Kajol starrer. The relentless efforts of the guy who under that constant fear of losing his love to someone else, tries and make some place in the eyes of her father. DDLJ inspiration was evidently visible, but their modern day alterations made it a very pleasant watch.

So there you have it! What is that talk we keep having about classics that shouldn’t be tempered with? Looks like our filmmakers were clever enough to remake DDLJ without even letting us realise!

Also Read: What If These Movies Had A Remake