Aditya Chopra relives
"Twenty-four year old Aditya Chopra released his defining film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (The Brave-Heart Will Take the Bride) on Diwali, 20 October 1995. The film swiftly made box-office gold and created a deep impression on audiences across generations. This timeless romance has now famously played for a thousand consecutive weeks at Maratha Mandir, Mumbai (where it continues to play), making it India's longest-running film. Produced by Yash Chopra and widely known as "DDLJ", the film brought a new twist to the familiar love story. Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol) fall in love on their travels through Europe and instead of rebelling against an objecting parent, Raj decides to win over Simran's uncompromising father. In 1996, at the height of the DDLJ craze, the young Aditya Chopra decided to step away from the limelight and despite his ever-increasing power as both producer and studio-owner, he has remained largely unseen and unheard for two decades. People outside his immediate circle know little about him and as a result, he has gained the reputation of being an enigma in a world of celebrities and glamour that thrives on constant visibility. Twenty years after the release of the film, the private and reclusive Aditya Chopra traces the journey that led to the making of his first film - he discusses his influences, shares insights on cinema and provides fascinating detail about how he went about making the movie that changed his life and that has now become part of the lives of audiences across generations. With [previously] unknown information and anecdotes about DDLJ in the words of its director ... [this] is the story of this phenomenally popular film that turned the tide of Hindi cinema in the 1990s and has rightfully earned pride of place among the most successful and acclaimed Indian films of all time"--Publisher's description.