It doesn’t feel like it’s been 30 years: Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol on DDLJ's anniversary

It doesn’t feel like it’s been 30 years: Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol on DDLJ's anniversary

Mumbai, It has been 30 years but just feels like yesterday, says Shah Rukh Khan while looking back at his memorable performance as Raj in "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" and Kajol believes her character of Simran still resonates with viewers as it represents millions of young women in India.

It doesn’t feel like it’s been 30 years: Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol on DDLJ's anniversary

"Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge" , directed by Aditya Chopra and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, redefined modern romance in Indian cinema, making its character Raj and Simran immortal in the hearts of many film lovers. It is also the longest running movie in Indian cinema with viewers still lining up at the ticket window to catch a show at Mumbai's famed Maratha Mandir.

As the film marks its 30th anniversary, its iconic lead pair, Shah Rukh and Kajol reflected on the timeless magic of DDLJ. Shah Rukh credited the film's success to the pure heart with which Aditya Chopra and his producer father, Yash Chopra, made it.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been 30 years since 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' released. It feels like it happened yesterday because ‘bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain….’ but it still feels unbelievable. I’m truly grateful for all the love that I have received from people from across the world for playing Raj - nobody could have foreseen the kind of place the film made in the hearts of people around the world and I will never forget the moment when everyone started to come...see the film and fall in love,” Shah Rukh said in a statement.

The actor is still ruling the industry having delivered three back to back hits in 2023 with "Pathaan", "Jawan" and "Dunki". Shah Rukh also won his career's first National Film Award for "Jawan" this year.

According to the superstar, the impact 'DDLJ' had on the hearts of people worldwide is unprecedented.

"... So many couples meet me and say we got married or fell in love after watching this film. I also feel that it has had such a happy effect on the pop culture of India and South Asians... Here’s to the many years of falling in love," the superstar added.

Kajol, who brought Simran to life and went on to create one of the most successful Hindi cinema pairings with Shah Rukh in films such as "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "My Name is Khan" and "Dilwale", still looks back at the legacy with a lot of fondness.

“Thirty years of DDLJ sounds surreal! The film has aged into a legacy and a nostalgic experience for a generation. That classic was made with the recklessness of youth and the honesty of first love, never imagining that Raj and Simran would make the entire nation hold its breath at a train station. The songs, the dialogues, the mustard fields - everything from that world seeped into pop culture and stayed there.”

Kajol noted that Simran is a chapter that never ended for her and is relatable to most girls in the country.

“There’s a piece of DDLJ in almost every romantic film that came after it, because somewhere, history was made and it never quite left us. For me, Simran is a chapter that refuses to end. She represents millions of girls across this country - girls who want to do what their parents say, who carry tradition in one hand but still reach out for freedom with the other. That’s why she still resonates. Every time someone says, ‘Ja Simran, ja', it signifies the belief that courage and love can coexist," Kajol shared in the statement.

The actor said the film has become an experience that viewers pass down to their children now, which makes it unique.

“The viewers who adored this film at sixteen are now watching it with their children, owning it more fiercely with every passing year. Maybe that’s what turning thirty does to a person — you begin to know yourself better.

"But when a film reigns for thirty years, it defines a generation’s idea of who they are and what love means to them. It’s become the template of how Indian cinema dreams of love. So grateful to the viewers who still see me as that girl in the white suit, running toward someone she loves… just with more sass," she said.

Both Shah Rukh and Kajol have been friends and that helped create their seemless chemistry on the screen.

"With him, it was effortless from the first take. There’s a kind of understanding, a rhythm, and a trust that just clicks. You know exactly how the other person thinks, how they’ll react, how a look, a pause, or even silence will land. That’s why the magic feels so natural on screen; it’s not acting in the traditional sense, it’s responding, playing, and bouncing off each other in a way that feels real.

“There is a lot of mutual respect and comfort in our equation. We never had to overthink, over-plan, or try too hard. Even in the most emotional or intense scenes, there’s this unspoken confidence that the other person will meet you halfway. And I think audiences feel that; they sense authenticity, even if they don’t know the work behind it," she added.

She also credited Aditya Chopra and his vision of the film which balanced both tradition and modernity with sincerity.

"Navigating the expectations of family, balancing tradition and modernity, and learning the courage to follow your heart are themes that don’t age. They resonate with every generation, whether you’re experiencing first love or looking back at it with nostalgia," she said.

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