If you call yourself a Bollywood fan, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has to be your go-to film. The Aditya Chopra classic, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, turns 30 today. Even after three decades, Raj and Simran continue to define what true love actually means.
Celebrating the milestone, Shah Rukh Khan shared how incredible it feels.
“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.”
The superstar added, “The impact this film has had on the hearts of people worldwide is unprecedented and 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.”
SRK also gave full credit to the team behind the film. “I think all the success is to be credited to the pure heart with which the film was made by us all, the clarity that Adi had about it and especially because of the blessings of Yash ji! Here's to the many years of falling in love…”
Kajol, who played Simran, called the milestone “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,” she said.
The actress went on to talk about the film's lasting influence.
“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 co-exist,” Kajol added.
Reflecting on the film's timeless appeal, the star said, “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.”
Talking about how DDLJ made her and SRK the most iconic on-screen pair, Kajol said, “I'll always be grateful for the love that DDLJ received. Over the years, it became a cultural landmark that made audiences believe in love even when life tested them. When a film becomes a phenomena, it does so for countless reasons — a combination of script, performances, music, emotion and timing, but mostly because it taps into something universal.”
She continued, “For me, the brilliance lies in Adi's vision to make this idea of romance the nation's biggest obsession. 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.”
On her effortless chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol shared, “I've never been one to tiptoe around the truth and Shah Rukh is no different. 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.”
She added, “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.”
Released on October 20, 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge tells the story of Raj and Simran, two young non-resident Indians who fall in love while travelling through Europe with their friends. Raj sets out to win over Simran's family so they can marry, but her father has already promised her hand to his friend's son. Alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, the film features memorable performances by Farida Jalal, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher, and Satish Shah.
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