DDLJ at 20: Shah Rukh Khans romance re-visited

Let's face it: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the romance fuelled by Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, ruined it for many Indian men and women. It set unrealistic expectations on what constitutes love, rebellion, courtship and chastity. If in love, be prepared to win over the girl, her sister, her parents, her aunt, her pet, her neighbours... you get the drift.

DDLJ, the love story laced with lofty ideals, still has the power to win you over, even 20 years after its release.

The story of Raj (Khan) " a rich, rakish UK-bred lad " who falls in love with the virginal-yet-vivacious Simran (Kajol) as they travel across Europe for a month with friends. They strike up a tenuous friendship and their multiple encounters while on holiday lead to some undeniable mutual attraction.

From the outset, it's established that the girl who has grown up in the UK may wear boots and dresses, but her values are stoically Indian (think chastity-equals-morality, parents-equal-God, etc). Simran's such a good girl that she has agreed to an arranged marriage to a suitable Indian boy back home in her native Punjab; that Europe adventure with friends was her last shot at having fun before she tied the knot with a stranger. Think a bachelorette bash in picturesque Switzerland " sans bubbles or strippers, of course.

But Raj " upon realising that they love each other " doesn't give up and follows her to India to win over the love of his life. Eloping is for the fainthearted, he declares (a stand that he sticks to even when Simran's conservative dad slaps him blue).

I promise, the 189-minute romance is way more interesting than how it reads, however. Why?

Take a bow Kajol and Khan. They make it work with their incredible chemistry and charm.

Even after 20 years, the romance with the tagline Come ... fall in love' still holds up, for most part, at least.

For instance, the scene in which a determined Raj convinces an unsure Simran that taking on her conservative, inflexible dad is a good idea as they hug it out in a mustard field can still make you feel all warm and fuzzy. And don't get me started on the scene in which Raj extends his hands to help Simran get on a train. That scene alone can make you believe that love can whisk you away any time.

These two trendy-yet-traditional love birds want it all. True love, parents' approval, the big fat Indian wedding, the works. But there are parts in the film that feel outdated today. The squeaky clean nature of their courtship seems highly improbable when you revisit the film today. Consider this: after a night of guzzling alcohol and finally sharing a room in Switzerland, the two don't do anything that their clan elders would disapprove of. The scene in which Simran haughtily declares that she won't share a room with a man when stuck in Switzerland with Raj and storms off to a barn with no heating is a bit overdramatic. In other words, she would rather court pneumonia than have a friend sleep on a couch? Our advice: calm down, lady. While Raj is still relatable, the subdued, shy, introverted Simran comes off as a relic. How can you agree to marry a stranger that you haven't even met? Somehow, her papa-knows-best philosophy rings hollow. Perhaps, that disconnect is enhanced as films such as Cocktail starring Deepika Padukone or Parineeti Chopra in Shuddh Desi Romance have introduced us to women who aren't shy of living their life on their own terms.

Plus, be prepared to set aside your afternoon and maybe even your siesta for this one because this is a film that takes its own time to wrap up. The climax seems overstretched with a fight scene involving sticks and fist fights, but the good bits about giving love your best shot gloss over these dents.

As Raj would say: "Bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hain [In large nations, such insignificant things happen all the time."

*Manjusha Radhakrishnan is tabloid!'s resident Bollywood film reviewer. Catch her reviews every Thursday on gulfnews.com