I remember when I was a child, the youngest of my uncles had this thing for Indian movies. I didn’t like it at all: would it be that passion that would make me miss my cartoons or the lack of appreciation of these movies and why everyone -mostly young guys and girls- were so caught with.
Isn’t it strange? Morocco’s past youth was in deep love with Indian productions yet there was no possible geographical or political obvious reason for such an enthusiasm towards the Indian culture. To this day, movie theaters display more Indian movies than international productions and every Moroccan has had his/her Indian-movies period. I think this phenomenon is better depicted with what I used to call “my tune”.
Throughout the years, every once and while, when I walk or take a bus, there’s someone humming “My Tune”. It seemed that around me, there was necessarily someone who’d know “My Tune” and sing it or hum it.
Around preparatory school, I heard a girl humming “My tune” again and since, she wasn’t a complete stranger with no face or no consistence, I asked her and it turned out to be something from an Indian movie called Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. I looked for the DVD and Leïchoune and I watched it several times together…And it was goooooooood!
Four years after that, I’m in my room, watching it again and remembering why I found it so freaking awesome as a movie. I also remember why I came to understand why my uncle loved these movies and never stopped watching them. I finally remembered the tune again and hummed it myself this time.
When Raj & Simran first met on an inter-rail holiday in Europe, it wasnt exactly Love at first sight…but when Simran is taken back to India for an arranged marriage, Love makes its presence felt. Encouraged by his father Dharamvir, Raj decides to fly down from London to not just win his Bride but her whole family and the blessings of her father Baldev Singh. All this while the celebrations for her wedding are in full swing.
I wonder why but I have the impression that India is a place where love is celebrated on every aspect and in several ways. This movie therefore celebrates it in several colors: the striking love between a boy and a girl, the affectionate tender one between a boy and his father, the strict overwhelming one between a father and a daughter, the respectful hoping one between a boy and the father of his sweetheart…I specially liked this last one.
Because you see, one of the things I keep on seeing, that keep on frustrating me because of its easiness and the lack of guts it takes is the lovers that run away. This cliché is so spread that Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was a very welcomed change, AND SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE WELL WRITTEN WELL EXPRESSED ONE :D!
Not only Raj isn’t intending to run away with his lover despite the fact her father is one stubborn of a man, but he will take her with her father’s blessings, from her father’s hand and with everyone’s approval. It’s difficult, it takes time, it takes effort, it takes coolness and it takes true feelings. It’s so inspiring and obvious I wonder why people don’t get touched, don’t look within themselves and change a bit. How can someone watch Raj fight against Kuljit and stop in the midst of the battle just because Simran’s father showed up and shouted at him, and not meditate the scene and think about the feeling sprooting this kind of respect?
How can someone passively listen to Raj’s speech as in the end, Simran cries and tells him they should have ran away and that it was no use trying with her father? When Raj describes the warmth of the elders, their worries and their sole intentions of providing their children with the due happiness, when Raj asks her to stay and just goes away letting her be with her family and her chosen husband?
And in the end, the apologies of Raj to Preeti? During the first time I was watching the movie, I was wondering if he’ll man up enough and ask to be forgiven. Well, he was man enough indeed.
In short, how can someone watch DDLJ and not understand why the right path takes time, effort and passion and boils down to provide its walker with the honorable graceful true happiness? How can someone watch it with his/her brains on and not question his/her values or understand why things may get wrong for him/her?
Around me, my friends who have already caught the Bollywood fever try to give me new movies. I’m all for new and change, but these old productions bear some old refined sweetness I still haven’t found in the new productions. Maybe I didn’t get the good recommendations or the suitable mood to actually appreciate them? Well, I think I’ll have an Incredible time ahead to answer this question.
But until then, I’ll keep on watching Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
Breakfast Table 