Twenty-five years after Dil Chahta Hai changed the way friendship and young urban Indians were portrayed on screen, Farhan Akhtar has acknowledged one of the film’s long-standing criticisms—that its women characters did not get as much screen time as the three male protagonists. Looking back at his 2001 directorial debut, Akhtar agreed with the observation, while maintaining that the women in the film were never written as weak or passive characters.

“I agree. The film is about the three boys and they predominantly are on screen. But none of the female characters was written as weak woman,” Akhtar told The Indian Express.

He pointed to Dimple Kapadia’s Tara as a character who, despite having considerably less screen time than the three friends, has a significant bearing on their relationship. “Dimple’s Tara, to me, had probably the strongest in terms of her effect on the relationship of the three boys. She, in a way, drives Sid and Akash away from each other,” he said.

Akhtar also highlighted the agency given to Sonali Kulkarni’s Pooja, who is in a relationship with Sameer (Saif Ali Khan). “Pooja, played by Sonali Kulkarni, is an independent woman, who instills the confidence in Sameer that one should marry the person one loves,” he said.

For him, even Shalini has her own way of asserting herself within a relationship where her fiancé objects to her choices. “Shalini has her own way of fighting back by doing the things that her fiancé is kind of upset about. It’s almost like a silent protest,” Akhtar said.

The filmmaker’s assessment also underlines what he considers the emotional core of Dil Chahta Hai: the journey of its three male protagonists as they grow out of their youthful immaturity. “At the heart of it all, it is a celebration of friendship. It’s also about growing up together. What Dil Chahta Hai really does is it takes the friends from a place of immaturity to a place of maturity,” he told The Indian Express.

While the film predominantly follows Akash (Aamir Khan), Sid (Akshaye Khanna) and Sameer (Saif Ali Khan), Akhtar’s comments suggest that the women were conceived as important forces within that journey, even if the plot remained firmly centred on the three friends.

By Keerti Kadam

The post Farhan Akhtar Reflects on Female Screen Time in Dil Chahta Hai: ‘The Story Focuses on the Three Boys!’ first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Marking the silver jubilee of the cult classic, the actress revisits her audition story with Zoya Akhtar, working with Saif Ali Khan, and the enduring charm of ‘Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan’.

MUMBAI: As the cult classic Dil Chahta Hai completed 25 years on August 10, acclaimed actress Sonali Kulkarni is celebrating the milestone with gratitude and nostalgia, revisiting the film that became a defining chapter in her career. Marking its silver jubilee, Sonali shared glimpses of the film’s original bound script on Instagram along with a heartfelt note reflecting on the journey.

Reflecting on an Enduring Legacy

“Dil Chahta Hai still feels as fresh and relevant as ever. It’s an iconic film that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. For me, it is a milestone in my life and career. My track in the film, especially Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan, continues to receive so much love even today. It’s heartwarming to see audiences revisit the film generation after generation. I’m going to be ever grateful to Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani for giving me DCH — I feel proud to be a part of Excel Entertainment’s first-ever project.”

Looking back at the making of the film, Sonali recalled that no one on set imagined they were creating a landmark in Indian cinema.

“The atmosphere was so youthful, energetic and full of humour. We were simply a group of passionate people trying to make something beautiful. Nobody dreamt that we were making a film that would become a milestone for generations,” she shared.

A Filmy Audition & Zoya Akhtar’s Guidance

The actress recalled how she was cast in the film and the unforgettable experience of working with Zoya Akhtar, who was the casting director and chief assistant director on the project:

“It’s almost a filmy story. My photographs accidentally fell out of someone’s file, and Zoya happened to notice them. She had already seen my work in films like Daayra, Mukta and Dr. Ambedkar and called me to audition for Pooja. The audition itself was filled with laughter and improvisation. I instantly fell in love with the warmth of the team and knew I wanted to be a part of this world.”

Coming from a modest background in Pune, Sonali says Dil Chahta Hai introduced her to an entirely new world of fashion and contemporary cinema:

“I come from a simple family, and Pune wasn’t the bustling city it is today. I wasn’t exposed to the world of fashion, luxury or the lifestyle that surrounded Dil Chahta Hai. Zoya became the person who gently introduced me to that world. What I admire most about her is that despite her incredible sense of style and creative vision, she has always remained grounded. She truly loves cinema, and that authenticity reflects in everything she creates. I will always be grateful to her for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be part of a film that has become a cultural landmark in Indian cinema.”

Shooting ‘Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan’ & Bonding with Saif

One of the biggest highlights of the film remains the iconic song Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan, featuring Sonali opposite Saif Ali Khan. Recalling the shoot, she revealed that the rehearsal lasted barely a few minutes because choreographer Farah Khan’s team felt she had already mastered the steps:

“I was told I could rehearse only for a few hours because I had to leave for my theatre performance. But after barely 10 or 15 minutes, they told me, ‘You’re ready, we’ll see you on set.’ I was terrified because I thought I needed more practice, but they assured me everything was perfect.”

The actress fondly remembered how the entire cast constantly burst into laughter during the song’s shoot:

“When I appeared in that body-hugging Punjabi suit and bouffant hairstyle, Saif couldn’t stop laughing. He joked that he felt like he was dancing with his mother (Sharmila Tagore) because of the hairstyle. Every sequence — from recreating classic Bollywood eras to the tiny comic expressions — was filled with laughter. Even today, it feels like we shot the song only yesterday.”

Sonali also spoke warmly about her effortless chemistry with Saif Ali Khan:

“Working with Saif was so easy. We clicked from our very first scene together, and his comic timing is extraordinary. Many scenes had to be retaken because I simply couldn’t stop laughing. I had fallen in love with Saif as an actor in Dil Chahta Hai, and that admiration only grew over the years as we saw his comic timing and his sharp sense of humour. Saif has such a unique, friendly vibe. Working with each other felt effortless.”

Farhan Akhtar’s Vision & On-Set Birthday Surprise

She further credited Farhan Akhtar’s clarity as a first-time filmmaker for shaping the film’s success:

“Farhan may have been making his directorial debut, but he was remarkably composed and well prepared. We had a bound script, everything was structured and he knew exactly what he wanted. It truly felt like a group of talented youngsters creating something special.”

Sharing memories from the set, Sonali recalled celebrating one of her most memorable birthdays during the film’s shoot. She was surprised when the entire cast, including Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta, and the crew, celebrated with her after Zoya announced her birthday over the megaphone. Aamir Khan and his then-wife Reena even gifted her signed books, making it one of her most cherished birthdays.

Why ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ Remains Timeless

Reflecting on why Dil Chahta Hai continues to resonate across generations, Sonali concluded:

“What makes the film timeless is its writing. At its heart, it’s a beautiful story about friendship and that phase of life when people are stepping into adulthood and making important choices. Those emotions belong to everyone. That’s why even today, audiences continue to connect with it as if it were their own story.”

By Keerti Kadam

The post “Nobody Dreamt We Were Making a Milestone”: Sonali Kulkarni Celebrates 25 Years of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Brands that are present on digital platforms tend to pick topics that have high virality and vitality, the announcement of this Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt starrer had every brand put out their versions of Excel Entertainment’s next film.

Right from striking an expectation vs reality, to travel planner ads, to Parle-G Le Zaraa we have seen it all soon after the announcement. The motion poster’s have been exchanged among girl-friends to plan their next trip, for travel fiends to have a list of destinations added to their bucket list – that is the massive impact the banner of Excel Entertainment has when it comes to having ‘travel’ as a film subject.

While these versions are so amazing, we certainly cannot wait for the glimpses, songs, trailer and teaser of the film ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ to unravel as time passes and this masterpiece to finally release.

It’s almost like the fans got what they demanded, another very iconic road-trip chronicle.

In collaboration with Tiger Baby, starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt in the lead. This one definitely has proven to be the biggest announcement of 2021, written by Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar and Reema Kagti; produced by Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar. What makes this even more special is that the film will be directed by Farhan Akhtar and will be releasing in 2023. So, fasten your seat-belts, it’s about time the girls took the car out.

The post Excel Entertainment’s road-trip film ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ inspires advertising agencies too to promote brands! first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

20 years of bankrolling and creating heartwarming tales and giving bankable talents in the industry, Excel Entertainment’s journey is nothing less than an inspiration.

From treating us with movies like Zindagi na Milegi Dobara, Dil Chahta Hai to the underdog stories of Raees, Gully Boy, web-series like Mirzapur and Inside Edge, co-founders Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar have always set the bar higher with content driven stories that not only make us smile, but also films that warm our hearts.

Taking to their social media, the production house shared a clip of all our favorite stories. In the caption they wrote, “Today, we complete 20 years of this extraordinary journey filled with timeless stories,memories & experiences for a lifetime, yet it feels like it’s just the beginning. We are truly grateful for all the love and support we have received from all. Thank you for being a part of our journey.

With love, Ritesh & Farhan.

#20YearsOfExcel

@ritesh_sid @faroutakhtar”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSV4yIsj-ZP/

Farhan Akhtar shares, “20 Years Of Excel

And to think all we wanted was to just make Dil Chahta Hai.
Thank you life for having other plans. Thank you to all actors, writers, directors, technicians, music directors, lyricists and every single person from all creative departments and production teams that walked alongside and sometimes carried me on this journey. None of it was possible without you.
And none of it was possible without the love of you, the audiences. It’s been your support that’s given wings to our dreams. Thank you.

All I can say now, 2 decades later, is that we’re just getting started. Let’s fly…

@ritesh_sid @excelmovies”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSV1XW8CVg3/

Ritesh Sidhwani shares, “#20YearsOfExcel

The last two decades have been extremely humbling and fulfilling. We are deeply grateful for all the memories, experiences and friendships we have forged along the way. Thank you all for standing beside us and flooding us with love. Here’s to the next 20 years together!

#20YearsOfExcel

@faroutakhtar @excelmovies”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSV45IwnE6s/

Zoya Akhtar too took to her Instagram and shared, ”
Verified
Two Bwoys. Two Decades.

Excel Entertainment – You are the most comfortable home a girl could have
Thank you for supporting my crazy ideas. Thank you for throwing a party at my smallest success and throwing only encouragement at my biggest failure. Can’t imagine this trip without you.
Farhan and Ritesh – Brothers friends partners rockstars – Love you both mucho Congratulations on 20 years, I wish you 120 more. Keep telling them stories
#20yearsofexcel @ritesh_sid @faroutakhtar @excelmovies”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSV4sLtj_wK/

For the passion of telling heartwarming stories, here’s to Excel Entertainment for completing 20 Years in the industry today.

The post Excel Entertainment celebrates 20 ‘excellent’ years in the industry! first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

His latest film ‘Toofaan’ released on an OTT platform recently and is getting thumbs up from the audiences. It’s based on a boxer’s life and Farhan trained hard to get proper boxer’s physique. ‘I used to train 6 days a week, 5 hours daily no-stop. After toiling for 8 months like this we shot the first shot of ‘Toofaan’. By then I already was feeling the character. When you get into the physical aspect of the character the mental strength automatically follows. Again every character I play I always take something from it. Now too I practise boxing on alternate days because I love the discipline associated with it’, says Farhan.

The idea of ‘Toofan’ came from Farhaan himself who requested his writer friend Anjum to take it further and the first draft was made. He took it to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra as both of them have done a sports film, ‘Bhag Milkha Bhag’, earlier. He said, ‘During BMB Rakeysh came to me with the idea and we shook hand in 20 minutes. This time around I went to Rakeysh and pithed the idea of Toofaan and we shook hands in 20 minutes.’

As the corona pandemic threat is still looming large, the theatres in the country are shut indefinitely. Quite a few film makers are opting out for OTT platforms to release their films. Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Toofaan’, in fact he’s one of the producers of the film, recently released on OTT. He feels that if the product and storyline is gripping and engrossing then the mobile screen too will be like big screen for the viewers. When asked whether the director in him meddle while acting, Farhan laughed and said, ‘When I work as an actor I respect the captain of the ship. Each director has a larger overview of the scheme of things which is bigger as compared to me as an actor, because I play just a single character. As an actor I do trust the director’s vision and perform accordingly.’

Farhan has a multi-faceted personality and does everything with elan. He’s an actor, a producer, a director, a dancer, a writer, a singer and so on and so forth. Wishing him luck for future projects.

The post ‘I still do Boxing training on alternate days’, says Farhan Akhtar! first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

It’s been 26 years that T-Series’ President film Marketing and co-producer, Vinod Bhanushali has been an integral part of the giant music label. Having worked closely with Gulshan Kumar as well as Bhushan Kumar, Bhanushali has dedicated the majority of his life towards the betterment of the company.

Talking about how music has always been T-Series’ fourth pillar of strength, he shared, “We at T-Series represent the audience who are passionate about music and like to embrace the ever-growing genres from different parts of the world. If I have learned anything by working with Shri Gulshan Kumarji and Bhushanji in the past 26 years, it’s that music is the fourth pillar of strength at T-Series. It has and will continue to bring people together. From cassette tapes, radio stations to all the music streaming platforms today, if we strike the right chords, music has the power to connect people from across the globe.”

He further added that his time with the music mogul, Gulshan Kumar, has helped him grow as a person and understand the nuances of the audience. He said, “I’ll forever be grateful to Gulshanji for becoming my mentor and teaching me everything that I have been doing for the past two decades. I will forever cherish his dedication towards the company and will make sure to pass on the importance of what we provide not only to the audience but also to the entire team at T-Series.”

Even though many of us have spent our time listening to the chartbusters delivered by T-Series, their struggles and dedication to deliver those songs get overlooked. It helps that masterminds like Vinod Bhanushali open up about their journey and share their experiences of creating gems that will continue to entertain us.

The post Vinod Bhanushali says, “Music has always been T-Series’ fourth pillar of strength” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

The post Corona or No-Corona, nothing can break bonds of friendship first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.