Dil Chahta Hai
Dil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Farhan Akhtar in his directorial debut, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani under the newly formed Excel Entertainment banner. The film stars Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna as three inseparable college friends navigating adulthood, relationships, and diverging life paths. It also features Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia in pivotal supporting roles. Set in contemporary urban India, the film explores themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery among upper-class youth.
Akhtar wrote the film based on personal diaries detailing his experiences travelling to different cities, with inputs on the story from creative associate Kassim Jagmagia. Shot on location in India and Australia, Dil Chahta Hai was one of the first Hindi films to use sync sound. Cinematography was handled by Ravi K. Chandran, with sound design by Nakul Kamte and H. Sridhar. The music was composed by the trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.
Released theatrically on 10 August 2001, Dil Chahta Hai received widespread critical acclaim for its modern sensibilities, direction, script, music, and performances, particularly those of Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna. Although it underperformed in rural regions, the film emerged as a commercial success in urban centres and grossed ₹397.2 million worldwide, ranking as the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. It has since achieved Cult status and is regarded as a landmark in Hindi cinema for redefining youth narratives and contemporary storytelling.
At the 49th National Film Awards, Dil Chahta Hai won two awards, including Best Feature Film in Hindi. It received thirteen nominations at the 47th Filmfare Awards, winning seven, including Best Film, Best Supporting Actor and Best Comedian. Over time, the film has been credited with launching a new wave of urban Indian cinema and establishing Akhtar as one of the leading filmmakers of his generation.
Plot
After graduation, three college friends take a trip to Goa. Between watersports, hiking and relaxing by the beach, they reflect if this could be their last time together. Siddharth aka Sid believes they are at a crossroads, but Akash and Sameer dismiss him.Returning to Mumbai, their lives lead off in separate directions. Sameer is asked by his parents to meet a friend's daughter, Pooja, for marriage, while Akash's parents insist he manage their Sydney office. Sameer, who initially resists, is attracted to Pooja at first sight. Meanwhile, Sid bonds with his new neighbour, Tara. He expresses a desire to paint her, and also takes her to a birthday dinner, after her plan to invite her daughter gets ruined by her ex-husband.
Sid confesses to Sameer and Akash that he is in love, but his news is not well received. He is reminded of Tara's age and growing addiction to alcohol. The conversation turns ugly and Sid slaps Akash, who is livid. He says nothing, but drives off with Sameer. Sid visits his uncle's farmhouse, and soon after, Akash departs for Sydney. In the new city, Akash discovers love with Shalini, whose hot-headed fiance, Rohit, has once beaten Akash up for hitting on her. Without Rohit around, Akash and Shalini's love blossoms. Rohit arrives in Sydney, and after a brief dinner, escorts Shalini home for their wedding.
After many failed romances, including a Swiss con artist, Sameer finally finds true love in Pooja, after she breaks up with her boyfriend. The newly returned Sid helps Sameer win her over, but himself falls out with Tara, who learns of his crush. Sid leaves town to focus on his work. In Sydney, Akash wanders around without Shalini or his friends. He tries to reconnect with Sameer but mistakenly dials Sid, then remembering their feud, breaks down. Realising something is amiss, his father calls him home. Despite it being her wedding, Akash goes to meet Shalini. Rohit is furious at the intervention, but Shalini would rather marry Akash and calls off her wedding to Rohit.
Tara develops liver cirrhosis, and Sid has to rush her to the hospital. With no relatives around, he calls Sameer and Akash to visit him in the waiting room. Sid and Akash reconcile and share a hug. Tara dies without family around, but with Sid by her side. Six months later, Sid is still grieving. Shalini and Pooja are with Akash and Sameer, and the five of them visit Goa. While out, Sid sees a woman across a field and walks up to her. As credits roll, he is shown enjoying a lively restaurant dinner with her and his friends.
Cast
Production
Development
Dil Chahta Hai originated from Farhan Akhtar's personal experiences and observations during his travels to Goa and a six-week stay in New York City in 1996. Initially conceptualized as a romantic narrative focusing on the characters Akash and Shalini, Akhtar found the story lacking in excitement and depth. Encouraged by his parents, Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, who appreciated the concept but suggested enhancements, he expanded the narrative to include the dynamics among three friends, thereby shifting the focus to themes of friendship and personal growth.While co-directing music videos for Shankar Mahadevan's album Breathless alongside his sister Zoya Akhtar in 1998, Farhan began scripting the film under the working title Hum Teen. The script, reflecting his own friendships and concerns, was initially penned in English and later translated into Hindi over two months. The project marked the cinematic debut of both Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani under their newly formed banner, Excel Entertainment. Kassim Jagmagia, a friend of Akhtar's, contributed to the story and joined the team as a creative associate.
Casting
The casting process underwent several iterations. Farhan Akhtar initially approached Akshaye Khanna for the role of Akash Malhotra. However, upon Aamir Khan's interest in portraying Akash instead of the more reserved Siddharth "Sid" Sinha, Khanna graciously agreed to switch roles, taking on the character of Sid.Saif Ali Khan was cast as Sameer Mulchandani, a role he found closely aligned with his own personality. Preity Zinta joined the cast as Shalini, Akash's love interest, after a screen test and preparation period of three and a half months. Sonali Kulkarni was selected to play Pooja, Sameer's eventual fiancée. Dimple Kapadia was cast as Tara Jaiswal, a middle-aged, alcoholic interior designer and divorcée, marking her first on-screen pairing with a significantly younger actor. Kapadia reportedly insisted that Farhan Akhtar address her by name rather than as "aunty" during the shoot.
Zoya Akhtar oversaw the casting process, ensuring a cohesive ensemble that could authentically portray the film's themes of friendship and personal evolution.
Filming
for Dil Chahta Hai commenced in 2000 and spanned 108 days. The film was shot across various locations, including Mumbai, Goa, and Sydney, Australia. Notably, the scene featuring the trio at Chapora Fort in Goa became iconic, contributing to the fort's popularity as a tourist destination.The film was produced on a budget of ₹80 million. Ravi K. Chandran handled cinematography, capturing the film's contemporary aesthetic. The production utilized sync sound recording, a relatively novel technique in Indian cinema at the time, with Nakul Kamte and H. Sridhar overseeing the sound design. A. Sreekar Prasad served as the editor, and Suzanne Caplan Merwanji was the production designer. Arjun Bhasin managed costume design, while Farah Khan choreographed the film's musical sequences.
Hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani made her Bollywood debut with this film, introducing distinctive hairstyles for the lead characters that became trendsetting among the youth.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack and background score of Dil Chahta Hai were composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, after A. R. Rahman declined the offer due to date issues. The lyrics were penned by Javed Akhtar. The vocals were performed by Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Caralisa Monteiro, Srinivas, Shaan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Mahadevan, Clinton Cerejo, KK, Harvey, and Sonu Nigam. Noorani stated that the trio went to Khandala along with Farhan Akhtar, Javed Akhtar, and Sidhwani to compose six songs from a total of nine for the film in three-and-a-half days. Mendonsa described the experience as 35% of work and 65% fun and added that they had a "fantastic time". After staying in Khandala, Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy subsequently booked a studio to finish the recording in three weeks.The soundtrack and background score for Dil Chahta Hai were composed by the musical trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, marking their first collaboration with Farhan Akhtar. A. R. Rahman was initially approached for the project but declined due to scheduling conflicts. The lyrics were written by Javed Akhtar. Vocal performances on the album feature Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Caralisa Monteiro, Srinivas, Shaan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shankar Mahadevan, Clinton Cerejo, KK, Harvey, and Sonu Nigam.
In preparation for the album, the composers, along with Farhan Akhtar, Javed Akhtar, and producer Ritesh Sidhwani, traveled to Lonavala, where six of the nine songs were composed over three and a half days. Ehsaan Noorani described the retreat as a balance of "35% work and 65% fun", while Loy Mendonsa noted that they later booked a recording studio to complete the album within three weeks.
Release
Dil Chahta Hai was one of the most anticipated Hindi films of 2001, owing to its contemporary narrative centered on urban youth—an area seldom explored in Indian cinema. A one-minute theatrical trailer was launched alongside Aamir Khan’s Lagaan in cinemas and on television across India to generate early publicity and media interest. Ahead of its theatrical debut, a special screening was held for then-Indian Home Minister L. K. Advani at his residence in New Delhi.The film was released theatrically on 10 August 2001, clashing with Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke, a romantic drama starring Ajay Devgn, Preity Zinta, and Madhuri Dixit. Following its domestic release, Dil Chahta Hai was screened at multiple international film festivals, including the 33rd International Film Festival of India, the 14th Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the 11th Austin Film Festival.
The film premiered on Indian television via StarPlus on 17 August 2002. It was released on home media as a single-disc NTSC widescreen DVD on 14 December 2007, alongside a two-disc version distributed by Spark Entertainment. Since 18 November 2016, Dil Chahta Hai has been available for streaming on platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.