When Trump mentioned DDLJ in his speech he opened Pandora's box, or so it seems from the uproar it has created. In the same vein, Gauri Khan also put out the possibility of a sequel to the 1995 blockbuster. This leaves fans and the general public with so many questions.
While at first a sequel to the iconic film seems like a good offering, when we get down to the basics and remove the garb of nostalgia, it loses some of its appeal. While the makers decide whether or not this would be a good idea, it's worth evaluating.
A DDLJ part 2 on the cards?
It all began with Donald Trump, which sounds hilarious in itself that a conversation around a classic rom-com like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge would be remotely related to the US President. However, it was the President who brought it up at his Namaste Trump event in Ahmedabad when he praised DDLJ, probably just throwing the most common reference to Bollywood that America is aware of. What he didn't expect is to sow the seeds of speculation, and nostalgic outpouring from fans who might want to relive a bit of that magic.
When reacting to the President's speech, Gauri Khan furthered the conversation, "Maybe he (Shah Rukh Khan) should make part two of DDLJ. That's the next plan and I think he will do that. I am going to tell Aditya Chopra (DDLJ director-producer) to make part two, so every president and prime minister who enters India should discuss that." It seems like a good enough plan.
For DDLJ fans, they can only hope this was a serious proposition and not a quip or afterthought. The question that irks though, would it be that good an idea?
DDLJ 2 a risky prospect
Some may argue it's one of the defining films that make Bollywood what it is. Some may also say it's the plot of star-crossed lovers that did the deed for them, others may not really care why this is a big deal. What stands true for all three groups is that they've all watched DDLJ at least once and if they haven't they will end up watching it anyway, out of choice or out of a sheer accident.
Regardless, DDLJ defined love for an entire generation and let's not pretend that the chemistry between Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan had nothing to do with it. That's what held the film together. Testimony to the prominence of the film is that it still plays at Maratha Mandir in Mumbai. No Bollywood film has lasted that long in a theatre as of yet.
This favorite and classic Bollywood movie if it did get a sequel, can we for a moment wonder what would they do with it? The movie ended with Raj and Simran leaving together on the train, but how would they follow it up? It's impossible to imagine Raj and Simran in today's context in the same way as they were in the film. Another factor that worked at the time and does so even now for the film is the youthfulness. That's what made it relatable then, but if Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol were to reprise their roles could they recreate that? We'd like to imagine that the two skillful actors could, but it's a long shot.
Forget the frills, how would they take the plot ahead, cut to Raj and Simran in a happy marriage, unhappy marriage, divorced or a complete reset and starting from scratch in a different time? Really what can they do? DDLJ was over three hours long, there was little in that love story they didn't cover expect for what happens after the end.
The thought is exciting, but there's a lot of sentimental value people have attached to the film and its characters. Just for that reason perhaps leaving it as it is in the memory of its fans is the best idea. Sometimes a sequel can undo the magic of the first one. What needs to be weighed here is, whether we want a stand-alone film of great cultural value or a franchise that can either take the legacy forward or completely wipe the first one from history. Either way, we'll be interested, let's just hope this doesn't create stirs like Mr India 2 has managed to do with a single announcement.
