Pulling off something that is called a casting coup, Farhan Akhtar made his directorial debut in 2001 with a bang. He brought together the dream cast of Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Kulkarni, Akshaye Khanna and Dimple Kapadia to carry a film on their shoulders that actually changed the course of Bollywood. A tale of friendship, love, distance, heartbreak, reunion and forgiveness, Dil Chahta Hai put a spotlight on the quarter-life crisis that every youth continues to relate to. 

Dil Chahta Hai, one of the most-watched films, played a catalyst in bringing a change to the cool quotient in Hindi cinema and showed the elite class in a completely different light. Treating their audience with equality and mature enough, Farhan caught the pulse of the youth right. While love triangles were common in films, the makers of Dil Chahta Hai tweaked it a bit and made it 'pal triangle'. Today, as Dil Chahta Hai clocks 20 years, let's take a look at what made the film a game-changer for Hindi cinema. 

The Goa Trip

Before Dil Chahta Hai, a Goa trip didn't hold much importance. Making Fort Aguada a pilgrimage, the film showed Goa in a completely different light and positioned it as the ultimate vacation hotspot for every gang of friends. Since then, it is every youngster's wish to go on a road trip to Goa just like Akash, Sid and Sameer, after all ‘friends ke saath Goa nahi gaye to kya kiya’.

The Relationships

Dil Chahta Hai not just focused on the men's relationships with their partners but their parents’ too. Painting a realistic portrait of relationships that were confusing, complex yet charming, Dil Chahta Hai refrained from sugarcoating bonds like other Bollywood films. From Sid and Tara's non-conformist love story revolving around a young man falling in love with an older and divorced woman to Sameer and Pooja's 'arranged love' and Akash-Shalini's 'it's complicated' story, youth definitely identified with every single tale. 

Defining Friendship

Introducing a cool set of boys, Farhan was among the first few filmmakers who taught the correct way to depict 'bromance'. Retiring larger-than-life heroes who sacrificed for friendship, Farhan announced the new and modern era of 'dosti' in Bollywood. Though Akash, Sid and Sameer were each other's pillars of strength, they fought and had their own share of problems. But in the end, Dil Chahta Hai reiterates the fact that friendship does stand the test of time. After all, as they say in the film, "Ya toh yeh dosti gehri hai ya yeh photo 3D hai !!!"

The Importance Of Location

Most Bollywood filmmakers choose locations that are scenic and enhance their films, aesthetically. However, Farhan kept the visual quotient intact and used the locations to add value to his narrative. Fort Aguada plays a crucial role in Dil Chahta Hai and two key scenes are shot at the location. Akash leaving for Sydney to manage his family business after a fight with his friends highlights not just the geographical distance between the trio but the crack in their friendship. 

Catalyst in bringing change in Bollywood

Though Dil Chahta Hai was a typical Bollywood commercial film, it never resorted to the overhyped boy-meets-girl format. Sending melodramatic tales on a vacation, the film was more of a modern drama without being overdramatic. Flawed characters, highlighting complexities in urban relationships, irresponsible male characters, Dil Chahta Hai was a pretty bold yet much-needed move. Bringing a major change in Bollywood and inventing a new genre itself, the film was high on realism and low on typical Bollywood spice.