Last Updated:
Sonali Kulkarni recalls how Dil Chahta Hai challenged Bollywood norms, from punctuality and work culture to fashion, family dynamics and women’s portrayal.
Sonali Kulkarni recalls how Dil Chahta Hai challenged Bollywood norms.
Dil Chahta Hai received cult status soon after it was released. Recently, the film celebrated its 25th anniversary, and Sonali Kulkarni, who played Pooja, Saif Ali Khan’s love interest, in an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, opened up about the film and how it challenged the stereotypical norms of the industry.
Pooja Challenged The Stereotypical Portrayal Of Women
Calling Pooja’s character a free bird and a frank girl, Sonali shared how the film viewed a girl differently and said, “There was a time in films when we were glorifying the devoted women, the women who sacrifice, the women who sacrifice their lives for their husbands and children. Sacrifice, anger, injustice, we were seeing all this. But I feel that Dil Chahta Hai gave a definition to youth. For example, Pooja has that frankness that she is coming to meet a boy, but she has the guts to tell him, you know, I am seeing someone. This frankness was very new for India. Earlier, we could never accept that you can have a friend before marriage. The idea was, you are born to get married and have children. Dil Chahta Hai changed that.”
Dil Chahta Hai Changed Bollywood’s Fashion
Sonali also believed that Dil Chahta Hai gave boys the power to experiment, recalling how the film brought new fashion. “We saw heroes wearing different and vibrant colours. Our hair was different. Our makeup was different. Our families were relaxed. It was not like we bowed down. We were talking to each other.”
Sonali On The Film’s Punctuality Culture
Sharing how Dil Chahta Hai rewrote many definitions and even the ‘work culture’, Kulkarni recalled, “I was telling in the reunion that Farhan, Ritesh and Zoya gave us a bound script. Before shooting, we used to get a call time for the next day. There was a time when I used to hear, ‘Hero sir aayenge, tab shooting start hogi.’ But Dil Chahta Hai changed it all. If you had to report at 8 o’clock on the set, you had to report.”
When asked if everybody was on time, she added, “They were trying to be on time. Initially, it was a surprise for everyone. Some people didn’t know that they actually meant punctuality. But when they found out, everybody was inspired.”
Twenty-five years later, Dil Chahta Hai remains a fan favourite, and its characters continue to be remembered and loved by audiences.
How did Sonali Kulkarni’s character Pooja in Dil Chahta Hai challenge traditional Bollywood female roles?
In Dil Chahta Hai, Pooja challenged traditional Bollywood norms by being portrayed as a free bird and a frank girl. Unlike older films that glorified devoted, self-sacrificing women, Pooja had the confidence to openly tell a suitor that she was seeing someone else. This frankness and the idea of having a friend before marriage were highly unconventional for Indian cinema at the time.
How did Dil Chahta Hai change the work culture and punctuality on Bollywood film sets?
Dil Chahta Hai introduced a highly disciplined work culture by providing actors with bound scripts and specific call times for the next day. This shifted the industry away from the traditional norm where shooting only commenced whenever the lead actor arrived on set. Although strict punctuality was initially a surprise, it ultimately inspired the entire cast to report on time.
Which cast and crew members gathered for the 25th anniversary reunion of Dil Chahta Hai?
The 25th anniversary milestone of Dil Chahta Hai was celebrated with a special reunion in Mumbai on August 28. The gathering brought together the film’s makers and cast members, including Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, and Sonali Kulkarni.
September 12, 2026, 15:15 IST