'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', or 'DDLJ' as we love to call the film, acted like a cultural reset in more ways than one. When it was released during Diwali 1995, it did tell a love story, but it also taught an entire generation how to dream. In an era when romance was mostly meant to be fantasised, Aditya Chopra's debut directorial proved that love could be both rebellious and rooted. It could exist somewhere between a father's disapproval and a train's last whistle.
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For nearly three decades, we have celebrated the charm of Raj (Shah Rukh Khan), his "palat" moment, and Baldev Singh's final nod of approval -- that legendary "Ja Simran ja." But somewhere, beyond the mustard fields and the mandolin solos, we forgot to pause and look at the women who made 'DDLJ' what it really is: a story not just about love, but about women silently negotiating freedom within the boundaries drawn for them.
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