Every generation has a coming of age movie. My parents generation had 1 when post the green revolution Aradhana was released and India's first superstar Rajesh Khanna gave them a first whiff of romance and life.
My generation (people in their late 30s)had 3 - one in school and one when we entered the workforce with decent disposable income and one when we were fed up of being in the workforce (and wanted to roam the world). This happened over 10 years, since with every decade India was reaping some economic and demographic dividends thus leading to different aspirations. The 3 movies were
1.Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (JJWS) 1992
2. Dil Chahta hai 2003
3. Zindagi Milegi na Dobara 2013.
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar released when I was just entering 10th standard knowing fully well that the rat race had truly begun for every half a mark and decimal point in CGPA. The movie was also about a competition between schools where the kids looked more grownup than average school goers.
More importantly it signalled a generational shift. Not many people would remember that Khuda Gawah and JJWS released at the same time. Khuda Gawah represented the old guard in many ways - film making style, actors, story , it had a great opening but faded out to the movie that signalled effervesence , that whiff of fresh air, that youth connect, that mini-skirt sighting experience which needed a trip to Regal or Napean Sea Road, that college humour, a Betty Veronica type romance like the Archie comics that we used to read.
Aamir Khan played the school teachers son , wayward and naughty at first but then realizing his duties and winning the competition that brought pride to his father and school . It was also to show the rich kids of the competing schools that ambition with hard work can still win the race.
It was a cool movie. It stayed in our hearts. We knew the songs by heart . We rooted for Aamir Khan. He didnt disappoint. We started loving ourselves and maybe someone around us. Pajama chaap hai to kya hua dilwale hai.
For those moments when we were not school kids but desperately waiting to get into junior college with the marks we could muster to find our Pehla Nashas and more. The more after 6 years became the voice of the generation with the Dil Maange More in the iconic Pepsi ad. But the first seed was JJWS.
My generation (people in their late 30s)had 3 - one in school and one when we entered the workforce with decent disposable income and one when we were fed up of being in the workforce (and wanted to roam the world). This happened over 10 years, since with every decade India was reaping some economic and demographic dividends thus leading to different aspirations. The 3 movies were
1.Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (JJWS) 1992
2. Dil Chahta hai 2003
3. Zindagi Milegi na Dobara 2013.
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar released when I was just entering 10th standard knowing fully well that the rat race had truly begun for every half a mark and decimal point in CGPA. The movie was also about a competition between schools where the kids looked more grownup than average school goers.
More importantly it signalled a generational shift. Not many people would remember that Khuda Gawah and JJWS released at the same time. Khuda Gawah represented the old guard in many ways - film making style, actors, story , it had a great opening but faded out to the movie that signalled effervesence , that whiff of fresh air, that youth connect, that mini-skirt sighting experience which needed a trip to Regal or Napean Sea Road, that college humour, a Betty Veronica type romance like the Archie comics that we used to read.
Aamir Khan played the school teachers son , wayward and naughty at first but then realizing his duties and winning the competition that brought pride to his father and school . It was also to show the rich kids of the competing schools that ambition with hard work can still win the race.
It was a cool movie. It stayed in our hearts. We knew the songs by heart . We rooted for Aamir Khan. He didnt disappoint. We started loving ourselves and maybe someone around us. Pajama chaap hai to kya hua dilwale hai.
For those moments when we were not school kids but desperately waiting to get into junior college with the marks we could muster to find our Pehla Nashas and more. The more after 6 years became the voice of the generation with the Dil Maange More in the iconic Pepsi ad. But the first seed was JJWS.
Comments