I am a 19-year-old fangirl of Shah Rukh Khan, and here’s how SRK and YRF made the month of February better and more special for me!
I recently watched ‘Veer-Zaara’, an epic saga of love, loss, courage, separation, and sacrifice, on the big screen, on 6th February. And it felt nothing short of splendid and dream-like! Thanks to YRF (Yash Raj Films) and PVR-Inox’s collective initiative titled the Nostalgia Film Festival that has brought back some of the best romantic films of Shah Rukh Khan on the big screen, I was able to catch hold of Veer-Zaara at the nearest cinema hall.
When Veer-Zaara was originally released in the month of November in 2004, I was around two months old. I watched Veer-Zaara for the first time in 2019 on Amazon Prime Video. I instantly fell in love with the film and everything about the film, but, most importantly, I fell in love with Shah Rukh Khan. I never imagined that I would be able to watch this iconic romantic tale on the big screen one day! The experience was heavenly!
Whenever I watch a film of SRK on the big screen, I feel that no other film can surpass the theatrical experience of the film I have just watched. I enjoyed watching Pathaan, Jawan, and Dunki; all of which were released in 2023. Each movie was unique, and each movie was cinematically brilliant. However, after watching Veer-Zaara in 2024 on the big screen, I now know what the term “cinematically impressive” truly means.
How It Felt Like Watching ‘Veer-Zaara’ On The Big Screen, 20 Years After Its Original Release
‘Veer-Zaara’ has become the best cinematic experience of all time for me now, reaching the pinnacle of Hindi cinema for me. Watching the film felt like a divine big-screen experience! The film exudes different kinds of emotions throughout its run-time; joy, sorrow, excitement, and above all, a deep sense of nostalgia and longing. The beauty of the film ‘Veer-Zaara’ truly evokes tears.
Preity Zinta looked so gorgeous; her face is a face that should be seen only on the big screen. She literally looked like a Goddess in the film. Shah Rukh Khan is never not impressive in any film, and his unmatched charm and his innate ability to romance the female lead, really made me question my own emotions and feelings. His charisma, his allure, his magic, his enigma, his expressions, his onscreen-presence, his dialogue-delivery; everything was on point.
Watching ‘Veer-Zaara’ in an almost packed theatre, with enthusiastic viewers cheering, hooting, whistling, clapping, and expressing their fervour, is the kind of cinematic experience that every lover of cinema, and every lover of Shah Rukh Khan, deserves to witness at least once in a lifetime!
You are mistaken if you think that Pathaan, or Jawan, were the best theatrical experiences. Have you ever watched the magic of ‘Veer-Zaara’ unfold on the gigantic screen before your eyes, in a cinema hall filled with lovers of cinema, and fans of SRK? Romance, and cinema, peaked with the release of the film ‘Veer-Zaara’ in 2004.
I could not sleep at night after watching the film. Such was the impact of the film! This is “true cinema”. ‘Veer-Zaara’ is a classic example of true cinema. It is a film that impacts you, and stays with you. Cinema is the most wholesome form of art there is. When a movie is created, it lives forever. Its impact lingers on. I paid only Rs. 112 for the ticket, but the satisfaction that I got after watching the film cannot be monetarily quantified. It is immeasurable.
Thank you, Yash Raj Films, for bringing back our favourite movies to the cinema halls, and for evoking deep feelings of bittersweet longing and nostalgia. I hope that more such movies are re-released in the future. I do wish to watch Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and Om Shanti Om (2007) on the big screen!
5 Reasons Why I Loved The Film ‘Veer-Zaara’
1. Shah Rukh Khan, More Of Shah Rukh Khan, And Some More Of Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan, the unmatched “King of Romance” and the undisputed “Baadshah of Bollywood”, appears in his quintessential “Romantic Avatar” in the film Veer-Zaara. Is that not enough to love the film, anyway? As I have always said, SRK is probably the most “emasculated” actor in the history of Hindi cinema. He is perhaps the only actor who cries so genuinely, and so effortlessly, and so uglily, in his films. The world needs more of his charm; the world needs more of everything that he is synonymous with.
SRK never hesitates to cry in his films. His characters cry without any inhibition. SRK has the most expressive eyes. His beautiful eyes convey a hundred emotions, all at once. SRK’s weird s-shaped eyebrows become more s-shaped when he cries, and that’s what I probably like the most about him. His eyes have something special and enchanting. His character in Veer-Zaara is earnest, moving, heartening, and touching. You can’t not fall in love with SRK’s Veer in the film.
SRK has set the standard of romance for women so high that his female fans can’t settle for less when it comes to choosing a romantic partner for themselves. He has raised the bar of romance in Hindi cinema so high that women like me can’t help but dream of unreasonably high standards of love, in real life as well.
SRK’s Veer is the sweetheart that you have been looking for. Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh, who spends 22 painfully long years in imprisonment in Pakistan, waits for his lady-love, Zaara, so that she can lead a happy and settled married life in Pakistan. SRK has definitely spoiled romance for ladies by selling us non-existent lovers. But trust the love, and trust the process, even if the lover falters!
2. Preity Zinta; She Should Be Renamed “Pretty” Zinta
Preity Zinta plays the role of Zaara Hayaat Khan in the film Veer-Zaara, a naïve and simple Pakistani girl who is born of rich and influential parents. Preity Zinta shines in her role. She portrays the character of Zaara with utmost elan in the film. Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta share an electrifying on-screen chemistry!
Veer-Zaara is probably my second-most favourite romantic film of SRK, second only to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge aka DDLJ (1995). Shah Rukh Khan’s Veer and Preity Zinta’s Zaara will always be remembered as two of the most iconic characters in the history of Hindi cinema, and this film will be remembered as a product of excellent storyline, direction, acting performances, screenplay, narrative, music, and cinematography.
3. Amitabh Bachchan, The “DO(ye)N” Of Hindi Cinema
When Amitabh Bachchan, the “Shahenshah of Bollywood”, appears on the big screen, you can’t help but look at him and him, alone. Such is his impeccable onscreen-presence. Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini feature in special cameo appearances in the film, and both of them delivered praiseworthy performances.
Watching Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan on the big screen together is the pinnacle of Hindi cinema for me. I am an adoring fan of both of them, and watching them sharing screen-space in the same film is the biggest gift for me. The best thing about watching Veer-Zaara on the big screen was getting to witness two of the most incredible thespian powerhouses of Hindi cinema, together.
When people ask me, “Tell us your favourite on-screen couple or your favourite Bollywood pair”, I tell them, “It’s the iconic on-screen pair of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan”.
4. The Star-studded Supporting Cast Of ‘Veer-Zaara’
The supporting cast of Veer-Zaara includes powerful actors such as Rani Mukerji, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Manoj Bajpayee, Divya Dutta, Kirron Kher, Anupam Kher, and Boman Irani. All of them are brilliant actors who delivered impressive performances in the film Veer-Zaara.
With a run-time of approximately 192 minutes, Veer-Zaara is a love story that transcends borders and boundaries. Veer Pratap Singh is an Indian Air Force Officer Squadron Leader, and Zaara Hayaat Khan is an ordinary Pakistani girl who is the daughter of a politician. Veer is accused of being a R&AW agent in Pakistan, and is imprisoned for 22 years, and is released when Rani Mukerji (who plays the role of Saamiya Siddiqui, Veer’s lawyer) defends him and wins the case, after 22 years.
The supporting actors play a pivotal role in bringing out the essence of the film and what it tries to convey, so, it is safe to say that all the actors did a commendable job in the film.
5. The Otherworldly Soundtrack And Background Score Of ‘Veer-Zaara’
The music for Veer-Zaara has a very interesting history. The soundtrack of the film originally features 11 songs. While all of them are not featured in the final cut of the film, all the videos are available on YouTube. All the songs are based on old compositions of late Madan Mohan Ji, revised and re-composed by his son, Sanjeev Kohli.
Madan Mohan Ji had composed nearly 200 songs that were never recorded, and Yash Chopra Ji was aware of this. So, Yash Chopra Ji decided to ask Sanjeev Kohli to work on the idea of re-visiting and re-creating some of Madan Mohan Ji’s old tunes. Javed Akhtar Ji penned the lyrics to the songs.
Late Lata Mangeshkar Ji, Udit Narayan, and Sonu Nigam are the primary vocalists; and all of them were at their very best in their renditions of their respective songs. The music album of Veer-Zaara became the highest-selling music album of the year 2004 in India, and continues to enthral one and all.
Madan Mohan Ji’s son, Sanjeev Kohli, and his assistant, Vikas Bhatwadekar, together worked on the songs of Veer-Zaara. The lyricist and all the vocalists also played their roles in the creation of the music album tremendously well. The album was revolutionary in its own appeal. And, most importantly, Veer-Zaara is the final full Bollywood movie album of Lata Mangeshkar Ji.
Ringing Down The Curtain
‘Veer-Zaara’, Yash Chopra’s most loveable and sincere film, is a beautifully-crafted tale that excels in all its cinematic aspects. It has spectacle and grandeur, it has strong characters, it has a heartwarming plot, it has a powerful screenplay and narrative, it has the most beautiful soundtrack ever, it has memorable dialogues, it has picturesque scenes, it has elements of realism and healthy jingoism; it has everything.
‘Veer-Zaara’ was released during the festival of Diwali in November in the year 2004. The film earned over Rs. 105 Crore globally, and emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of the year 2004, in both India and outside India. The storyline, screenplay, direction, acting performances, soundtrack, dialogues, and portrayal of India-Pakistan relations; won the hearts of the audience, through and through.
Yash Chopra created a world of his own; a different world altogether, in the film ‘Veer-Zaara’. ‘Veer-Zaara’ is a sincere masterpiece! It is truly a classic! I am not the biggest fan of romantic comedies, but ‘Veer-Zaara’ does feature in my top 10 films of Shah Rukh Khan. Veer Pratap Singh waited for 22 years, before he was reunited with his lady-love, Zaara; and I have waited for 20 years since the release of Veer-Zaara, to finally watch it on the big screen.
The Nostalgia Film Festival has been extended by public demand till 15th February, so you can now watch Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, ‘Veer-Zaara’, or Mohabbatein, on a big screen near you! The magic of the movies, I tell you, is truly unmatched.
Watching ‘Veer-Zaara’ on the big screen shall remain one of my most memorable experiences of all time! I love you the most, Shah Rukh; you are the Prince of my wildest dreams!
(Featured Images Courtesy: Twitter)