For anyone who has seen Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the unforgettable bond between Shah Rukh Khan and Anupam Kher as father and son remains one of the film’s most cherished aspects. Fans continue to revisit their scenes, celebrate their on-screen chemistry, and especially love the quirky hand-play sequence that became a hallmark of their relationship in the film.
Now, in an exclusive chat with SCREEN, Anupam Kher has revealed that the entire moment was improvised. “That whole Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge vibe, the entire sequence, ‘hukoki, ulola, anoni, okopa,’ that was created on set. Adi (Aditya Chopra) just told us, ‘This is the scene,’ and we went ballistic, me and Shah Rukh. Shah Rukh is very good at wanting to do improvisations. He’s very energetic. Nowadays, I think people are a little stressed and scared—not their fault, because they’re constantly being monitored through social media, through all these things. Back then, we made friendships. We made bonds for life.”
Interestingly, this year marks the 30th anniversary of DDLJ, a film now etched into the DNA of Indian pop culture. Reflecting on its legacy, Kajol recently stated that a sequel should never be attempted. Anupam Kher echoed the sentiment, adding that if the film were released today, it might not resonate the same way, given how much the idea of love has evolved over time.
On the professional front, Anupam Kher is currently promoting his upcoming film Tanvi the Great, which also marks his return to direction after nearly 22 years. The film features an ensemble cast including Kher himself, Shubhangi Dutt, Iain Glen, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swami, Pallavi Joshi, and Karan Tacker. Tanvi the Great is set to hit theatres on July 18.
