How many of you saw Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD) and thought, “Man, I really want to go trekking with my friends too”? I was 12 when this movie first came out and I am now 23. Over the course of 10 years, many people have brought this particular childhood thought to reality.
Going on a trip with friends is a common theme in Indian films and it is a tried and tested formula with no haters. Dil Chahta Hai and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara are prominent examples of that.
Films like these give us an insightful perspective on life, especially when we see the actors on screen undergo similar circumstances as us. Sometimes some of our worst fears manifest on the screen. It isn’t that far off to assume that seeing them might influence the decisions we take in real life.
YJHD is a staple film to watch and revisit when you are in your 20s. Unlike Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, where they went on a bachelor’s party to a different continent as full-grown adults, YJHD included the recklessness of just venturing into adulthood and making bad decisions with much fewer repercussions.
Naina Talwar is a goody-two-shoes who has never done anything adventurous in her entire life. All her actions are constantly monitored by her parents. All she does is read books and study to become a doctor. Her entire life is planned out – become a doctor, open a clinic, and live in the same place with her friends and family. Fast forward 8 years later, she manages to fulfill that goal and is happily content with the small life she has built for herself.
Kabir Thapar has big goals and ambitions. He is not content with the preexisting tradition that every Indian child follows – study till 22, work at 25, marry at 30, retire at 60, and then wait for death. He doesn’t want that for himself. He wants to travel the world, and work in journalism and film. So, when he finally has a chance to get that for himself, he doesn’t look back. His parents and friends, while saddened by his decision, knew better than to try and stop him from chasing his dream. We see Farooq Sheikh give a subtle yet incredibly empathetic performance of a tired father wanting the best for his son even at the cost of not getting to see him again.
Of course, chasing his dream comes with its own set of consequences. He falls out with his friends, he forgets to maintain contact and keep up with life at home because of the fast pace of his own life. He even misses his father’s death and funeral.
This bides the question: At what point do we draw the line at growing our career and living our dream? How do we maintain the balance and where do we put a leash on our dreams?
The scene of Naina and Kabir watching the sunset together addresses these questions. No matter how hard we try, we always miss something. And if you spend more time doing something, you miss out on something else. Give more time to your career, and you’ll miss out on precious moments with your family and friends. You’ll end up with grudges over lost birthdays and, in worst-case scenarios, missed funerals.
It’s okay to have dreams, but you have to prioritize other things in your life accordingly. Whatever you decide, whatever you chase, ask yourself if it’s worth the cost of what you will be losing and missing out on.
At the end of the movie, Bunny, Kabir’s nickname with his friends, finally realizes where his priorities lie. He doesn’t want to lose the people who are important to him. He wants to have dreams that allow him to still be with the person he loves.
The other characters also go through important realizations throughout the film as well. Aditi comes to accept the fact that Avi will never love her the way she does. She also finds out that what she truly wants is stability and a peaceful love without uncertainty and heartbreak. Taran, who won our hearts in the few moments he is on the screen, is truly the right match for someone with a loud personality like Aditi.
Avi is a portrayal of our worst fears – The idea is that all our friends will move forward, and we will be stuck in the same place. Yes, Avi doesn’t cope well with the departure of his friend. But as his best friend, Bunny had the responsibility to let him know that the path they were going down wasn’t a good one.
It is said that when you go up, take your friends with you. Bunny was a very complex character. In situations like this, we see his selfish nature. Avi was a bitter person, and the way he handled the whole situation wasn’t right, but he had reasons to feel betrayed. It was his best friend that he planned to live with, and the least that Bunny could do was tell him that he was applying for that scholarship.
There are a few things that catch the eye when revisiting the film.
Bollywood and its comic relief ‘bimbofication’ of women and a slight misogynistic undertone; the trope where the men think they are entitled to and owed love and patience from the women.
The scene of Bunny getting upset over Naina drinking beer with someone else might be met with a roll of the eyes now. While we are on that topic, I also didn’t like how they approached Naina’s life and career after years. Naina was supposed to be the smartest in her class, yet the only display of her career we are shown is a dismissive comment on how she has a clinic.
Things like this escape the eye when you are a child and are just watching a movie for the sake of watching it. When you are older, you are definitely able to relate to it more. Especially, when you are in your early to mid-20s like I am, you can gain valuable life lessons from this movie or at least take time to think about it. It is a grounded film that addresses some very real situations every young adult has to go through in their life. It is understandable why this movie has stood the test of time and remained a fan favorite so many years after its release.
Side note: Farhan Akhter’s new film Jee Le Zara, which is set to release soon, has a similar premise of friends going on a trip, except now three women are embarking on that journey. With big names in the industry like Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, and Katrina Kaif, and the promising direction of Farhan Akhtar, we can be sure to get another staple insightful stayover film to watch with friends.