24 for 24: Twenty-four facts about Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam turning 24 today

1999 was when Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was released – which was Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s kick starter into the industry. It is a love triangle where Salman Khan has moved back to India to learn music under her father and ends up falling for Aishwarya Rai. Unfortunately so, she’s already in an arranged marriage setting with Ajay Devgn but ends up falling for Salman anyways. After her marriage, she continues to write to him, in the hopes of reuniting with her unrequited love. Today, it turns 24. Feeling old? Here’s 24 concealed parts of the movie that’ll raise your eyebrows high up in the air.

1. Na Hanyate is a Bengali semi-autobiographical movie that reportedly inspired Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and the script low-key revolves around it.
2. Before Ajay Devgn, Aamir Khan, SRK, Sanjay Dutt, and Anil Kapoor – 4 heroes were taken then cancelled for the role.
3. Sanjay Leela Bhansali – unlike what most people think – has worked with Salman Khan before this in Khamoshi: The Musical (1994).
4. This love triangle sizzled an off-screen romance between Aish and Salman until 2001.
5. The film’s first half took place near Kutch – a lesser known place in India.
6. ‘Italy’ in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is not actually Italy – it was filmed in Hungary – a stepney to the original location.
7. Bhansali has projected his personal habits on Sameer’s character (Salman Khan in the movie) – like looking up in the sky and talking to his demised father.
8. In the wedding scene, Sameer tells Nandini (Aish), “You’re acting as if you’re Miss World,” coincidence or not, Aishwarya Rai was actually Miss World in 1994.
9. Sameer’s on-screen mom is his real-life mother too – this is their first and last Oappearance together in the same film. Helen is a famous cabaret dancer of her times.
10. Late Zohra Sehgal’s last movie with Bhansali was Ranbir Kapoor’s Saawariya who was Nandini’s grandmother in this 1999 movie.
11. The blockbuster song Nimbooda was danced on by Nandini in swollen feet. A chandelier accident on set had caused it. What a superstar!
12. Salman Khan wanted a different ending to the film, he admits in the interview. In the end, Nandini realizes her duty as a wedded wife towards Ajay Devgn and decides to leave Sameer forever.
13. HDDCS so far pockets 4 National awards – Sanjay Leela Bhansali did slay hard, didn’t he?
14. In just a single Filmfare Awards function in 2000, HDDCS won 9 awards!
15. The first name thought for this movie was ‘Dil To Humne Diya Sanam.’
16. Internationally, the release also renamed the movie as ‘Straight From The Heart.’
17. This blockbuster movie has a Bengali adaptation named ‘Neel Akasher Chandni in 2009.
18. International Film Festival of India held in 1999 premiered Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in its Indian Panorama section.
19. The movie earned nearly three times its making cost. It was winded up in just 16 crores but with the love of the audience, its BO collection reached 51.4 crores.
20. The music part of this movie was heavenly – all thanks to National Awardee Ismail Darbar who spent 2 years for it. It has 10 songs, for every occasion in the movie!
21. Aishwarya Rai was considered to have a western face by the production team. It was Bhansali who decided to tie her hair in a braid and give her a Ghagra-Choli look that gave Aish a rebirth.
22. In the song Dholi Taro, marigold flower was spread under the acrylic sheets which gave the whole set an orange, gold appearance. Mega brains!
23. Aishwarya Rai had gone to the special screening of Raja Hindustani where she met Bhansali and praised his movie Khamoshi, which is how she caught his eye for the movie HDDCS.
24. Originally, the role of Nandini was handed over to Kareena Kapoor Khan but things didn’t work out.

This 24th anniversary, HDDCS once again sparks a light of love in our hearts.

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