Dil Chahta Hai: Generation-defining film that forgot to give a job to its women

Dil Chahta Hai, released in 2001, is often hailed as a generation-defining film in Hindi cinema. Starring Farhan Akhtar, Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia, the movie challenged traditional storytelling conventions. It featured elaborate visual aesthetics, inventive sound effects, and dialogues recorded live on set, setting a new benchmark for mainstream Hindi films.

However, despite its progressive approach, the film has been criticized for its portrayal of women. Preity Zinta’s character, Shalini, and Sonali Kulkarni’s character, Pooja, have no jobs, and their lives revolve around the male protagonists. While Dimple Kapadia’s character, Tara, is the sole exception with a career outside the film's narrative, the overall representation of women in the film remains inadequate.

Women in Hindi cinema were seldom portrayed as having professional lives, and even now, their careers are often relegated to supporting roles. The film's focus on the male characters inadvertently perpetuates the idea that women in the narrative are merely love interests.