Gen Z watches Sridevi’s Chandni: Beautiful songs, and a Kabir Singh-coded red flag

In 1989, filmmaker Yash Chopra's romantic masterpiece Chandni released amidst a time when Bollywood was filled with violent and action films. This Sridevi-Rishi Kapoor-Vinod Khanna starrer film redefined romance, fashion, and music in Indian cinema. Sridevi's chiffon sarees remain iconic representations of a Bollywood romantic heroine.

As GenZ, I watched Chandni for the first time on Chopra's birth anniversary. The film tells the story of Chandni, played by Sridevi, and Rohit, played by Rishi Kapoor, who fall deeply in love only for their relationship to fall apart after Rohit's tragic accident leaves him paralyzed. Rohit pushes Chandni away, and she finds solace in rebuilding her life in Mumbai.

Eventually, Rohit recovers and proposes marriage to her, but she must choose between her past love and the life she has built. While the film's opening scene shows Rohit falling in love with Chandni immediately after meeting her at her friend's wedding, it is the film's portrayal of toxic obsession and red flags that truly stand out.

The makers present Rohit's confession of love as charming persistence, which would be considered extremely problematic today. The film's lyrics, like "Main Sasuraal Nahin Jaaungi," present an exaggerated idea of a bride's entire existence being based on her marital home, something that would not be accepted by GenZ audiences. The casual insults used by Rohit and Chandni, such as "Chal jaa" and "Saali," would also be shocking to GenZ.

While some aspects of Chandni may feel dated, the film's influence and influence in creating a fantasy world of romance, flowers, chiffon, and dramatic storytelling remains comprehensible.