Twenty-five years after its release, Dil Chahta Hai continues to occupy a distinct place in Hindi cinema, and Saif Ali Khan has been reflecting on what made its making so singular.
Speaking to Variety India, Khan said Farhan Akhtar’s ease behind the camera left a lasting impression on the cast: “We were laughing most of the time because Farhan wore it all very lightly. It was like he was born to direct, with the ease with which he was on a set.”
Goa, restaurants, and a shoot like no other
Khan described the Goa schedule as one of the most enjoyable periods of his career, “Making Dil Chahta Hai was a lot of fun. It was insane. I think it was the most fun because it was Goa, and we were very young.”
He recalled how the cast balanced demanding shoot days with the spirit of the city: “We shot on the beach and we partied as well. I remember we tried almost every restaurant in Goa. And because we were all so young, we had the energy to eat, drink, party and then come back for a shoot.”
A new standard for Hindi film production
Khan credited the production’s professionalism as a shift in how Hindi films were made, noting that the crew, which included Zoya Akhtar as an assistant director, brought a level of discipline rarely seen at the time: “I think it was the first time we had seen such efficient ADs. They estimated a 105-day shoot after reading the script, and we wrapped on the 105th day.”
That discipline extended even to how the locations were treated. Khan recounted a moment that stayed with him: “We finished shooting on the beach and they said, ‘Everyone, just pick up a bit of litter, please. Let’s leave the beach cleaner than we found it.’ And we did.” He summed up the crew’s influence plainly: “They changed the culture of how films are made.”
Dil Chahta Hai, directed by Farhan Akhtar and featuring Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, and Saif Ali Khan, with music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, marks its 25th anniversary in August 2026.
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