Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla are one of the most sought after pairs of the Hindi entertainment industry. While their off-screen friendship is cherished by many, their film Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani holds a special place in their fans’ hearts. Having completed 25 years of release, this year, the film’s director Aziz Mirza opened up about its making and how it is still relevant in today’s time. His statement comes at a time when the country is still reeling from the Pahalgam attack, which has led to a Hindu-Muslim divide within the nation.
For those who don’t know, the film marked the production debut of Dreamz Unlimited, now known as Red Chillies Entertainment, co-founded by SRK, Juhi and Mirza. Recalling the journey of making the film, he opened up about its lasting relevance. He also shared how despite wanting to invest in the film, alongside the actors, he couldn’t contribute due his financial situation at the film.
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Talking to Indian Express about it, he revealed that they had decided to invest Rs five lakh each in Dreamz Unlimited, however he couldn’t invest as much. He added that no one even asked him to. However, “I invested five lakhs at the end. I am being very honest.”
It’s not easy to make a movie about serious topics while also catering to the masses, but Aziz Mirza was able to do so with “Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani”.
Definitely feel like it was ahead of its time and I hope more people watch it. Happy 35 years. pic.twitter.com/s9fqoCxeR7
— Raza (@alirazah) January 21, 2025
Explaining how the film continues to resonate with the audience, even today, especially since the Pahalgam attack, he said, “ Even if you see the film today, it is still so relevant. You see the little things – vo dange khud karvaata hai aur phir hawan mein baithta hai dange band karvaane ke liye. Dange kisi aur cheez par the, he shifted it to Hindu-Muslim so that dhyaan idhar se hattjaaye. All these things were done.”
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Released in January 2000, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani starred Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, Aanjjan Srivastav, Neena Kulkarni, Dalip Tahil, Shakti Kapoor and many others.
