Chandni 1989 romantic Bollywood movie: The film 'Chandni' (1989) that brought Yash Chopra back to the world of romance

Chandni' is a beautiful and heartwarming romantic musical drama film from 1989, directed and co-produced by Yash Chopra. The story was written by Kamna Chandra and the screenplay was written by Umesh Kalbag, Arun Kaul, and Sagar Sarhadi.

Chandni was made during the era of action films. It tells a story of love, emotions, pain and hope. This film, directed by Yash Chopra, marked a turning point in his career, as many of his previous films had not been very successful. (Chandni 1989 Yash Chopra movie details)

According to reports, Yash Chopra was once driving towards his office when he saw posters of only and only action films everywhere. He then decided to make a romantic love story, which was his forte, and thus 'Chandni' was born.

'Chandni' revived the reputation and popularity of Yash Chopra and Yash Raj Films.

The film's story is very romantic and touching. Chandni (Sridevi) is a simple, beautiful girl who attends a wedding in Delhi with her parents. There she meets Rohit Gupta (Rishi Kapoor), who falls in love with her at first sight. Gradually, Chandni also falls in love with him. They love each other deeply and become engaged. However, Rohit's family doesn't like Chandni at all. One day, while showering rose petals on Chandni from his helicopter, Rohit's helicopter crashes, leaving him paralyzed on his right side. Rohit's family blames Chandni for the accident and pressures her to leave Rohit. The disabled Rohit is helpless and Chandni, in tears, leaves for Mumbai forever. (Sridevi performance in Chandni film 1989)

In Mumbai, she gets a job at a travel agency and meets its owner, Lalit (Vinod Khanna). Lalit too falls in loves with her and proposes marriage. After refusing him for two years, Chandni finally accepts.

But Chandni still has feelings for Rohit. Meanwhile, Rohit returns from Switzerland after his treatment. By chance, he befriends Lalit while both were in Switzerland. One day, after he returned from Switzerland, he visits Lalit's Mumbai office, and there he is surprised to see Chandni. Both are overcome with emotion, but Chandni tells him that she is now committed to marry Lalit. (Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi romantic movie Chandni)

On the wedding day, Rohit arrives, drunk, and suddenly slips  down the stairs.  Seeing him fall Chandni, forgetting everything else, holds him in her arms and cries. Lalit is stunned by all this, and then he realizes the truth. He reunites Chandni and Rohit. This friendship and selflessness makes this story truly remarkable. (Yash Chopra comeback movie Chandni 1989)

Other actors in the film include, Wahida Rehman (Lalit's mother), Meeta Vashisht, Anant Mahadevan, Achala Sachdev, Beena Banerjee, Manohar Singh, Suhas Joshi, Anupam Kher (as Ramesh Mehra), Juhi Chawla (as Devika) and Gajendra Singh.

The film is also known for its beautiful music. The songs were composed by Shiv-Hari. The film's hit songs, such as 'Mere Hath Mein Nau Nau Chudiya Hai', 'Mehbooba', 'Main Sasural Nahin Jaungi', 'Mitwa (Tere Mere Hothon Pe)', 'yei Meri Jaan', 'Dance Music', 'Chandni O Meri Chandni', 'Lagi Aaj Sawan Ki', 'Pahad Se Kali', and 'Tu Mujhe Suna' are still popular today. Sridevi herself sang the song 'Chandni, Main Teri Chandni Lallala' in the film.

Sridevi achieved a major milestone in her career with this film. Her innocence, beauty, and acting won the hearts of the audience. Rishi Kapoor's career wasn't doing well at that time, but with  'Chandni', being super hit, he regained his form. Vinod Khanna also came back into the limelight thanks to 'Chandni'.

Some interesting behind-the-scenes stories are also interesting . Yash Chopra put in a lot of effort for every scene of this film. During the shoot he and his team faced many weather-related challenges, but they persevered. This film was a turning point for Yash Chopra after a period of flop films . It is said that this film revived his home production Yashraj Films and brought it back to its glory.

According to reports, Sridevi kept her fee low for this film because she had complete faith in Yash Chopra and the story, believing it would be a hit and she wanted to be a part of it. (Chandni Yash Chopra romantic storytelling)

The film was a huge hit at the box office and touched the hearts of millions.

'Chandni' is one of those classic films of Hindi cinema that left a memorable mark on the hearts of millions. This film showcases the true world of love, filled with dreams, yet also revealing the harsh realities of life. Even 36 years later, the story, songs and characters of 'Chandni' remain as fresh in people's hearts as they were on the first day.

This film gave a new direction to modern Hindi love stories and even today, it is considered a benchmark for romantic cinema .

The film received great acclaim from both critics and audiences and became the third most successful Hindi film of the year. Its soundtrack also became the best-selling album of that year (1989) and the decade, selling over 10 million copies.

According to reports, director Yash Chopra first offered the role of Chandni to Rekha, as she had played a character named Chandni in his previous film, 'Silsila' (1981). However, Rekha declined and suggested Sridevi's name to Yash Chopra. Director Yash Chopra  employed his son, Aditya Chopra, as an assistant director on this film. This film marked the beginning of Aditya Chopra's career in filmmaking and it provided him with valuable experience and knowledge, which he later used to create his blockbuster film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

An instrumental tune from this film was later used as the basis for the song "Kabhi Main Kahoon" in Yash Chopra's next film, Lamhe (1992)

Surprisingly , Yash Chopra, the director of this film, passed away in 2012, followed by the deaths of Vinod Khanna in 2017, death of Sridevi in 2018 (within three years), and death of Rishi Kapoor in 2020.

Madhuri Dixit, Meenakshi Seshadri, Madhavi and Shaheen were all offered the role of Devika in this film. But they all turned it down because it was a small role, and the film was primarily about Sridevi.

Juhi Chawla was a new actress at the time and a huge fan of Sridevi, so she accepted the role.

This film proved to be beneficial for Juhi, as Yash Chopra later cast her in his next film, 'Darr', which completely transformed her image.

Before this film, Rishi Kapoor was going through a difficult Profesional phase in his career.

Vinod Khanna was listed at the top billing in the film's credits, even though he appeared only in the second half of the film.

Before 'Chandni', Yash Chopra had two major flops: 'Faasle' (1985) and 'Vijay' (1988).

The chiffon sarees worn repeatedly in different colors by Sridevi in the film became very popular among women of that era, especially in North India, where there was a craze for Chandni-inspired sarees in the early 90s.

Chandni was the film that popularized Switzerland as a filming location for Hindi films, a trend pioneered by Yash Chopra.
It is said that the role of Rohit in this film was first offered to Anil Kapoor, but after his refusal, Yash Chopra offered it to Govinda, who also declined, as he didn't want to be shown in a wheelchair for most of the film.

In the original story  of Chandni, Rishi Kapoor dies before the interval, and Vinod Khanna enters the scene after the intermission. However, the script was later changed.

Due to overwhelming public demand, the film was released in Canadian theaters during the summer of 1992.

Yash Chopra is said to have been annoyed by Vinod Khanna's frequent tardiness on the film set.

According to reports, Juhi Chawla was later unhappy with her decision to sign the film, as many of her scenes were edited out. Only one bedroom scene remained.

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Fashion designer Leena Daruwale had designed costumes for many actresses over the years, but it was the simple white churidar kurta, and leheriya dupatta ensemble, she designed for Sridevi in this film that made her famous.

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A post shared by sridevi.kapoor (@sridevialways_)

Shops in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, made a lot of money by selling thousands of similar outfits.

FAQ

Q1. What is the story of Chandni (1989)?
Chandni (1989) is a romantic drama directed by Yash Chopra. The film follows the love story of Chandni (Sridevi) and Rohit (Rishi Kapoor), whose lives are torn apart by destiny, only for her to later cross paths with Lalit (Vinod Khanna). The film explores love, loss, and second chances.

Q2. Why is Chandni considered a landmark film in Bollywood?
Chandni brought Yash Chopra back to the genre of romance after years of experimenting with other themes. Its success redefined the Bollywood love story, with breathtaking visuals, melodious music, and Sridevi’s iconic performance.

Q3. Who are the lead actors in Chandni (1989)?
The film stars Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor, and Vinod Khanna in lead roles, supported by actors like Waheeda Rehman and Anupam Kher.

Q4. Who composed the music of Chandni?
The music of Chandni was composed by Shiv-Hari, with unforgettable songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammed Aziz. The soundtrack remains one of Bollywood’s most loved.

Q5. Was Chandni a box office hit?
Yes, Chandni (1989) was a massive box-office success and is remembered as one of the biggest blockbusters of its era, cementing Yash Chopra’s reputation as the “King of Romance.”

Q6. What makes Sridevi’s role in Chandni iconic?
Sridevi’s performance in Chandni is considered legendary. Her grace, charm, and emotional depth made Chandni a timeless character and solidified her as the ultimate Bollywood diva of the 1980s.

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