'Hum Aapke Hain Koun!' turns 30: The film that changed Indian weddings
If you grew up in the 1990s, you might be looking in the mirror and noticing a few grey hairs, realising it’s been 30 years since ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’ released. This 1994 film became an evergreen cult blockbuster. From its ensemble cast and celebration of Indian wedding traditions to its memorable dialogues, timeless music and record-breaking box office success, this Sooraj Barjatya directorial is widely recognised as one of the biggest blockbusters of the modern era, redefining success in Indian cinema.
‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’ starring Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Mohnish Behl and Renuka Shahane in pivotal roles, celebrated Indian wedding traditions through the story of a married couple and the relationship between their families, emphasising the theme of sacrificing one’s love for the sake of family. Undoubtedly, the film is an evergreen cult entertainer that has set a benchmark for Hindi Cinema. Remarkably, the film won two National Awards: one for the ‘Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment’ category and another for ‘Best Choreography’. This indeed speaks volumes of the nationwide sensation the film created upon its release.
Additionally, in ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’, Salman’s portrayal of Prem was both charming and versatile. His natural ease, chemistry with Madhuri and ability to balance light-hearted and emotional moments showcased his acting range and contributed to the film’s lasting appeal. In an interview, Madhuri had said how she became like a family member to everyone after the film was released. “I was a bahu, beti, girlfriend and wife. So, they accepted me in very different ways. That’s the importance of what ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’ did to everybody’s career at that time, be it Salman or me or all the actors,” she said.
‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’ is nothing less than a revelation in the history of the Hindi film industry. It is considered one of the most influential films in Indian cinema as well as in pop culture. The film left a significant impact on wedding celebrations across the nation, where people began incorporating the fun elements from the film into their own weddings. Moreover, the film features a 14-song soundtrack, an unusually large number for that period. While almost all the songs from the film are chartbusters, some of the most popular include ‘Maye Ni Maye’, ‘Didi Tera Devar Deewana’, ‘Joote Do, Paise Lo’, ‘Pehla Pehla Pyar’, and ‘Wah Wah Ramji’.
The film became the highest-grossing Indian film at the time of its release. It contributed to a shift in the Indian film industry, with new methods of distribution and a turn towards less violent, more family-oriented stories. It was the first Indian film to gross over ₹100 crore in India, and when adjusted for inflation, it remains the highest-grossing Indian film of the 1990s and one of the highest-earning Bollywood films ever.
