Dil to Pagal Hai

Made in 1997, Dil To Pagal Hai ("The Heart is Crazy") was a runaway hit, with an array of excellent songs, memorable scenes and outstanding performances by the three leads. Considered a must-see among Bollywood films and a prime example of Bollywood screen couple (or "jodi") popularity in the form of Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit.

Rahul (SRK) is the choreographer of a famous dance troupe, who is preparing a new musical, Maya, on who everybody has misgivings due to the way he describes the titular main role as a woman who believes in true love and is waiting for her Prince Charming. He gives said role to his best friend Nisha (Karisma Kapoor), who is secretly in love with him but Can't Spit It Out. Meanwhile, we are introduced to Pooja (Dixit), an amazing, classically trained dancer, who is being set to be married with Ajay (Akshay Kumar), her childhood sweetheart and the son of her foster family who has left for London after proposing her.

Rahul and Pooja had a series of near encounters, marked by an ear worm tune that registers on Pooja. During rehearsals, Nisha has an accident and is left hospitalized, unable to dance for months, leaving Rahul forced to find a replacement. He find Pooja while she is dancing and, due to believing that she is perfect for the role, he gets into convincing her to join the rehearsals, and eventually into accepting the role.

On rehearsals, Rahul and Pooja become increasingly closer, but they're unable to define, let alone express, the feelings they are having for each other. But things comes to a closer crashing when Nisha is released from the hospital and Ajay unexpectedly returns to announce he and Pooja's compromise...

Bollywood fans believe that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is thematically a response to the themes of this film. --


 * Almost Kiss: One of the most memorable scenes from the movie revolves around this trope.
 * Watch it here.
 * Arranged Marriage: Pooja is set to marry her childhood sweetheart so that she can officially be part of her adopted family until she falls in love with Rahul.
 * Betty and Veronica: Pooja is the BEtty, Nisha is the Veronica.
 * Can't Spit It Out: almost everybody
 * Creator Breakdown: When Rahul realizes his feelings for Pooja and believes they are not reciprocated, he edits the play to give it a Did Not Get the Girl ending to reflect his heartbreak.
 * Crowd Song: Come on...
 * Ear Worm: Plural and Famously so.
 * The Charmer: Rahul. Not undeserved considering it's Shah Rukh Khan that plays him.
 * Cleaning Up Romantic Loose Ends: End of the movie, everyone is paired off.
 * Fan-Preferred Couple: Rahul and Nisha have a following, if only because Pooja is sometimes considered TOO perfect...
 * I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Nisha and Pooja's childhood sweetheart.
 * Just Friends: Pooja tries to pass this off with Rahul due to her betrothal to Ajay. Rahul considers Nisha to be just a friend.
 * Love Hurts: And how!
 * Mating Dance: Rahul on the bongos being answered by Pooja's ankle bells in the adjoining room. To watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1LZpXFdrvI]]
 * Red String of Fate: Pooja pretty much recites the definition of this in the opening monologue. Suffice to say it is a factor in her love life.
 * Wet Sari Scene: In the song "Koi Ladki Hai".