Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum Aapke Hain Koun didn’t just redefine Bollywood musicals—it redefined Indian weddings. What started as a grand cinematic celebration of love, tradition, and family soon became a cultural blueprint for real-life nuptials.
Sooraj Barjatya reveals how Hum Aapke Hain Koun turned him into Bollywood’s unofficial wedding consultant.
Few filmmakers have shaped Bollywood’s portrayal of Indian weddings like Sooraj Barjatya. While his directorial debut, Maine Pyar Kiya, established him as a promising filmmaker, it was Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994) that turned him into an authority on traditional Indian festivities—so much so that people began associating him with wedding rituals in real life.
What started as a grand cinematic celebration of love, family, and tradition soon became a cultural blueprint for Indian weddings. The film, with its opulent sets, elaborate ceremonies, and an unforgettable playlist of wedding-themed songs, became a reference point for real-life nuptials. Brides and grooms took inspiration from the costumes, families adopted rituals from the film, and event planners used its aesthetic as a guide.
However, Hum Aapke Hain Koun wasn’t an instant blockbuster. In a recent interview with Digital Commentary, Barjatya revealed that the film initially received a lukewarm response. The extensive soundtrack—comprising 14 songs—felt overwhelming for audiences, and its unconventional structure took time to resonate. “For the first five days, I didn’t get much reaction from people. The response was quite muted. One reason was that the film had fourteen songs, which we later trimmed slightly. It was a musical, and audiences weren’t prepared for it. The film didn’t follow a traditional structure but moved in a natural flow,” he recalled.
As the film gained momentum, it became more than just a cinematic success—it turned into a cultural movement. Barjatya soon found himself inadvertently playing the role of a wedding consultant, as people started reaching out to him for advice on marriage customs. “After the film’s success, I started receiving calls from people asking me to suggest muhurat timings for their family functions,” he shared.
Even at weddings he attended, guests would approach him with unexpected questions. “People look at me and ask, ‘Who should put the varmala first—the bride or the groom?’ And I’m like, ‘How would I know?’” he laughed. His reputation as Bollywood’s wedding maestro grew so strong that even lyricists would call him, hoping he could suggest the perfect song for wedding functions.
Actress Renuka Shahane, who played Pooja in the film—the beloved bhabhi whose tragic death triggers the climax—witnessed firsthand how deeply Indian audiences connected with wedding traditions. During the shoot, she would accompany Barjatya on set to learn about filmmaking, but her presence wasn’t always welcomed by the crew.
“I remember picking up Renuka from her home every morning because she wanted to understand how filmmaking worked. She would arrive on set without makeup and stand in the middle, observing everything. The cleaners would get annoyed and chase her away, saying, ‘Hato yaha se, humein safai karna hai.’ But once she was dressed in her full bhabhi attire, the same people treated her with immense respect. Such was the power of the bhabhi character,” Barjatya recalled.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun didn’t just redefine Bollywood musicals—it redefined the way weddings were perceived in popular culture. The film set a benchmark for wedding sequences in Hindi cinema, influencing generations of filmmakers who sought to recreate its magic.
Decades later, its songs—like Didi Tera Devar Deewana and Wah Wah Ramji—are still wedding staples. The elaborate sangeet and mehendi sequences it popularized remain deeply embedded in Indian matrimonial celebrations. The film starred Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit in lead roles, along with a stellar supporting cast including Renuka Shahane, Anupam Kher, Reema Lagoo, Alok Nath, and Mohnish Bahl.
With its rich depiction of tradition, familial bonds, and celebration, Hum Aapke Hain Koun was more than just a blockbuster—it was a cultural phenomenon. And in the process, it turned Sooraj Barjatya into Bollywood’s unofficial pandit ji for weddings, a reputation that still follows him today.
