Jackky Bhagnani on 25 years of Vashu Bhagnani and Puja Entertainment’s RHTDM; Says Maddy and Reena became bigger than the film!

Some films become hits. Others take years to find their audience, only to become their forever fall back film. Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein is one such cult film that remains iconic. As the R Madhavan, Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan-starrer completes 25 years on October 19, Jackky Bhagnani who was an assitant on the film looks back at the romantic drama with the perspective of someone who witnessed its making from close quarters.

Bhagnani was an assistant on the Gautham Vasudev Menon film, produced by his father, Vashu Bhagnani. The project also marked a euphoric moment for its lead pair – it brought Madhavan to Hindi cinema in a leading role and introduced Mirza to Bollywood.

Talking about it, Bhagnani says, “When we were making RHTDM, none of us could have imagined that 25 years later, people would still be talking about Maddy and Reena with this kind of affection. What makes the film special is that the audience has made it their own. They have their favourite scenes, their favourite songs and their own memories attached to the film. That is something you cannot manufacture through marketing or a release strategy. It happens when a story finds a permanent place in people’s lives.”

The film’s making was unpredictable and perhaps that’s how all great movies are made. Bhagnani tells us, “What makes Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein particularly special to me is the story of how it came together. My father, Vashu ji, saw the potential in Minnale and wanted to bring that story to Hindi audiences. Madhavan was instrumental in making that happen; he was convinced that Gautham Menon should direct the Hindi version, and that conviction became an important part of the film’s journey. Dia was another wonderful discovery for the film. My father felt she had the potential to be Reena, and she brought an innocence and grace to the character that audiences continue to love. At the time, we were putting together a film with actors at important turning points in their careers. None of us could have predicted that, 25 years later, Maddy and Reena would still occupy such a special place in people’s hearts. That is the magic of cinema,, you make a film, but its relationship with the audience belongs to the audience, and sometimes that relationship lasts far longer than anyone could have imagined.”

The soundtrack, particularly Zara Zara and Sach Keh Raha Hai, has continued to find listeners across generations. “The most beautiful thing about RHTDM is that it never really left. A new generation discovered it, fell in love with its music and connected with Maddy and Reena without having experienced the time in which the film was made. Twenty-five years on, that is the real legacy, the film continues to find its way into people’s hearts.”