New Delhi | Filmmaker Kabir Khan on Thursday celebrated the 10th anniversary of his popular Salman Khan-starrer “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, saying the movie continues to make people laugh and cry even today.
The film, which also featured Kareena Kapoor Khan and Harshaali Malhotra, was released to universal acclaim on July 17, 2015.
“Happy Bajrangi Day It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Bajrangi Bhaijaan first found its way into people’s hearts,” Khan posted on his Instagram page.
“Over the last decade I have been totally overwhelmed by the love this film keeps accumulating all over the world. We set out to tell a story of love and hope in a world that sometimes forgets these emotions. To this day I meet people who tell me how this film makes them laugh and cry every time they see it. And that to me, is the real reward – knowing that Bajrangi didn’t just entertain, it healed,” he added.
At its heart, the film was about a mute Pakistani girl lost in India and the Indian man who goes to great lengths to reunite her with her family.
Salman essayed the role of Pawan, a Lord Hanuman devotee, Kareena starred as Rasika, his love interest, and Malhotra as Munni, the Pakistani who gets lost in India.
When it was released in theatres, “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” became a huge box office hit with critics praising the movie for its combination of emotional storytelling, strong performances, and its message of humanity transcending borders.
Malhotra, who was seven at the time of the movie’s release, also marked the film’s 10th anniversary.
“10 years ago… A film was released that was far more than a story. It was a feeling. A message of love, humanity, and faith that moved millions across the world.
“I was just a 6-year-old girl when ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ entered my life. I didn’t speak a word in the film… but I never imagined how much my silence would be heard, how deeply it would be felt,” she wrote alongside a still from the movie on Instagram.
The actor said she connected with the character and could feel what Munni was going through.
“Munni was innocent, quiet ,but carried the entire soul of the film. She trusted. She loved. She felt. And you all loved her back with a kind of warmth I still don’t have words for.
“Behind the scenes, I was a child ,curious, playful, but also extremely sensitive.
The violent scenes made me anxious. I’d cover my ears, hide behind chairs, sometimes cry because I didn’t understand what was happening,” she added.