It’s everything I experienced in my 20s: Ayan Mukerji on 10 years of ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’

It has been a decade since we first witnessed the magnanimous friendship of Naina, Bunny, Adi and Aditi – the group who taught us love, heartbreak, friendship and passion. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, a blockbuster in its own right, starred the dynamic quartet of Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Kalki Koechlin.

On the occasion, director Ayan Mukerji got emotional and shared a heartfelt video reflecting on the film's significance on Instagram. “Almost everything I experienced as a 20-year-old is packed into the film — ambition, romance, friendship,” he wrote while referring to the film as his "second child," emphasising the deep connection he feels to the movie.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani revolves around the lives of four young friends who navigate the complexities of love and heartbreak after their carefree college days. Mukerji added, "Making this movie was one of the greatest joys of my life! And what we achieved with it – with all its perfections and imperfections – is a source of great eternal pride for me!"

However, despite his involvement in the film, he confessed that he has never watched the film from start to finish since its release. Always driven by the pursuit of the next milestone, he looks forward to watching it when he is "older and wiser," recognising the film as a reflection of his younger self.

Mukerji also shared a Director's Note, describing the film as a blend of various encounters and obsessions. He aimed to capture the essence of his characters' lives, their laughter, their tears, and their search for meaning. Mukerji's intention was to bottle up these emotions and present them to the audience, evoking happiness, joy, nostalgia, and a yearning for purpose.

Koechlin, who played the role of Aditi in the film, went back in time to reminisce all the fun they had on the set of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. "How we've all grown and learnt since then and yet some things I can't imagine any different. Like Deepika will always be teaching us a dance step we can’t follow, Aditya will always be our big Lebowski, Ranbir will always play a prank that makes us squeal and Ayan will always ask us uncomfortably personal questions that lead to the best conversations. Loved the memories we collected here. Happy 10 years, guys,” she wrote on Instagram.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, the producer for the film, too got nostalgic thinking about how much time has passed since this classic released. “Time flies especially when a film like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani never gets old. This was a special story which really got the heart and the pulse of the generation and many more to come. And what a dream team that told this story of dreams so beautifully!” he captioned the video where Mukerji talks about the film.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani graced the silver screen on May 31, 2013, and has since remained etched in the hearts of countless fans. As the film celebrates its ten-year anniversary, fans continue to cherish its timeless tale of youth, friendship, and the sorrows and joys of a transition to adulthood.

A Twitter user, reflecting on how the classic gets better with age, wrote, “I love how in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Bunny's 'Mai udna chahta hu, daurna chahta hu' line is directly contrasted by the lyrics in Kabira —  'ban liya apna paigambar, tar liya tu saath samandar, fir bhi sookha man ke andar' perfectly illustrating the film's thesis that just ambition can't drive your life. You need companionship, friendships, time with your loved ones. The older I grow the more I understand what the film is trying to say!” they wrote.

The nerd of the class somehow made her way to unleash the wildness inside her with the three most popular kids in school, and so can you. Here’s to companionship during the madness of life!

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