Bollywood filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has directed only seven films in a career spanning over three decades. His process remains deliberate and unhurried. After the monumental success of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! in 1994, he took a five-year hiatus before returning with Hum Saath-Saath Hain in 1999. After Lagaan and Dil Chahtha Hain, Aamir Khan took a four-year hiatus before Mangal Panday. Sooraj's gap was even longer.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! altered the landscape of Hindi cinema. "It shifted Bollywood away from violent action toward grand, wholesome family celebrations. It turned movie watching into a collective cultural festival. Barjatya anchored his storytelling in traditional family values, gentle romance, and grand musical numbers," a critic once wrote.
After that movie, though, Sooraj lost his form. He regained it only two decades later. In 2015, he brought back his iconic archetype Prem with Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, which blended opulence with deep emotional bonds. Years later, he subverted expectations with Uunchai in 2022. It was a grounded drama about friendship and aging, earning him a National Award for Best Direction.
Now, he awaits the release of his next venture, Yeh Prem Mol Liya, starring Ayushman Khurrana in the lead. The film will head to theatres on November 27.
