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    EYE ON BOLLYWOOD                                                          JULY 24, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 40

                       Fifteen Years Later, Zindagi Na

             Milegi Dobara Still Defines the Lives

                                  of the Stars Who Made It

              As the cult classic marks its 15th anniversary, heartfelt tributes from its cast reveal

               how the film has remained more than a career milestone—it continues to shape

                      their personal journeys, friendships and enduring bond with audiencess

            OUR BUREAU

            Mumbai
                 ew  Bollywood  films  have  en-
                 joyed the enduring cultural
            Flegacy  of  Zindagi  Na  Milegi
            Dobara. Fifteen years after its release,
            the 2011 coming-of-age road drama
            continues to resonate not only with
            audiences  but  also  with  the  actors
            who brought its memorable charac-
            ters to life.
                As the film completed 15 years
            this week, lead actors Hrithik Ro-
            shan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar
            and Kalki Koechlin took to social
            media with nostalgic tributes that re-
            flected a shared sentiment: Zindagi
            Na Milegi Dobara was more than a   nundrum I was dealing with in real  “Thank you universe for the opportu-  the occasion by revisiting iconic se-
            successful film. It was a transforma-  life,” the actor wrote.      nity to be a part of this magical film.”  quences from the film. Among those
            tive experience that continues to in-  Hrithik credited director Zoya   Abhay Deol’s reflections echoed   responding was Katrina Kaif, whose
            fluence their lives long after the cam-  Akhtar for creating an atmosphere   a similar emotional connection.  brief but memorable performance as
            eras stopped rolling.             that encouraged creativity and collab-  Posting behind-the-scenes photo-  Laila remains one of the film’s defin-
                Released  on  July  15,  2011,  the   oration rather than rigid filmmaking.  graphs and memorable moments   ing elements. Her reaction was suc-
            Zoya   Akhtar-directed   film   fol- “As we got closer to shooting, across   from  the  film,  Abhay  looked  back   cinct but affectionate: “The besttt.”
            lowed  three  childhood  friends  on  a   many conversations with Zoya, I   not simply  at  a  production  but  at   That so many members of the
            life-changing road trip across Spain,  found a director and collaborator   friendships forged through the   original cast and creative team chose
            weaving together themes of friendship,  who let the actor in me run free. The   shared experience. “We worked, we   to commemorate the anniversary in-
            self-discovery, love and overcoming   confidence she had in her process was   played, we cried and we laughed, we   dependently speaks to the unusually
            fear. Over the years, its stunning visu-  unshakable, and it allowed her to lib-  opened  up,  and  we  connected  with   lasting bond forged during the mak-
            als, memorable performances, music   erate all of us artists on set,” he wrote.  an amazing audience,” he wrote.  ing of the film.
            by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Javed       Looking back on the experi-       Kalki Koechlin also joined the cel-  Unlike  many  successful com-
            Akhtar’s poetry have helped the film   ence, Hrithik described the cast as   ebrations by sharing commemorative   mercial  films  that  are  remembered
            attain cult status among moviegoers.  “a bunch of fools having fun,” adding   posters from the film. “ZNMD - thank   primarily  for  their  box-office  collec-
                For Hrithik Roshan, who por-  that what began as an enjoyable film-  you for the sun, the youth, the saaNs,  tions, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has
            trayed investment banker Arjun Salu-  making process ultimately resulted   and the memories, may they live on   become  part  of  popular  culture.  Its
            ja, the anniversary became an oppor-  in something that continues to in-  for generations to come!” she wrote,  themes of friendship, emotional vul-
            tunity to reflect on how closely art and   spire audiences.         capturing the sense of nostalgia that   nerability, personal freedom and living
            life intersected during the making of   Calling the project “deeply trans-  has come to define the film’s legacy.  in the present have remained relevant
            the film.                         formative and cathartic,” he thanked   Farhan Akhtar, who not only   to  successive generations  of  viewers.
                Sharing a heartfelt note on In-  co-stars Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar,  starred  in  the  film  but  also  co-pro-  For its stars, however, the anni-
            stagram, Hrithik described Zindagi   Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin,  duced it under the Excel Entertain-  versary celebrations suggest some-
            Na Milegi Dobara as “a journey that   along  with  the  film’s  writers,  techni-  ment  banner with  Ritesh Sidhwani,  thing  even  deeper.  Their  reflections
            continues to amaze me,” revealing   cians and production team. “Togeth-  shared a series of memorable stills   reveal that the film continues to live
            that the character of Arjun mirrored   er  we  created  a  film  that  continues   featuring the ensemble cast. The final   not simply through repeat television
            personal questions he himself was   to speak to audiences even 15 years   image in his Instagram post carried a   screenings or streaming platforms,
            grappling with at the time.       later. We did this. And most impor-  simple but evocative message: “Some   but through the personal memories it
               “Arjun was a character who al-  tantly, we had fun while doing it!” he   roads stay with you forever.”  created and the lasting relationships
            lowed me to channel on screen a co-  wrote, before ending his tribute with,   Director Zoya Akhtar also marked   it fostered among those who made it.

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