Veer-Zaara is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed and produced by Yash Chopra. The film features Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta as the main characters, Veer Pratap Singh, an Indian Air Force officer, and Zaara Hayaat Khan, the daughter of a Pakistani politician. Veer is wrongly imprisoned, and 22 years later, a young Pakistani lawyer named Saamiya Siddiqui (played by Rani Mukerji) works to prove his innocence. Other actors in the film include Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Divya Dutta, Manoj Bajpayee, Boman Irani, Anupam Kher, and Kirron Kher.

Yash Chopra wanted to return to filmmaking after a seven-year break but was not satisfied with the scripts he received. Aditya shared some scenes from a story he had written, which interested Chopra and inspired him to direct the film. Chopra intended the movie to honor Punjab and originally planned to name it Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum, after a song from the soundtrack of his earlier film Silsila (1981). The film takes place in India and Pakistan, with main filming locations in Indian Punjab and Mumbai. Some scenes were also shot in Pakistan. The soundtrack, based on old music by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Javed Akhtar, was the most popular album in India that year.

Veer-Zaara was released on November 12, 2004, during Diwali. It earned over ₹97 crore worldwide in its first release, making it the highest-grossing Indian film of that year. Critics praised the film for its story, dialogue, music, acting, and portrayal of India-Pakistan relations. Analysts noted themes such as shared Punjabi culture, secularism, and feminism. The film is considered one of the greatest romantic films in Indian cinema.

At the 52nd National Film Awards, Veer-Zaara won the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. At the 50th Filmfare Awards, it received 15 nominations and won four awards, including Best Film and Best Story (Aditya). At the 6th IIFA Awards, it received 11 nominations and won seven awards, including Best Film, Best Director (Chopra), Best Actor (Khan), Best Supporting Actress (Mukerji), and Best Music Director (Mohan).

Plot

In 2004, the government of Pakistan decided to review unsolved cases involving Indian prisoners as a sign of kindness. Saamiya Siddiqui, a young Pakistani lawyer, was assigned to defend prisoner 786, her first case. The prisoner, known as Rajesh Rathore, had not spoken for twenty-two years. When Saamiya called him by his real name, Veer Pratap Singh, he finally spoke and shared his story.

Twenty-two years earlier, in 1982, Zaara Hayaat Khan was a young Pakistani woman from a politically important family in Lahore. Her engagement was arranged with Raza Shirazi, a wealthy politician. Zaara traveled to India to fulfill her Sikh nanny’s final wish: to scatter her ashes in the Sutlej River. Her bus crashed, and Veer, an Indian Air Force pilot and Punjabi Sikh, rescued her and helped her complete the wish. Zaara stayed with Veer’s family, who had raised him after he lost his parents. They treated him with love and care, as they could not have children of their own.

The next day, Veer took Zaara to the train station for her return to Pakistan. He was surprised to see Raza waiting for her. Veer admitted he had fallen in love with Zaara but accepted they could not be together. Zaara returned to Pakistan, but later realized she loved Veer too. Her mother opposed the relationship, as marrying Raza would help her father’s political career. Zaara’s friend, Shabbo, secretly called Veer, asking him to take Zaara away. Veer left the Indian Air Force and went to Pakistan. Zaara ran into his arms, which shocked her father.

Zaara’s mother asked Veer to leave, fearing for her father’s reputation and health. Veer agreed to leave but was arrested by Pakistani police. Raza threatened Veer with two choices: be imprisoned for life as an Indian spy, allowing Raza to marry Zaara and give her a happy life, or be free, knowing Raza would make Zaara’s life difficult. Veer chose imprisonment to protect Zaara. Meanwhile, the bus that brought him to Pakistan crashed, killing everyone on board. Veer was thought to be dead.

Veer asked Saamiya not to mention Zaara during his case, believing Zaara was married by now. Saamiya traveled to his village to find proof of his identity. She was shocked to find Zaara and Shabbo living there. Shabbo explained that after Zaara learned Veer was presumed dead, she ended her engagement with Raza with her father’s support. Over time, Zaara’s family and Veer’s relatives died. Zaara and Shabbo moved to Veer’s village in India to help develop it.

Zaara was surprised to learn Veer was alive. She joined Saamiya in Pakistan, and the two lovers reunited. Zaara’s testimony and evidence in court proved Veer’s innocence and true identity. The judge freed him, apologizing for Pakistan’s past actions. Veer and Zaara married, said goodbye to Saamiya at the Wagah border, and returned home, finally living together as a family.

Production

Yash Chopra planned to return to directing after a 7-year break since Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). After his son, Aditya, finished filming Mohabbatein (2000), they began searching for a new script for Chopra’s return. None of the scripts interested Chopra. He criticized the trends in films at the time, saying, "I was tired of television promos. All the semi-clad girls look the same." Chopra felt as nervous about returning to directing as he did when he first directed Dhool Ka Phool (1959). He then chose another script and started casting actors. Aditya shared some scenes from a new script but said he could not direct it. Chopra became interested and began working on the project.

Aditya explained that the story of Veer-Zaara was created to help his father return to his Punjabi roots. Chopra was born in Lahore, Punjab (now in Pakistan), and moved to Jalandhar as a child. He later went to Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1951 and entered the film industry. Chopra said, "Veer-Zaara is a humble tribute to my home in Punjab. It is my tribute to the oneness of people on both sides of the border." To prepare, Chopra watched videos of Pakistani weddings and worked with Nasreen Rehman, a professor from Cambridge University, to accurately portray Pakistani culture, courts, and dialects.

While making the film, Chopra and Aditya discussed the title. Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum was considered, but Veer-Zaara was chosen. Chopra said, "The film's lovers are not bothered with the strife around them. For them, love is the only religion." The title was officially confirmed by Sanjeev Kohli, CEO of Yash Raj Films, after "much deliberation." Chopra mentioned he often argued with Aditya during filming.

Shah Rukh Khan was cast as the lead, Veer. Khan played a 60-year-old man in the film, a role he found challenging. Chopra said Zinta was chosen because her "looks and personality could be transformed." He wanted to move away from Western stereotypes often seen in her roles. Zinta joined the film because of Chopra’s skill as a director. She also believed the film’s message about peace between India and Pakistan was important. Zinta attended lessons to improve her Urdu speaking skills. Though excited, she worried about her performance, but Chopra reassured her.

Based on the advice of Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jehangir, the role of Saamiya Siddiqui was first offered to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Nadia Jamil, but both refused. Rani Mukherji was cast instead. Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini played Veer’s foster parents, marking their first collaboration with Chopra since Silsila (1981) and Vijay (1988), respectively. Manoj Bajpayee was cast as Zaara’s fiancé, a role originally offered to Ajay Devgn. In 2017, Bajpayee said Chopra worried about the film’s success. Real-life couple Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher appeared as Saamiya’s mentor and Zaara’s mother, though they did not share scenes together. Other cast members included Divya Dutta, Zohra Sehgal, Akhilendra Mishra, and Tom Alter. Chopra denied any rivalry among the actors when asked in an interview.

Aditya co-produced the film with his father under Yash Raj Films. The costumes were designed by Manish Malhotra, with Karan Johar specifically creating Khan’s outfits. Mandira Shukla was the costume designer. Anil Mehta, the cinematographer, was asked to create a nostalgic feel for the film, different from others like Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003). Sharmishta Roy, daughter of art director Sudhendu Roy, was chosen as the art director. Saroj Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant choreographed the dances, and Allan Amin directed the action scenes.

In October 2004, Rediff.com published a report about filming Veer-Zaara. The article noted that cast members wore expensive costumes, including Zinta’s fluorescent green lungi outfit. Khan was late for a scene. Parts of the film were shot in Mumbai, and a folk festival sequence was filmed in Film City. A set representing Punjab was built, with Sikh dancers wearing colorful turbans. Scenes with Khan in a prison were shot in a single day at a Pakistani jail. Court scenes were filmed in a Pakistani law court.

During an action sequence, Zinta had a near-fatal experience while hanging from a harness for six hours. She called it "one of the most humbling experiences of my life" and said it made her understand the challenges male actors face. For a scene where Khan’s character called Mukherji’s character "daughter," over 10 retakes were done, and Chopra reportedly became angry. Mukherji said Chopra usually avoided retakes to prevent actors from becoming too mechanical.

Veer-Zaara was filmed entirely in sync sound. Khan said he did not need to dub his lines separately but did dub a few dialogues. Saif Ali Khan’s palace in Pataudi was used as Zaara’s mansion. Filming took place in Punjab during a specific season, followed by indoor shooting. Most of the filming was done in secret, with no official announcements. Originally planned for 102 days, the film was completed in 72 days. The film’s reel length was 17,757.61 feet (5,412.52 meters).

Analysis

In her book Violent Belongings: Partition, Gender and National Culture in Postcolonial India, Kavita Daiya, an English professor at the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, believes Zaara represents secularism in Pakistan. She refers to the scene where Zaara convinces Choudhary Sumer Singh to support women's education as an example of this theme. Daiya notes that the film does not show characters facing hostility for being Indian or Pakistani. Meenakshi Bharat and Nirmal Kumar, authors of Filming the Line of Control: The Indo–Pak Relationship through the Cinematic Lens, agree with Daiya. They say this shows the film’s creator, Chopra, avoided focusing on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and avoided the usual negative portrayal of Pakistan in Indian films. They compare this to Chopra’s earlier films, where scenes of conflict are avoided. Philip Lutgendorf agrees and adds that the film reflects the Sufi tradition, where Veer’s final reward is union with Allah, similar to a Sufi leader. Kush Varia, author of Bollywood: Gods, Glamour, and Gossip, agrees with Bharat and Kumar about Chopra’s approach but notes that in this film, the lovers are reunited, unlike in Chopra’s earlier films, where they remain separated.

Daiya explains that Veer’s "Indian masculinity" is shown through his 22-year imprisonment. Nandini Bhattacharya, author of Hindi Cinema: Repeating the Subject, disagrees, saying Veer’s character is "partially feminized" because men are usually shown as captors, not captives. Sangita Gopal, an English professor at the University of Oregon and author of Conjugations: Marriage and Form in New Bollywood Cinema, states that Veer’s identity fades after 22 years, and even after reuniting with Zaara, they are too old to have children. She sees this as a shift from "living death to fruitless life." Daiya says the Punjabi village in Veer-Zaara represents India, and Zaara’s positive reaction to a song about India shows similarities with Pakistan, suggesting an incomplete connection between the two nations. Daiya also says Veer’s poem challenges differences between India and Pakistan, showing their shared qualities. Varia agrees, noting that the shared Punjabi heritage is a key theme, explored in the song "Aisa Des Hai Mera."

Bharat and Kumar say Veer-Zaara and Main Hoon Na (2004), also starring Khan, accept Pakistan as a separate country from India. Rajinder Dudrah, a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, contrasts Veer-Zaara with Main Hoon Na, stating the former explores the challenges of crossing borders, while the latter focuses on overcoming borders through diplomacy and personal actions. He says both films show different ways of dealing with borders. He also notes that Veer-Zaara highlights the act of crossing borders as a "potentially radical" choice. Bharat and Kumar compare Veer-Zaara with Henna (1991), saying the characters in Veer-Zaara are more modern and educated than those in Henna, who are described as having more traditional views about religion. In Henna, a brother dies helping someone cross a border, while in Veer-Zaara, a character helps Veer in court. Dudrah says the ease with which characters cross borders without legal procedures could be criticized.

Gopal says the film’s use of dual timelines and old music helped it become popular and commercially successful. She compares the ending of the title song in Veer-Zaara, where Zaara is shown, to the climax of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.. (1998), where the lovers cannot be together. She also says the extended ending with the song "Tere Liye" was meant to show realism. Faiza Hirji, in her book Dreaming in Canadian: South Asian Youth, Bollywood, and Belonging, says the film does not focus on cultural or religious differences but highlights Pakistani and Muslim traditions. She notes that a scene showing Zaara’s mother and Veer emphasizes the universality of maternal care. She contrasts this with Love in Bombay (1995), where religion is a barrier to love, which is not the case in Veer-Zaara. Comparing Veer-Zaara with Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), Rini Bhattacharya Mehta and Rajeshwari V. Pandharipande, authors of Bollywood and Globalization: Indian Popular Cinema, Nation, and Diaspora, say while Veer-Zaara uses the state’s critique to seem "progressive," Gadar does not. Both films show characters overcoming challenges, but Veer-Zaara uses similar methods to manipulate political ideas. Bhattacharya agrees, comparing this to Gadar and films like Mother India (1957), where the idea of a "normal citizen" is defined.

Music

The movie Veer-Zaara has 11 songs. The music is from old songs created by Madan Mohan, who has passed away. His son, Sanjeev Kohli, updated these songs. Singers include Lata Mangeshkar, Jagjit Singh, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Gurdas Mann, Roop Kumar Rathod, Ahmed, Mohammed Hussain, and Pritha Mazumder. The lyrics were written by Javed Akhtar. The soundtrack was released by YRF Music on 18 September 2004.

Madan Mohan was nominated for Best Music Director at the 50th Filmfare Awards. He won the same award at the 6th IIFA Awards. Javed Akhtar was nominated for Best Lyricist at the 50th Filmfare Awards for the songs Aisa Des Hai Mera, Main Yahaan Hoon, and Tere Liye. He won for Tere Liye. He also received a nomination for the IIFA Award for Best Lyricist for Tere Liye. The album was the top-selling music album in India that year, with about 3 million copies sold.

Release

Veer-Zaara was released on November 12, 2004, and had the tagline "A Love Legend." A special showing was held in Punjab, Pakistan, for audiences there. It was also shown at the Berlin Film Festival, where critics praised it highly.

On April 26, 2006, Veer-Zaara had its first screening in France at The Grand Rex, the largest theater in Paris. This was the first Indian film to premiere in such a grand and luxurious place. The film was released in 60 copies in the United Kingdom and in 88 copies in the United States. In 2017, Veer-Zaara was included in the Best of Indian Film series in the United States.

On June 6, 2005, Yash Raj Films released the DVD of Veer-Zaara. The film was later made available on Blu-ray in December 2009. In September 2007, a book titled They Said It… The Memoirs of a Love Legend Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara was published. The book includes statements from the film's cast and crew and describes the steps taken to make the film. The film is also available to watch online on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.

Reception

Before the film was released, Adarsh predicted it would be a commercial success. It opened in 625 theaters in India and earned ₹24.6 million on its first day, the second-highest opening for an Indian film that year. In its first week, the film earned an average of ₹685,948 per theater, totaling ₹175.7 million, the highest first-week earnings for an Indian film.

The film remained the top-grossing movie in India for 39 weeks. It earned the most money over a weekend, collecting ₹97.8 million. In its second week, it earned an average of ₹189,502 per theater. By the end of its theatrical run, it earned ₹580 million in India, making it the highest-grossing film of the year.

Globally, the film earned ₹357 million, including ₹152.5 million from the United Kingdom, ₹140 million from the United States, and ₹65 million from other countries. It became the highest-grossing Indian film overseas in 2004. In its first week in the United Kingdom, it earned $900,000, ranking fourth on the local box office chart. It earned the same amount in North America, where it ranked 15th. Worldwide, the film earned ₹976.4 million (US$12 million), making it the highest-grossing Indian film of the year.

Critics praised the film’s story, screenplay, music, performances, and portrayal of India-Pakistan relations. On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 12 critics gave it positive reviews, with an average score of 7.8/10. On Metacritic, it scored 67 out of 100 based on five critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews." The British Film Institute listed it as one of the "10 Great Bollywood Romances," with commentary by Rachel Dwyer, who noted the film’s depiction of shared Punjabi culture and history.

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a film with "soul." Kaveree Bamzai of India Today praised Shah Rukh Khan’s performance. Subhash K. Jha of Indo-Asian News Service highlighted the leads’ "old yet passionate" performances. Jitesh Pillai of The Times of India gave it 3.5 stars, noting its emotional depth. Nishtha Bhatnagar of The Times of India called it a "must-watch." Deepu Madhavan of NDTV praised the love story as an "ode to ageless romance." Avijit Ghosh of The Telegraph gave it 7/10, calling it an "honest-to-the-heart film." Namrata Joshi of Outlook described it as a "good-hearted film."

Chitra Mahesh of The Hindu noted the film’s length and sentimentality but praised the performances. Vinayak Chakraborty of Hindustan Times acknowledged clichés but praised the script and direction. Sukanya Varma of Rediff.com criticized repetition but called it a "must-see" for fans of Yash Chopra’s style. Teena Malik of The Times of India criticized it for repetition and called it "horrifying."

Anita Gates of The New York Times compared it to "fabulously trashy" American films but praised its cultural impact. Derek Elley of Variety called it a "must-see" for its star power and entertainment value. Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide praised the film’s emotional balance. Jonathan Curiel of The San Francisco Chronicle called it "arresting" and noted its universal appeal.

Carrie R. Wheadon of Common Sense Media gave it four stars, highlighting its themes of peace and gender equality. Manish Gajjar of BBC praised its storyline and emotional depth.

Re-releases

From 2004 to 2023, later re-releases of the film added ₹ 3 crore, helping it reach over ₹ 100 crore in total earnings. In September 2024, during its re-release in India, the film earned approximately ₹ 3.75 crore.

A longer version of Veer-Zaara was shown in 600 theaters in international markets. The film earned more than US$ 305,000 ( ₹ 2.55 crore) outside India. This brought the total worldwide box office earnings, including all theatrical showings, to ₹ 1.07 billion.