From ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’,‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ to ‘Baghban’: When Bollywood made Karwa Chauth a nationwide trend

In 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge,' Aditya Chopra took the ancient tradition of Karwa Chauth and converted it into a contemporary way to celebrate romance that captivated a younger audience. And the iconic couple associated with the festival was the most famous Jin the 1990's -- Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. What was particularly revolutionary about his representation was including Shah Rukh Khan fast with Kajol -- subtextually challenging how the religion is practised, which just a married woman typically completes the fast. This representation changes the ritual into another representation of love and commitment between a couple by each partner committing a similar act of fasting, changing the game both on and off screen.

‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ glorified the family celebration of Karwa Chauth. The long song sequence (Bole Chudiya) may very well have had every grandchild imagine the whole family would come together, and it subsequently became an anthem for the festival. And through its adaptations of language and situation, the film also made the practice of getting sargi from the mother-in-law fully accessible to brides.

With a sense of mischief and playfulness, the film ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ brought Karwa Chauth to life through scenes of Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan gazing and winking playfully at each other, and feeling the love between them develop throughout the night from the beginning of 'Maye Ni Maye'.

The audience had a completely different depiction of Karwa Chauth with ‘Baghban.’ Starring the two legends Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini, the sequence captures the instances of characters being apart from each other, to soft music and emotion rather than romance. Even if separated by miles, the protagonists do not let go of tradition, and they break their fast over the phone while sharing their love for one another.

In the movie 'Ishq Vishk', Karwa Chauth was viewed through the untainted vision of young, unmarried girls. The character played by Amrita Rao fasts for Shahid Kapoor, portraying the thrill, excitement and harmless innocence of a first love. The tradition does not center on a married couple, rather the ritual denotes the charm and hopefulness of youth, making it approachable and relatable for a younger viewer ship. This hip depiction made Karwa Chauth modern, from a core tradition followed in society to becoming a tradition of the heart and emotions, inspiring young generations to not just see this festival as a tradition, but a festival of emotions.

In some form, 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' contributed to that history of cinema. In fact, it is so interesting to think of the number of times Bollywood manages to depict a morality play for the actress who is observing Karwa Chauth—she keeps the vow, but she wants to be with someone else. The film actually contains something like an entire song sequence with Karwa Chauth, where Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) keeps her fast for Sameer (Salman Khan) in exaggeratedly imaginary cinematic fashion.

In ‘Biwi No. 1’, the Karwa Chauth scene becomes deeply emotional as Karisma Kapoor lovingly observes her fast, filled with hope and devotion. The festive mood turns painful when she quietly realizes Salman Khan is involved with Sushmita Sen. The scene captures her heartbreak and gentle shock, highlighting the contrast between the sacredness of the ritual and the sting of betrayal, making it one of the most poignant moments in the film.