Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai’ to ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Josh’ - Bollywood films that will complete 20 years in 2020!

Bollywood had packed a lot of entertainment for the audience in 2000 and lived up to the expectations with some truly memorable movies. Hrithik Roshan emerged as a national heartthrob with ‘Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai’, while Akshay Kumar-Paresh Rawal-Suniel Shetty whipped up a hilarious storm on the silver screen with ‘Hera Pheri’. On the other hand ‘Dhadkan’ played a beautiful love story and then it was ‘Josh’ which saw two biggies, Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan play siblings. It was a year of iconic films and all those movies will complete two decades of entertainment in 2020.

Hrithik Roshan made an impressive entry in Bollywood with ‘Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai’! From swift moves in ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’ to his sensational stage act in the title song ‘Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai’ – Hrithik was all things dreamy. The debutant soon became a heartthrob and had women drooling over his chocolate boy looks and onscreen innocence. ‘Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai’ hit the screens on January 14, days after Hrithik’s 26^th birthday. That year Hrithik had two more releases – ‘Fiza’ and ‘Mission Kashmir’, but his debut film remained his best performance that year and 20 years later the film is still remembered as one of his best acts.

In the most unusual casting - Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty’s hilarious act in ‘Hera Pheri’ earned the most laughs in 2000. A quirky kidnapping plot, Paresh Rawal’s funny landlord avatar and Akshay-Suniel’s camaraderie was the perfect recipe for a hit. Tabu’s simpleton act in the film was also lauded. ‘Hera Pheri’ released on March 31 and was the biggest comedy release of the year, thanks to its popularity a sequel ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ was released in 2006. Fans have been waiting eagerly for ‘Hera Pheri 3’, which has been in the making since a long time.

Two A-list actors Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai united to play twin siblings on the silver screen in 2000. ‘Josh’ was a rivalry tale with SRK and Sharad Kapoor playing enemies while Aishwarya won an applause for her tom-boy kind of avatar. From melodious songs to action stunts – ‘Josh’ was a complete entertainer set in the popular tourist destination of Goa. The film hit the screens on June 9 and was one of the highest grossers of 2000.

Experiments came calling in 2000. On one hand we saw stars play sibling on the silver screen and then there was a sensitive topic like pre-marital relationship leading to pregnancy showcased in ‘Kya Kehna!’. The film was firmly set in India and spoke about how Preity Zinta’s family stands by her when she decides to give birth to her child. Preity perfectly shouldered the film, while Saif Ali Khan played her lover boy. ‘Kya Kehna!’ hit the screens on May 19 and earned well at the box office. Two decades later, Preity is still remembered for her powerful performance.

Shilpa Shetty played the lead in this complicated love story which featured Akshay Kumar as her kind-hearted husband while Suniel Shetty was the love of her life. The emotionally driven plot saw the leading lady leave her lover and marry the man her family has chosen for her. Years later Shilpa and Suniel’s paths cross and thus begins a story of betrayal and revenge. August 11 release ‘Dhadkan’ was high on drama and its songs like ‘Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hain Dil Se’ and ‘Tum Dil Ki Dhadkan Mein’ emerged as massive chartbusters, which continue to charm even today.