Dil Chahta Hai, 25 years on: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Farhan Akhtar come together for a special event

Iconic Bollywood film Dil Chahta Hai completed 25 years on August 10, 2026. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the film starred Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna and marked Akhtar’s debut as a director. More than two decades later, the film remains one of the most iconic coming-of-age films. Even after all these years, it remains a favourite among audiences.

Dil Chahta Hai reunion

On Friday, the cast of the film came together to celebrate the film’s milestone year at an event in Mumbai. Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Sonali Kulkarni came together with director Farhan Akhtar and co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani and the group posed for photos. The ones who were missing were Akshaye Khanna and Preity Zinta- both of whom played key roles in the iconic film.

Several fans also noted Akshaye's absence at the special occasion and flooded the comments section. “Where is Rahman dakait?” asked one fan, referring to his character in the blockbuster release Dhurandhar, for which he earned huge acclaim recently. “Incomplete without AK n PZ,” said another.

Preity is reportedly in Paris for press and hence couldn't attend the event in Mumbai.

Farhan Akhtar made his filmmaking debut with the film. As per Saif, he possessed an undeniable, natural authority that left a lasting impression on him. “We were laughing most of the time because Farhan wore it all very lightly. It was like he was born to direct, with the ease with which he was on a set. There was no tension, really. We were just told to know our lines. No figuring it out once you get there. Just learn your lines, and then the rest was great fun,” he recalled in a chat with Variety India

About Dil Chahta Hai

Directed by Farhan Akhtar, Dil Chahta Hai tells the story of three best friends, Akash (Aamir Khan), Sameer (Saif Ali Khan) and Siddharth 'Sid' (Akshaye Khanna), as they navigate the highs and lows of friendship, love and growing up. While Sameer finds himself repeatedly falling in love, Akash is sceptical about romance until he meets Shalini (Preity Zinta). At the same time, Sid forms a deep emotional bond with a much older Tara (Dimple Kapadia).

Over the years, the film has attained cult status.