Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has always believed in making cinema that brings families together, and that philosophy remains at the heart of his upcoming film Yeh Prem Mol Liya. At the title track launch of the film, the veteran filmmaker spoke about the unique demographic of the Rajshri audience—one that can include a teenager watching content on his phone as well as a 70-year-old who has grown up with his films. Rather than seeing the generation gap as a challenge, Barjatya believes the very act of families coming together is what makes the experience worthwhile.
Speaking about whether it is difficult to bring such different generations into theatres together today, Sooraj said, “Look, at the stage I am at now, I feel it doesn't matter who comes or how they come. Generally, fewer youngsters come to my films—fair enough. But when they do come, they bring their grandmothers, aunts, or mothers along. That alone is enough for me.” His answer perfectly reflects the filmmaker’s long-standing belief that cinema can become a shared family experience, even when audience habits and entertainment choices continue to evolve.
The director also opened up about the changing duration of songs in Hindi films. With shorter songs becoming increasingly common, Barjatya was asked about the decision to retain a more elaborate musical experience in Yeh Prem Mol Liya, especially given Rajshri’s history of memorable songs that often ran for several minutes. “We made that decision together; we really wanted to serve a wholesome thali [a complete, traditional meal] rather than fast food,” he explained. For a filmmaker whose cinema has traditionally treated music as an integral part of storytelling, the comparison neatly captures the intent behind the film’s musical format.
Barjatya also shared an interesting insight into how choreography and music were approached during the making of his iconic films. “Honestly, whether in Hollywood or India, for true musicals, the choreography is usually set first, and the music follows. I did this with Hum Aapke Hain Koun—the entire 'Joote Do' sequence was choreographed first; we shot the choreography and the dance, and the music was composed over it. Even the 'Didi Tera Devar Deewana' sequence—the actions were choreographed first, and then the music was created,” he recalled. His memories underline how much planning went into creating the elaborate song sequences that eventually became part of Indian popular culture.
What followed was perhaps the most nostalgic part of his recollection. Barjatya spoke about a time when songs were treated as complete cinematic sequences rather than short musical inserts. “But I really want to share the joy we used to feel back then—when we were given three antaras (stanzas) and would film them all, completing the whole sequence. It would take days just to figure out where to start the song. For a director, the challenge was deciding what the first shot would be,” he said, recalling the creative process behind old Hindi film musicals.
The filmmaker even remembered reading about legendary director Guru Dutt and how much thought went into composing the opening frame of a song. “I recall reading in a book about Guru Dutt-ji that he waited two days at the NSI Club, pondering how to frame the opening shot of Madhubala-ji for the song 'Thandi Hawa Kaali Ghata.' That joy... I think Adi, Karan, and I belong to the last batch of directors who witnessed that era—seeing 100 to 150 musicians rehearsing together in the Bombay labs before the singers arrived. I’ve even seen Lata-ji touch the musicians' feet before going in to record. That kind of joy—I wish we could make a film like that today.”
Yeh Prem Mol Liya marks Sooraj Barjatya’s return to the musical family-drama space, with Ayushmann Khurrana stepping into the iconic Rajshri role of Prem and Sharvari Wagh playing Poonam. Produced by Rajshri Productions in association with Mahaveer Jain Films, the film also stars Anupam Kher, Seema Pahwa, Swanand Kirkire and Geeta Agrawal Sharma. The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 27, 2026, and brings back the beloved Rajshri “Prem” after 12 years.