Juhi Chawla's birthday: Revisiting memorable films with David Dhawan
Juhi Chawla is one of those Bollywood actors who rustle up magic and chemistry with each of their co-stars. A director's actor through and through, Chawla, who turned 56 on Monday, has a repertoire teeming with stupendous films like Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Darr, and Ishq, among others. Some of her most memorable films were with director David Dhawan. Let's revisit some.
'Swarg' (1990)
While Dhawan is mostly renowned for gifting Bollywood several true-blue comedies like Coolie No. 1 and Judwaa, he is also the man behind Swarg, featuring Govinda in one of his most intense, career-best performances. Despite a large ensemble cast led by Rajesh Khanna, Chawla shined in this author-backed role where she played Jyoti, Khanna's sister and Govinda's eventual love interest.
'Bol Radha Bol' (1992)
Bol Radha Bol, one of those films you can watch a number of times and yet not get bored of, was headlined by Rishi Kapoor and Chawla. It also featured supporting performances by Sushma Seth, Mohnish Behl, Alok Nath, Kader Khan, and Shakti Kapoor, among others. Chawla plays the eponymous Radha, and her performance earned her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor.
'Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi' (1997)
Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi is an immensely rewatchable comedy anchored by Akshay Kumar and Chawla and is another testament to the magic Chawla brewed with her spunk in comedy films. The film has a sprightly, lively vibe to it, brought alive by its familiar yet enjoyable story, its music, and the performances by Kumar and Chawla. Paresh Rawal and Satish Kaushik co-starred in it.
'Deewana Mastana' (1997)
Who can forget Bunnu (Govinda) and Raja's (Anil Kapoor) jugalbandi and intense yet comical tussle over Dr. Neha (Chawla) in Deewana Mastana? The real twist, of course, lay in the fact that Prem, played by Salman Khan, is eventually chosen by her. Considered one of Dhawan's best works, it is also remembered for its supporting cast: Johnny Lever, Anupam Kher, Saeed Jaffrey, and Kaushik.
