Dil Chahta Hai completes 20 years. This isn't just another movie on friendship. The kind of subjects the movie has addressed was simply unheard of at that time. It ushered in a new era in filmmaking and that too by a first-time director Farhan Akhtar. Nobody understood the pulse of the youngsters the way he did. Aamir Khan has played such wily, carefree roles before as well but as Akash, he was much more in control. It's difficult to see anybody else as Sameer than Saif Ali Khan. One needs to portray the gullible side so well that it becomes an endearing quality of the character. Saif slipped right into it. Before Sid, Akshaye Khanna has often been shown as a hot-headed gentleman with anger management issues. Sid saw him as a calm and strong-headed human who knows what he wants. The ladies of course deserved a better deal, at least Sonali Kulkarni. 20 Years of Excel: Farhan Akhtar Raises a Toast to His First Film ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ as Writer and Director With a Heartfelt Note!

But among all these beautifully written lead characters, were the supporting ones without whom Dil Chahta Hai would have been just another friendship day movie. It's a pity that these characters which changed the course of the film's narrative at many places often get forgotten. They should be cherished more than the leads. Let us tell you about five such characters from the movie who will always be special.

Subodh - Asad Dadarkar

Subodh, played exceptionally well by Asad Dadarkar, is one of the most misunderstood characters in the history of Bollywood. The guy is in fact exactly what girls want in their guys. He remembers dates!! Don't women crib about how their boyfriends can never remember anniversaries and birthdays? Subodh even remembered when Pooja and he had ice cream for the first time. Subodh is the one who makes Sameer realise he is in love with Pooja... good old jealousy!

Deepa - Samantha Tremayne

Why we should talk about her? Well, we were guilty of siding with her even when we know she was literally stalking Aakash and was being annoyingly clingy. She is the classic case of a person who doesn't take no for an answer and must be avoided. BTW men still use 'Tumhe to koi bhi mil jayega' to wriggle out of commitment. But when she says, 'Agar mein itni hi achi hu toh Aakash kyu nahi mil sakta?' we felt it. And that one scene made her character so rounded.

Mahesh - Rajat Kapoor

Mahesh's character is the silent rock in Shalini's life. Her escape to a world where she isn't bogged down by the generosity of a family. While the character needed much more space to evolve, it did do its job of making Akash realise what Shalini wants but can't have. We all have that one person in our lives we feel very safe with. Mahesh is one such person. But we do think he could have saved Shalini from such an arrangement and not wait for Aakash to come around. Just saying...

Rohit - Ayub Khan

It's so easy to hate Rohit. He is everything one should never be. The entitlement or the ownership he feels over Shalini is repulsive. Many of us are in such a toxic relationship but still waiting for an Aakash to rescue them. But we fail to realise that We don't owe anybody anything!

Rohit's Father - Rakesh Pandey

Sometimes we assume our parents would not listen to us and make us do what they think is right. At times, all we should do is tell them what we want. Rahul's father played by Rakesh Pandey, was one such gent here. He was deeply hurt when he realised Shalini agreed to marry his son only because she feels indebted to them. He doesn't just let Shalini be with Aakash but even reprimands Rohit for his behaviour. In a country where 'mera ladla beta sabse sachcha' is a trend, Rohit's father's stand is such a refreshing change. Shaan Opens Up on How Important Was Bollywood Classic Dil Chahta Hai for His Career

That's exactly the reason why Dil Chahta Hai will be special. It changed mindsets, it changed Cinema, it changed us and of course our sentiment for GOA!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 10, 2021 10:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).