Raj Malhotra, the hero of the film and the 1990s in general, is introduced in Simran’s dreams. While Kajol embarks upon the most famous “towel” moment in pre-Saawariya Hindi cinema, SRK dots her music as her (outdoor) knight in shining armour. In Mere Khwaabon Mein, he is seen playing every filmable sport possible: rugby, go-karting, racing against a plane (?), biking, swimming, bowling. (His basketball is particularly unconvincing). The montage isn’t random. Moments later, Raj flunks his university exams – by now, we know why. This also ties into his piano-playing surprise (Ruk jaa, O dil deewane) with Simran in Europe: he’s talented at all the things considered “a waste of time” by Indian parents.
