Lage Raho Munna Bhai always remains relevant because of its theme, says Dia Mirza

Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), the sequel to Munna Bhai MBBS (2003), brought back the lovable thug Munna (Sanjay Dutt) and his sidekick Circuit (Arshad Warsi). The film, helmed by Rajkumar Hirani, turned 15 today.

The comedy, which also starred Vidya Balan, Boman Irani and Jimmy Sheirgill, featured Dia Mirza as Simran Kaur, the daughter of Irani’s character Lucky Singh. Mirza had previously worked with the same team in Parineeta (2005).

Sharing her thoughts about the film's legacy, the actress and producer said, “A film like Lage Raho Munna Bhai always remains relevant because of its theme. It is very rare that a film addresses really complicated societal issues in such a simple yet profound way. The questions that the film tackled in 2006 are still meaningful.”

She continued, “The film shows how easy it is to bring people together, dissipate ignorance and create synergy, harmony and peace even in the most contentious situations. This is how we won our independence; with extraordinary resilience and idealism. These values are timeless and can never be obsolete. Terms like 'Gandhigiri' and 'get well soon' are now part of the popular lexicon forever because of this film."

Mirza’s character Simran is a young woman who is constantly perturbed by superstition and marked by the horoscope which declares her a 'Manglik'. In the film, Abhishek Bachchan makes a cameo as Sunny Khurana, Simran's husband.

Speaking about her character, the actress said, “Her honesty and the way the conflict in her life is resolved on the day she is getting married is, in a way, a powerful summation of the theme of the film, which basically asks us to not lose sight of each other's humanity.”

“Working in the film was a really fun, happy experience and every film that Raju sir has directed me in, has been equally special. It was amazing to work with Sanju Sir as well, and life in a way came full circle when I played his wife in his biopic. When I became a UN environment goodwill ambassador, I also recalled that Lage Raho Munna Bhai was the first Hindi film to be shown at the United Nations,” she added.