Hum Aapke Hain Koun…! completes 26 years

Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!, which gave a new lease of life to the family drama genre, completes 26 years today. We look back at the blockbuster, featuring Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Renuka Shahane and Reema Lagoo among others. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! was the adaptation of Rajshri Productions' own 1982 film Nadiya Ke Paar. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! also starred Mohnish Bahl, Bindu, Satish Shah, Himani Shivpuri, Dilip Joshi and Laxmikant Berde. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all times. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! is till date loved for its celebration of familial ties, big fat Indian weddings and the gorgeous pair of Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan as Nisha-Prem. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! elaborate soundtrack, with 14 songs, by Raamlaxman was another reason for the film's stupendous success. Songs like "Maye Ni Maye", "Didi Tera Devar Deewana", "Lo Chali Main" and "Pehla Pehla Pyaar Hai" still find many takers. (Photo: Express Archive)

Madhuri Dixit was already a star when Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! released, but the film became the biggest hit of her career. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! catapulted Salman Khan to stardom. It was Salman's second film with Sooraj Barjatya, who launched him in a full-fledged role in the hit Maine Pyaar Kiya in 1989. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! took four years for completion. The film was also dubbed into Telugu and released with the title Premalayam. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! won two National Awards - Best popular film providing wholesome entertainment and best choreography for Jay Borade. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! was nominated for 15 Filmfare Awards and went on to win five trophies - best film, best director for Sooraj Barjatya, best actress for Madhuri Dixit, best screenplay for Sooraj Barjatya and a special award for Lata Mangeshkar for her song, "Didi Tera Devar Deewana". (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! marked Sooraj Barjatya's foray into family films and with follow-ups like Hum Saath Saath Hain and Vivaah, the director came to be known as the one lavishly endorsing family traditions in Hindi cinema. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! was a game-changer for Hindi cinema as it came at a time when the landscape was dominated by mindless action films. It paved the way for softer, happier and bubble-gum stories in Bollywood. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! with a song for every big and small turning point in its story was a true-blue representation of song-and-dance tradition of Hindi cinema. (Photo: Express Archive)

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! also left a huge impact on country's pop culture, validating long marriage ceremonies, mehendi and sangeet performances, and glorifying sacrifices for families. (Photo: Express Archive)