If in DDLJ the train symbolizes the unification of lovers, in Karan Johar’s directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), the train signifies a breach in love. The film employs a non-linear narrative, intertwining past and present events to tell a complex story. It explores themes of love and friendship through a layered narrative that resonates with viewers. The central love triangle among Rahul (SRK), Anjali (Kajol), and Tina (Rani Mukerjee) drives the film’s emotional depth and character development. The most heartbreaking scene occurs at Faridabad station when Anjali, aware of Rahul’s love for Tina, decides to leave the city.
Although Rahul desperately tries to stop her, Anjali provides an alibi that prevents him from doing so. As the train departs, the emotions of Anjali, whose heart is broken over Rahul’s love for Tina, become clear. The scene of the train leaving the station metaphorically signifies a separation between Anjali and Rahul—an increasing distance is emphasized; the sound of the train’s siren both reminds and intensifies the pain of their departing friendship. Anjali’s act of discarding the red dupatta to Tina as a symbol of her love is full of emotional outburst; this red dupatta will play a significant role later in the film. In this scene, where Rahul, Anjali, and Tina are framed together for the last time, the train motif illustrates separation and longing—representing both physical distance and emotional yearning between characters separated by circumstances.
The train thus becomes a visual symbol of their longing and obstacles preventing their reunion. Consequently, the train and station serve as spatial symbols that enhance the narrative’s development; undoubtedly, this episode with the train and station is the film’s crucial turning point. Notably, Anjali’s transformation is remarkable; she switches from an out-and-out tomboy to an entirely feminized version—a striking departure from her previous appearance. Anjali’s departure scene questions the film’s refrain: Payaar dosti hai (Love is essentially friendship).
The departing train creates an unbridgeable gap in their daily lives; they were mutually dependent, reliant on each other for every aspect of life. Now, Anjali’s train journey signifies a deepening isolation that dissolves their binary opposites; they find themselves alone in their own worlds. Therefore, this train episode not only highlights cinematic spatial effects but also dramatizes an internal whirlwind of emotions.
In Krishna Vamsi’s Shakti: The Power (2002), the train serves as a powerful metaphor in the story. It represents how people’s lives are connected; the characters’ paths cross as they travel together, forming new bonds, strengthening old ones, and facing unresolved issues. But just as the train brings people closer, it can also separate them, showing how relationships can be fleeting and that change is inevitable.
In Shakti, SRK plays a drifter named Jai Singh who helps Nandini (Karishma Kapoor) and her child escape from her oppressive father-in-law’s house in a rural area, pursued by local goons. Jai Singh fights off the goons and helps Nandini onto a train by forcefully opening its door. Although Nandini manages to get on the train, Jai Singh sadly dies on the tracks. He lies dead beside the railroad, and the money he earned is now meaningless in his hand. For Nandini, the train becomes a symbol of escape and freedom.
At this point, it is relevant to mention Vijaya Singh’s observation from her book titled Level Crossing: Railway Journeys in Hindi Cinema (2017):
The railway station as a nodal point for a journey into the city or the hinterland came across as janus faced in the narratives of films made around it. One side of it was turned to the village and the other to the city. If it represented fascination with the forces of technology and mobility it also generated fear and anxiety. The modern and the non- modern coexisted in a not so harmonious relation with one another in this gateway to the city and the village.
Regarding this connection between railways and cinema, trains and stations sometimes serve as ‘nodal points’ that symbolize freedom from societal constraints, oppressive relationships, and personal struggles. They enable characters to break free from their pasts and begin a new chapter in life. In Shakti, the train becomes a symbol of hope, empowerment, and the potential for a better future for those who choose to take its journey.
The train sequence in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002) is a masterful moment by the director; it not only signifies Devdas Mukherjee’s (SRK) physical journey to the village where Parvati (Aishwarya Rai) now lives her married life but also represents a psychological voyage to his first love and a farewell to life itself. The elite class compartment turns into a drinking den when Chunibabu (Jackie Shroff) unexpectedly joins Devdas. Although alcohol is harmful to Devdas’s health, Chunibabu encourages him to indulge in his love for drinking. Devdas’s resolve to abstain from alcohol is tested as Chunibabu tempts him during this final celebration of friendship.
This life’s train, teetering on the brink of death, transforms into a chariot of Bacchus (the God of Wine) and his leopards. It also includes unseen wings of poetry – fragments of life entwined with a deeper philosophy, as Devdas reveals his cathartic truths. His recreation of past days at the brothel is accompanied by the rhythm of the train, which becomes a dancing bell. This journey, rich with realism and symbolism, offers more than a mere physical passage; it suggests metaphorical journeys as well. The representation of the train in the film functions as a powerful symbol reflecting various facets of the protagonist’s emotional state and journey.
It emphasizes not only physical movement but also inner turmoil and the fallout of his choices. Firstly, the train signifies escape and freedom. When Devdas boards a train to leave his hometown and study abroad, it embodies his desire to break free from societal constraints and pursue new opportunities. The train becomes a vessel for his dreams and ambitions, as he seeks a better life away from his oppressive upbringing. As the story unfolds, the train takes on a more somber role. Returning home after his studies, Devdas finds Paro engaged to another man. His heartbreak is vividly depicted in a scene where he watches a train pass on the platform, symbolizing missed chances and lost love—realizing he can never be with Paro. Additionally, the train symbolizes Devdas’s self-destructive tendencies. Unable to handle his unreturned love, he turns to alcohol as an escape, leading to his ruin.
Throughout the film, Devdas and Paro are kept apart by societal expectations and misunderstandings. The train visually represents their physical distance and emotional longing. It stands as a reminder of the barriers separating them, always moving on different tracks and drifting further apart. In conclusion, the train motif deepens the narrative’s meaning, offering insight into the characters’ inner struggles and the consequences of their actions.
The diary scene at a station in Nikhil Advani’s Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) highlights the aesthetic sensibility of the debut director. This scene shows that the station and SRK are connected through the emotional overflow related to love. Aman (SRK) recites poetry for Priety/Naina (“When I close my eyes I can see you. When I open my eyes I want to see you.”) on behalf of Rohit (Saif), and the long-held sense of love takes a different turn. Ironically, Rohit’s love for Naina is proven true through Aman’s act of pretension.
The philosophical idea of love that Aman presents in the station becomes the central message of the film. Like in DDLJ and Kabhi Alvida Na Kahena, the station is a key location for SRK in the dramatic story of love. The station, as a symbolic place, prompts reflection on the importance of seizing opportunities and valuing relationships, while also representing life’s unpredictable journey with its twists and turns. This scene remains a testament to SRK’s unmatched ability to entertain and inspire self-reflection.
Using metaphors like the diary and the station, the film emphasizes self-expression and the importance of seizing moments. Exploring themes of love, sacrifice, and personal growth, the scene not only entertains but also invites introspection and emotional bonds. More broadly, the station symbolizes the importance of self-expression and the catharsis it can bring, encouraging viewers to confront their emotions for personal growth and healing. After this diary scene, Aman is seen using one of the telephone booths at the station.
This excerpt from ‘Shah Rukh Khan and the Railway Narratives’ by Ankur Konar has been published with permission from Hawakal Publishers.