# Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (प्यार किया तो डरना क्या) (1998 film)
**Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya** (प्यार किया तो डरना क्या; also rendered "Why Be Afraid of Love") is a 1998 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by [Sohail Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/sohail-khan), starring [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan), Kajol, Arbaaz Khan, and [Dharmendra](https://www.edgepedia.org/dharmendra). It was released on 27 March 1998 under the G.S. Entertainment banner and finished among the top five Hindi films at the box office that year.[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/pyar-kiya-to-darna-kya-2/cast/) • [2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/worldwide/1998/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 27 March 1998 (India), Hindi language, U certificate[1](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/pyar-kiya-to-darna-kya-2/cast/) • [3](https://cinemaazi.com/public/film/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya) |
| Director and writers | Sohail Khan (director, story, screenplay); Sanjeev Duggal (dialogue)[4](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2583) |
| Lead cast | Salman Khan as Suraj Khanna, Kajol as Muskaan Thakur, Arbaaz Khan as Vishal Thakur, Dharmendra as Thakur Ajay Singh (Chacha)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/) |
| Runtime | 162 minutes (2h 42m)[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya) |
| Music | Jatin-Lalit, Himesh Reshammiya, and Sajid-Wajid; lyrics by Sameer, Sudhakar Sharma, and Iqbal Sabri[4](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2583) |
| Box office | India nett ₹180.7 million (₹18.07 crore); worldwide gross ₹333.7 million (₹33.37 crore); verdict Super Hit[7](https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2583) |
| Awards | 7 nominations at the 44th Filmfare Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor[8](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Pyaar_Kiya_To_Darna_Kya?hl=en_US&id=A2F3F33C027680CDMV) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The film follows Muskaan (Kajol), an orphan raised on a farm by her overprotective older brother Vishal ([Arbaaz Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/arbaaz-khan)) and their "Chachu", Thakur Ajay Singh (Dharmendra).[9](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html) Muskaan's childhood friend Ujala (Anjala Zaveri) has long loved the brooding Vishal, who pays her no attention.[9](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html)
Muskaan persuades her brother to let her attend university in a large city, where she falls in love with a fellow student, Suraj (Salman Khan), a young man estranged from his father and stepmother.[9](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html) • [10](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/727455071/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya-1998/) Vishal opposes the relationship and sets physically demanding terms for any prospective brother-in-law, then recalls Muskaan to the family farm.[9](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html) Suraj pursues her, takes work on the farm as a stable boy, and sets out to win Vishal's approval so that he can marry her.[9](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/)
## Production
Sohail Khan directed the film and wrote its story and screenplay, producing it with Bunty Walia; Vashu Bhagnani is also credited as a producer.[4](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2583) • [11](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya) Sanjeev Duggal wrote the dialogue.[4](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2583) Rasool Ellore was the cinematographer, [Yusuf Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/yusuf-khan) the editor, and Sharmishta Roy the art director.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya/cast-and-crew)
Dharmendra was cast at Salman Khan's suggestion; Khan had long been fond of the veteran actor and wanted to work with him.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/) Filming took place in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, with shooting locations including the Mehboob, Kamalistan, and Jaipurwalla studios.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/) • [3](https://cinemaazi.com/public/film/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya) The film passed censorship with a U certificate, certificate number VIS-1-30-98-MUM, dated 15 January 1998.[3](https://cinemaazi.com/public/film/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya)
## Music
The soundtrack was shared among three composing teams: Jatin-Lalit, [Himesh Reshammiya](https://www.edgepedia.org/himesh-reshammiya), and Sajid-Wajid, with lyrics by Sameer, Sudhakar Sharma, and Iqbal Sabri.[4](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2583) The film marked Himesh Reshammiya's debut as a music director; he composed the title song.[13](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya)
The song "O O Jaane Jaana", sung by [Kamal Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-khan), became the film's signature number and, according to a Filmfare retrospective marking 25 years of the film, an enduring party song.[14](https://www.filmfare.com/features/25-years-of-pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya-how-o-o-jaane-jaana-became-the-ultimate-party-song-57605.html) The same retrospective credits the film's shirtless sequence with helping make it a hit among young audiences.[15](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/web-stories/salman-khans-90s-movies-that-are-pure-gold/photostory/121194992.cms)
## Box office
The film opened on 225 screens with a first day of ₹8,000,000 and a first weekend of ₹23,100,000.[7](https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2583) Its first week totaled ₹44.7 million (₹4.47 crore), and it closed with an India nett gross of ₹180.7 million (₹18.07 crore) against a budget of ₹77.5 million (₹7.75 crore), an India gross of ₹309 million (₹30.90 crore), and overseas earnings of $625,000, for a worldwide gross of ₹333.7 million (₹33.37 crore).[7](https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2583) Bollywood Hungama's year-end table places it fifth among 1998's worldwide Hindi grossers, behind [Kuch Kuch Hota Hai](https://www.edgepedia.org/kuch-kuch-hota-hai), Soldier, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/worldwide/1998/)
Trade verdicts were strong. Box Office India classified the film as a Super Hit, ranking it fifth by distributor share for 1998 with ₹101,250,000.[7](https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2583) • [16](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/india-distributor-share.php/overseas-total-gross.php?year=1998) Rediff's January 1999 year-end roundup placed it in the "Hit" tier, noting it performed as a superhit in the Bombay and Central Provinces circuits, and reported that Salman Khan was declared the year's most successful star by industry pundits, followed by Kajol.[17](https://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/jan/08hit.htm)
## Reception and legacy
At the 44th [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards) the film received seven nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor.[8](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Pyaar_Kiya_To_Darna_Kya?hl=en_US&id=A2F3F33C027680CDMV) On Rotten Tomatoes it holds a 76% Tomatometer score.[11](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya) IMDb users rate it 6.6 out of 10 from about 6,700 votes.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/)
The film is remembered as a representative 1990s commercial Hindi romance combining love story, family conflict, comedy, and music.[18](https://dpiff.in/news/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya-ramaiya-vastavaiya/) Filmfare included it in a list of recommended 1990s romantic films.[9](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html) Its title echoes the famous song "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya" from *Mughal-e-Azam* (1960), a different work with which the film is sometimes confused.[19](https://iccr.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-01/Gangananchal%20Year%2045%20Ank%204%20July-%20Aug%202022%20E%20Magazine_0.pdf) The film was later referenced in *Bachna Ae Haseeno* (2008).[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/)
## References
1. [Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya Cast List, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/pyar-kiya-to-darna-kya-2/cast/)
2. [Worldwide Highest Grossing Bollywood Movies on 1998, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/worldwide/1998/)
3. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998) Movie Details, Cinemaazi](https://cinemaazi.com/public/film/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya)
4. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya Cast & Crew, Box Office India](https://boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=2583)
5. [Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya (1998), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173080/)
6. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya streaming, JustWatch (India)](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya)
7. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya Movie, Box Office India](https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=2583)
8. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Google Play Movies listing](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Pyaar_Kiya_To_Darna_Kya?hl=en_US&id=A2F3F33C027680CDMV)
9. [Filmfare Recommends: Top Romantic Films of the '90s, Filmfare](https://www.filmfare.com/features/filmfare-recommends-top-romantic-films-of-the-90s_-39891.html)
10. [Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya (1998) TV Schedule, On TV Tonight](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/727455071/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya-1998/)
11. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya)
12. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya Cast and Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya/cast-and-crew)
13. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Moviebuff](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya)
14. [25 Years of Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya: How O O Jaane Jaana became the ultimate party song, Filmfare](https://www.filmfare.com/features/25-years-of-pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya-how-o-o-jaane-jaana-became-the-ultimate-party-song-57605.html)
15. [Salman Khan's '90s movies that are pure gold, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/web-stories/salman-khans-90s-movies-that-are-pure-gold/photostory/121194992.cms)
16. [Top Distributor Share 1998, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/india-distributor-share.php/overseas-total-gross.php?year=1998)
17. [Bollywood '98: The hits and misses of 1998, Rediff](https://www.rediff.com/movies/1999/jan/08hit.htm)
18. [Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya and Ramaiya Vastavaiya: Bollywood's Familiar Romance Formula, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival](https://dpiff.in/news/pyaar-kiya-to-darna-kya-ramaiya-vastavaiya/)
19. [Gangananchal Year 45, ICCR (on the Mughal-e-Azam song of the same name)](https://iccr.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-01/Gangananchal%20Year%2045%20Ank%204%20July-%20Aug%202022%20E%20Magazine_0.pdf)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 1990s › Romance and drama films*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license