Dil Chahta Hai

 Dil Chahta Hai was based on Farhan Akhtar's diary he wrote during his trips to Goa and his month-and-a-half-long stay in New York City in 1996, and a story by a friend of his, Kassim Jagmagia. He originally conceived a story about the romance between Akash and Shalini. He later shared it with his parents, who immediately liked his idea but suggested several changes. However, he felt the story was not exciting and unusual enough for him and started to develop other characters, including Akash's friends, making his initial idea become the film's subplot.Farhan began writing the film's screenplay under the working title of Hum Teen in 1998.

 After principal photography commenced in 2000, the film was retitled Dil Chahta Hai. Farhan originally wrote the dialogue in English, and he translated it to Hindi in two months.This marked the cinematic debut of Akhtar and his friend Ritesh Sidhwani, who produced it under their banner of Excel Entertainment.Several elements of the film were inspired by the English playwright William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing which looked at the conflict between romantic love and male bonding. The only clue for the unacknowledged remake was that in one shot there was a boat in a harbour that was clearly named Much Ado,"  Farhan's sister, Zoya, was in charge of the casting of the film.Filming started in 2000 and was completed in 108 days by Ravi K. Chandran, taking place in Mumbai, Goa, and Sydney.

Three close friends are separated after college due to their different approaches towards relationships. Akash goes to Australia, Sameer gets busy wooing a girl and Siddharth devotes himself to art.The film focuses on a significant transition period in the romantic lives of 3 college-graduate friends (Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna). It also stars Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni and Dimple Kapadia.

The film starts with Siddharth "Sid" rushing a patient to the hospital. The patient is diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Sid calls up his friend Sameer who calls up their friend Akash who refuses to come with him. Sameer and Sid meet at the waiting lounge and reminisce their life's events.

Akash does not believe in the concept of love and doesn't take anything seriously. Sameer is a very romantic but confused guy. Whenever he is attracted towards a girl, he thinks that he has found true love. Sid, an artist by profession and the most mature of the three, has no interest in romance and is very serious and dedicated towards his work. They spend all their time together, taking trips, playing pranks on each other and supporting the other when needed.

At their college leaving party, Akash jokingly professes love for a girl called Shalini, earning him a punch from her hot-tempered, possessive fiancée Rohit. Upon graduating from college, they are forced to decide on what to do with their lives ahead. Sameer's parents want to arrange his marriage with their friends' daughter, Pooja while Akash's parents ask him to manage the family business in Sydney. Sid is busy trying to become a painter and works to develop his skill.

One day, Sid runs into his new neighbour, Tara Jaiswal, who is a divorcee and an alcoholic. She takes an interest in his art and the two become friends. Despite her older age, Sid finds himself attracted to her. After a night out, Sid confesses to Sameer and Akash that he loves Tara. In typical fashion, the friends refuse to take him seriously. Sameer realizes that Sid is not joking but Akash continues to mock him, leading Sid to slap him. Infuriated, Akash leaves the scene, refusing to reconcile with Sid despite Sameer's attempts to mediate. Soon, Akash leaves for Sydney to work on the family business and Sid temporarily moves away to Kasauli to attend a painting workshop, leaving Sameer to his own means.

Sid eventually returns and he meets Sameer who tells him that he is attracted to Pooja at first-sight. However, Pooja has a boyfriend but it seems their relationship is not going strong hence they inevitably break up. With the help of Sid, Sameer asks her out and Pooja accepts.

In Sydney, Akash meets Shalini who shows him around the new city. The two soon fall in love, but she has to return to India to marry Rohit. It is revealed that Shalini does not love Rohit, and is only marrying him to please his parents, who have raised her. Determined not to lose Shalini, Akash shows up at her wedding. He proposes to her in front of all the guests, Rohit and his family. Rohit is enraged but decides to yield on being told by Shalini that she loves Akash too much to the approval of Rohit's parents who accept Shalini's love for Akash enraging Rohit more who gets slapped by Akash.

Back to the present, Sameer lies to Sid about being unable to contact Akash. The next morning, however, Akash arrives at the hospital to bury the hatchet with Sid. He apologizes to him, and the two hug.

Meanwhile, Tara who is revealed as the patient is about to die from liver cirrhosis due to her alcoholism. The hospital staff approach Sid to inform him, and he speaks with Tara for the last time in her hospital room. She thanks him for being there for her in her final moments and passes away, leaving Sid's love for her unrequited. Six months later, the friends again visit Goa for a trip, now accompanied by Shalini and Pooja. Sid sees a woman who resembles Tara, and approaches to talk to her. It is implied that she and Sid get together, as the three friends are shown enjoying dinner with their respective partners.