Obama creates stir with dialogue from 'DDLJ' at New Delhi address

E-Paper | July 14, 2026

US President Barack Obama, who just concluded his India visit, took everyone by surprise Tuesday when he quoted a line from the iconic Bollywood movie 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge,' said a report published on The Indian Express.

In an address at the Siri Ford Auditorium in New Delhi, Obama said, "Senorita, bade bade deshon mein… you know what I mean."

“Last celebration here we celebrated festival of lights in Mumbai. We danced with some children. Unfortunately, we were not able to schedule any dancing in this visit. Senorita, bade bade desho mein… you know what I mean,” Obama said with a smile.

The movie has since been trending on Twitter with the keyword ‘DDLJ.’

Obama picked Bollywood superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and sports icons like Milkha Singh and Mary Kom and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi to make a point that courage and humanitarian values unify both the nations.

On the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Obama was the first US president to attend India's annual Republic Day parade with First Lady Michelle Obama. He departed from India for Saudi Arabia after a three-day visit. The US President was also due to visit the Taj Mahal while in India, but he cut short his visit to pay his respects to the new Saudi king.

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Anwar

Jan 27, 2015 03:04pm

Clearly the message is to respect big states :) New world order for subcontinent. He also ignored all subcontinent countries including Afghanistan where his forces are fighting against extremists directly though terrorism was very high on discussions. He is just blindly following the directions of few big US companies including arms industry. His recent visit also paved the wave for arms race in the region.

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Pakistani

Jan 27, 2015 03:13pm

Thank you Mr. Obama, for showing actual face....the land of opportunist. If Pakistani leaders have some respect left(which I seriously doubt) can learn anything from here, America is and would always be a back stabber.

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harsh

Jan 27, 2015 03:19pm

@Pakistani how it shown real face ? he cant quote indian movie?

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Syren (India)

Jan 27, 2015 03:36pm

He said something more important as well. Calling for equal opportunities for all without discriminating between gender, religion, caste, creed, colour, Obama said, "Every Indian should celebrate the success of Shah Rukh Khan, Mary Kom and Milkha Singh equally, not by colour of skin or worship." We Indians understand this. The day Pakistan understands this will be a new DAWN for our region.

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Askarian

Jan 27, 2015 03:37pm

@Pakistani Great, you're using my nickname haha I think i'd stick to something else since you're already making ridiculous comments here.

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Dinesh Singh

Jan 27, 2015 03:59pm

Our Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi lives and works amongst us, Mery comes from a tiny state but achieves big, Shah Rukh knows it very well that whole India stood behind him when he had to face 'humiliation' in US. We extracted apology for him and for Ms Khobragadhe. We do not discriminate on the basis of religion or caste. Minor incidents apart we live in relative peace and dignity, therefore I love this great land and salute the collective spirit of my countrymen. Please publish it because I find a lot of negative comments just creep in but good ones get stifled.

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Abdul Kadir

Jan 27, 2015 04:05pm

@Pakistani Yes that actual face led him 2 times president win.

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Akram

Jan 27, 2015 04:19pm

don't get too excited, politicians tell people what they want to hear. Indians should not be so naive and lap up the foreign politician. Pakistan's experience with the US should be a reality check. But unfortunately people don't always follow logic. The US has no permanent friends, it only has permanent interests. India will find this out to its detriment.

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aamir cheema

Jan 27, 2015 04:40pm

just shows the power of popular media especially the movies....last time an American president used a cliche from movie was Ronald Reagan who quoted on Russian invasion in Afghanistan ' I will send the Rambo'......

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AGK

Jan 27, 2015 04:50pm

@Akram: "politicians tell people what they want to hear." You have made best comment I've seen in a while. Exactly as your politicians/generals have told you that you've won in very armed confrontations against India. Any one with any common sense would know that US has no permanent friends. However, there is a slight difference between Pakistan and India. You have survived of free aid given by US for 6 decades. Now you will depend on China. In nett effect, you have forgotten how to survive on your own feet. Not quite the same scenario. We have grown very slowly yet steadily and on our own feet building our own unique brand. We were significantly lagging behind Pakistan all the way till the late 80s, until you started moving from growth increasing towards the path of hate India and intolerance. My dear Pakistani brother, start introspection. Its still not too late to embrace the right path

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Sumit Chaudhary

Jan 27, 2015 05:05pm

@Akram Don't worry dear. We are not slave of US. we are working on economics and business so do not say again and again "US will do to India what it did to Pakistan". We are aware of US and will never be more than good economic partner. Indians trust Russia more than US. So don't worry we wont end up being Pakistan and we are very much aware of that. Thanks anyway for so much care.

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Arvind

Jan 27, 2015 05:12pm

politicians always have dual personality , if any one dont have , surely he will not be successful politician

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Naveen

Jan 27, 2015 05:24pm

@Pakistani - In Pakistan, common people are against US, though many want to go to US and settle there. But, in India generally people are not against US, other than Left Marxist parties.

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Naveen

Jan 27, 2015 05:29pm

I strongly believe Pakistanis should go back to culture of their soil. They should celebrate the diversity in the country. Songs and dances from the villages of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunwa, Balochistan, GIlgit should be rebranded and marketed in a modern way.

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khanm

Jan 27, 2015 05:34pm

'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge,' May be he was referring to Modi as his future partner...Finding good partners is the key to success in anything: in business, in marriage and, especially, in investing.

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Naveen

Jan 27, 2015 05:35pm

There is more to come though as day progresses and Obama has already gone to Saudi. Modi and Obama are expected to do a Radio address to reach every village/town/city of India through "Mann ki Baath" radio program.

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Naveen

Jan 27, 2015 05:43pm

World bank and IMF official reports of India becoming World's Fastest Growing Major Economy, ahead of China by 2018, from the 4th year of Modi's PMship. Policy and administrative initiatives taken in first 3 years of Modi's PMship is expected to give results from 4th year of Modi administration. India is on way of of ascent according official reports of every major economist, lending agencies and the rating agencies of the world.

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Abdul Malik

Jan 27, 2015 05:47pm

@Akram LOL Pakistani logic now there are too many but I shall quote two or three only. 1. 2 nation theory produced 3 nations ( bad math) 2. LOL Good taliban bad taliban ( do the good taliban carry character certificates ) 3. Osama is not here ( invisibility cloak from Harry Potter) 4. Pakistan began with Bin Quasim (LOL self created history)

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Abdul Malik

Jan 27, 2015 05:49pm

@Naveen Adding to your reply. Many of the NRIs as well as Americans and Europeans coming back to India.

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Vectra

Jan 27, 2015 06:01pm

Ha ha that a nice one,India global Bollywood global...

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Vectra

Jan 27, 2015 06:06pm

"Obama picked Bollywood superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and sports icons like Milkha Singh and Mary Kom and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi " Obama picked these 4 as an example i.e SRK Muslim,Milkha Singh Sikh,Mary Kom Christian and Kailash Satyarthi Hindu.So overall the message is clear which is similar in US i.e unity in diversity in both countries

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Sanjay Guha

Jan 27, 2015 06:07pm

@Akram India understands it and India too has only permanent interests and whoever suits our interests are our friends

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Sanjay Guha

Jan 27, 2015 06:11pm

@Abdul Malik That's true. There are opportunities here today not just for Indians, but highly qualified Europeans and Americans too. There are huge expatriate communities in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi

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AXH

Jan 27, 2015 06:42pm

@AGK - "...We were significantly lagging behind Pakistan all the way till the late 80s, until you started moving from growth increasing towards the path of hate India and intolerance...." One advise for you. Watch the video of your NSA, Ajit Doval and then you will see how your government has conducted a planned infiltration and a policy of hatred against Pakistan and this has been going on for decades. Stop pretending like innocent people who know nothing about who is involved in your neighborhood. Your media and government has done a supper job in indoctrinated you. Lets see if Dawn let it publish this comment "unadulterated".

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khaan

Jan 27, 2015 07:09pm

@Akram i would like to say same about China, China can not be a good friend . Be prepare to face aggression from china once your miltants group start poking china , at that time you will feel the heat being a friend of china, They have a history to stab on back once they did to india . Pakistan will falls to china , the time is coming closer. be alert and dont rely too much on china. Grow yourself.

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dada

Jan 27, 2015 08:24pm

@Akram India, China are civilizational countries. To large extent Russia also. Though Russians had to take help of Christian Romanized Europe to save themselves from barbaric Tartar attack and in recent past Communism. China in recent past lost its civilizational bearing and became land of one book (Das Capita), one Politburo Chief and tried to destroy its own ancient culture and way of life. But common Chinese are still keeping their traditional culture. India celebrates its ancient civilization and nurtures those roots. In recent past Anglophones ruled free India who hated everything native. If anything, India needs to learn from Pakistan's experience is that if you hate your roots, your native culture, ancestral history then you become a rootless parasite and then any alien crook and criminal can take advantage of you.

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Ajaya K Dutt

Jan 27, 2015 09:29pm

United States has been most benevolent power. Be it Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II or General McArthurs rebuilding Japan. Example of South Vs North Korea is another stark reality that many in Pakistan may like to come face to face with. In spite of Pakistan repeatedly stabbing in the back, United States is walking away without any punitive action. A wiser caution would be regarding a very friend higher than mountains and deeper than seas. Example of Tibet, North Korea, Vietnam is only a start up.

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Ajaya K Dutt

Jan 27, 2015 09:32pm

@Vectra - good comparison.

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madhusudan

Jan 27, 2015 11:30pm

@Vectra soon your tv dramas will go global. Humsafar classic from pakistsn

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kautiliya

Jan 27, 2015 11:47pm

I have never seen the President and First Lady so relaxed as in India. Thus came out their best. Thank you Mr. President and First Lady

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Giri

Jan 28, 2015 12:23am

@kautiliya They are facing too much heat in their own country. Republicans are going to takeover the presidency.

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Naman

Jan 28, 2015 01:23am

@Giri Republicans are even more pro India than Democrats. This nuclear deal was started by republicans only. So as far as Indo-US civil nuclear deal is concerned it has blessings of Republicans as well.

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Black Sabbath

Jan 28, 2015 01:51am

@Giri : I'm American & I can assure you, the next US President will be Hillary Clinton.

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Vanch

Jan 28, 2015 02:20am

Dear pakistani friends, Don't you think that this is really the time to stop all this rubbish comments and to move forward like european countries to give a healthy life to our people of two countries. We must immediately stop all the issues like Kashmir and others. Since 67 years we are turning arround. Nor India will give their part of kashmir and neither pakistan will give their. They should keep the parts of their kashmir they have NOW and do shake hands for the futur. So finish this dispute do concentrate on the developpement. Otherwise we will continue to destroy the life of our coming generations.

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Gp65

Jan 28, 2015 03:06am

@Naveen They consider 2014 as the first year and hence 2017 as the fourth year of Modi's. PM ship. They expect the transition to happen in 2017

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Hashim Khan

Jan 28, 2015 04:33am

Politicians are bigger actors. Their act is in 247 instead of just a few hours a day like normal actors do.

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Pramod

Jan 28, 2015 04:52am

@Pakistani Why don't see this face when Pakistani artist are lined up in Bollywood.

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Babu

Jan 28, 2015 06:31am

@Akram "don't get too excited, politicians tell people what they want to hear. Indians should not be so naive and lap up the foreign politician. Pakistan's experience with the US should be a reality check. But unfortunately people don't always follow logic. The US has no permanent friends, it only has permanent interests. India will find this out to its detriment." Quite so. Good point to keep in mind....in politics no one is anyone's friend, especially not an all weather fried. Its all about interests.

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Vijay USA

Jan 28, 2015 07:41am

@Dinesh Singh , when did US apologize for Khobragade's arrest? The lady lied on the application and thought she could get away with lying and falsifying documents as she did it back home. US attorney Bharara should be congratulated for a job well done.

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indian

Jan 28, 2015 08:07am

@Akram Obama might be wooing indians for his country but we are letting him woo us for our profit. His eagerness to make Indians like him, makes India a high priority and will fetch us better deals. We are not selling ourselves we just want mutual profit and peace.

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Tika Muchhu

Jan 28, 2015 08:09am

Why a quote from DDLJ? That movie is now old and nobody talks about it. That's like trying to look cool in a party in 2015 wearing bell-bottom pants. Major fail.

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Helloworld

Jan 28, 2015 09:01am

Obamas reply to Modi's "May the force be with you" dialogue in US haha

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hello

Jan 29, 2015 07:02am

@Tika Muchhu I think it was not a fail. Jokes are always subjective to age, sex and environment. Now the question was asked by a lady, was asked by a last who should be above 30 years age (since it's a big press conference) and he wants to show his knowledge of Indian love. Most of the people of my age (30s and above) have watched and loved DDLJ. It's like second God Father of India after Sholey. DDLJ beyond old/ new.

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Sunil

Jan 29, 2015 01:36pm

Obama has a very sense of humor, while addressing people, who also stated the " the motor cycle daredevils by BSF was the most splendid one,during republic day parade, but the secret agent wouldn't allow me to ride".

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Ram

Jan 29, 2015 08:40pm

@Tika Muchhu well said and a creative handle name - from mysore

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