Exactly on this day, 27 years back 24th April 1998 Jeans movie released and made history in Indian cinema. Directed by the genius Shankar, this film became a perfect blend of love, science, and stunning visuals. It wasn’t just a regular romantic drama it brought something new and fresh to the Indian audience with its ambitious storytelling and world-class technical brilliance.
Starring Aishwarya Rai, Prashanth, Nasser, Lakshmi and Radhika, the story follows identical twins and a father who insists his sons marry twin sisters. What follows is a fun, emotional journey filled with unexpected turns and beautiful moments. Shankar’s ability to blend such a unique storyline with humor, emotions, and futuristic visuals made the film stand out.
At the time, the film was made on a massive budget of ₹18 crore the most expensive Indian film of 1998 and it collected around ₹35 crore globally. The visual effects were groundbreaking. In fact, Jeans had more VFX runtime than the Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic Park (1993), and even earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for it.
The music by Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman played a major role in the film’s success. Each song was carefully crafted and remains unforgettable. “Priya Priya”, “Columbus Columbus”, and “Poovullo Daagunna” are still favorites for many. A special mention goes to the song “Poovullo Daagunna( poovukkul)”, where Aishwarya Rai appears at all seven wonders of the world making it the only indian song to do so, In that song she’s even referred to as the “eighth wonder!” Not just that, the song creatively features Aishwarya Rai recreating the looks of iconic historical queens from different cultures
Italian Queen Margherita
Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII
Indian Queen Mumtaz
Chinese Queen Zhao Feiyan
Each look was grand, authentic, and beautifully captured, showcasing the film’s attention to detail and global appeal. These recreations made the visuals unforgettable and are still appreciated today for their aesthetic richness.
There’s more! The film’s title was originally “Genes”, but it was later changed to “Jeans” as it sounded more modern and relatable to semi-urban and rural audiences. Did you know Goundamani was initially supposed to play a double role which eventually went to Nasser? Or that Prashanth wasn’t the first choice for the lead? The role was first offered to Abbas and Ajith Kumar, but both declined. Prashanth accepted and dedicated one and a half years to the project, even turning down seven other films!
Another fun fact – the actress Janaki Sabesh, who played Aishwarya Rai’s mother, was only four years older than her in real life! And in the song “Poovullo Daagunna”, the first humming line is “Wo Ai Ni” – which means “I love you” in Chinese. A sweet little touch!
S.P. Balasubrahmanyam was also considered for the role of Aishwarya’s father, but eventually, S.V. Sekar played it. The film not only made it as India’s entry to the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category but also won several awards, including a National Award for Best Visual Effects, a Filmfare Award for A.R. Rahman’s music, and four Tamil Nadu State Awards.
Even after 27 years, Jeans continues to be remembered as a film that redefined the possibilities of Indian cinema. It wasn’t just a movie it was a celebration of love, innovation, and artistic brilliance.
