Dil Chahta Hai - Movie Review
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Cast: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube
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.
This story, unlike any other Bollywood film in the early 2000s, comprises of 3 protagonists, 3 stories, 3 arcs. We follow our characters Akash (Aamir), Sameer (Saif), Sid (Akshaye) all play their roles brilliantly according to me. These young faces bring a youthful feeling and vibe which adds to the film honestly.
All 3 characters have a close bond and friendships and it works because of the chemistry and of the writing which doesn't make it over the top and feels natural and real. We can see ourselves spending time with our friends during those conversations. Now one thing I have to praise Farhan for is letting the camera stay, as the actors simply perform instead of unnecessary cuts and wide angle shots.
Now every character has their own personality and with it comes their own personal battles and insecurities which test their beliefs. This is a stroke of genius because the conflict is personal which makes it instantly relatable.
Sameer (Saif) struggles with love as he finds himself falling in love multiple times. He is in constant conflict with his feelings and, this storyline, according to me, is the least interesting compared to the other two. And i feel like Sameer getting Pooja was handled too quickly and didn't feel as difficult as it needed to be.
Sid (Akshaye) is a painter and is easily the most mature one out the trio. He too falls in love, but with a woman elder to him, and is a divorced alcoholic. I find it bold how they introduced this plot line in 2001. But I find it beautiful as despite her flaws and past, he still loves her. He accepts her the way she is and loves her for who she is. But he unfortunately loses her at the end, which was a little abrupt to me, but sad.
Meanwhile Akash (Aamir) doesn't even believe in love. He considers it a waste of time, but that comes to a conclusion when he himself falls in love with Shalini. He's a jokester and is reckless, but learns to take things seriously when needed as his character arc.
The songs are memorable and the set design is real. The setting is urban and middle class. Nothing too glamorous. The production design is simple. Sameer sleeps in his small bedroom. Akash confronts his father in the corner of his isolated room.
After a long separation, the friends reunite and it feels wholesome. In the end marriage scene, as Akash proposes to Shalini, of course, it's cliche, too cheesy, very dramatic. But this took place around the birthplace of such a cliche, and doesn't detract from the overall narrative. Also Akash helping Rohit (romantic rival) after punching him was a great scene filled with character.
Pretty accurate analysis!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work
Thanks a lot!
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