Dil Dhadakne Do...
I watched it last
Sunday, and since then had been planning to write this post. My review of the
movie. (This has now become something like 16th Sunday back :P)
First and
foremost, I loved the film!
The music grows on
you. At first listen, I hadn't liked any of the songs I'd heard (namely the
three most popular ones from the film), but slowly they've grown on me, and now
I'm quite obsessed. Initially, I'd thought that Priyanka and Farhan had totally
ruined the title track with their ghissa-wa voices, in an otherwise very upbeat
and peppy 70s style number, but now I don't mind them so much, cause the music
was won me over. Second, the 'Pehli Baar' song, which I'd initially thought was
slow and nothing exceptional, now forms my waking-up-to song. Maybe it's
because some songs you just like better once you've seen them in the context of
the film.
From the first 5
minutes itself, I kept trying to place the narrator's voice, I just KNEW I
recognised it. I turned to my Mom, and said, "This isn't...?", then
dismissed the idea. I
was right. And that added a zing to the movie.
The movie is very
funny. Like really funny. And I love the satirical, wry, sense of humour it
has. If you've ever lived in Delhi, you'd instantly feel connected to this
movie, because the characters are SO typical of the uber-rich south delhi posh
crowd complete with the punjabi auntie wearing designer clothes, to the spoilt
brat who dresses like she's on the runway, to the drunken uncles who hit on
teenage girls...*sigh*....this is my kinda movie. Fun, breezy. The drama is
interesting, if a bit long. The performances by the ensemble cast, really
spot-on. Ranveer Singh as the insecure child of the big business family, living
in his father's shadow, and thrust into doing something he really has no
interest in, strikes the right cord. He looks vulnerable, and you feel for his
character. You cheer for him when he stands up to his parents, you laugh with
him when he cracks jokes on his fellow shipmates.
Priyanka Chopra is fine too. Though I do have certain
issues understanding how her character, a powerful, strong, independent
business woman, takes shit from people in her personal life, husband,
mother-in-law, parents...But i guess, what Zoya is really trying to show is
that underneath the surface, all of us have our insecurities, all of us have
things or people we’re afraid of, or get bullied by, no matter how we behave or
portray ourselves in the outside world.
Anuhska Sharma was good too, well I always like her.
She’s garhwali after all (Garhwalis FTW!), and I think she has that spunk that
is sometimes so lacking in actresses (should I be saying female actor?) of this
generation. But her role is too small to really judge much. I guess her role is
more of a thread, a small but vital cog in the wheel, that sets things in
motion.
Apart from this, like I mentioned, the entire ensemble
cast is very good. I especially love the scene with Shefali Shah, binge eating
on a chocolate cake, when she discovers an ugly truth about someone close to
her. The scene has no dialogues absolutely, but the way the camera pans onto
her face, revealing the turmoil of emotions she’s undergoing, says more than a
melodramatic “hindi-film” cry-fest could’ve said.
There is just one problem I have though. Rahul Bose,
in my opinion, was highly underutlised in this film. I mean, an actor of his
calibre deserves more screen space and dialogues than what the movie offered
him. The character he portrays also lacks depth, and ends up as too linear and
simple for my liking. He ends up coming across as a villain in the last 45 mins
or so, where I feel that really was not necessary, but just made the task
easier for the writers. Again, I'd like to point out that the second half
becomes a bit heavy, and could’ve probably been edited a bit better and
crisper.
The end again, is a little bizarre and ‘flighty’ if I
can use that word. It still ends up being fun though, so I will forgive this
little “bollywodness” on the part of the filmmaker. A friend said the entire
movie gave a very “Woody Allen-ish” feel. Although, I can’t honestly say what a
“Woody Allen-ish” feel is, with my current knowledge and experience of his movies,
it seems like a nice way to describe it. I truly loved this movie, and I feel it is
highly quotable and a must-watch for anyone who likes light-hearted, yet not
entirely mind numbing, cinema. I would recommend this, really. :)
As they say, Yeh Dil Dhakadne Do, which for me translates
to: Why so serious, Live a little, Love a little. :)
