Writer/Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actresses in India have created movies which satisfy audiences like Aishwarya Rai. Ever since her rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Rai has become a beloved actress that has made memorable movies. Whether it’s bold historic figures, doomed lovers or rebellious daughters, Rai has portrayed several strong characters. Arguably, Rai’s best strength as an actress has often been her bravery. She is one of those rare actresses which hasn’t been afraid of taking risks in her career by taking on controversial characters. Through her ability to create strong female heroines audiences can relate to, Rai has become a great actress whose work audiences value. Throughout her impressive career, Rai has made several unforgettable movies that are absolutely worth talking about without any doubt.
I’m a big fan of Rai and adore all characters that she has played in her career. However, “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” certainly stands out as her most meaningful movie. Released in 1999, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film offered a powerful portrait of broken marriages that occur in India. Packed with bold production, engaging storytelling and powerful acting, it is a remarkable Bollywood romantic drama. At a centre of it all is a terrific performance by Aishwarya Rai, who embodies a woman that experiences doomed marriages which terrify. Although “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” is a superb Bollywood drama, it isn’t entirely a flawless film. It suffers from a predictable ending that lacks resolution. Nevertheless, it offers engrossing entertainment for fans of Aishwarya Rai.
“Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” tells the story of a woman trapped in a broken marriage that experienced a problem. Aishwarya Rai plays Nandini, a woman that is trapped in broken marriages facing tragedy. Nandini shares a complicated relationship with her newly wed husband Vanraj (Ajay Devgan). While she is respectful towards Vanraj, Nandini is in love with another man. Sameer (Salman Khan) is a renowned musician that has always had a strong attraction to Nandini. As he comes to shocking discovery that his wife has fallen in love with another man, Vanraj embarks on a journey to reunite them together. With odds stacked against her favour, Nandini starts to wonder if she would ever be reunited with a past lover.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is fascinated with the stories of lovers facing tragedy. His award-winning movie “Devdas” offered a powerful portrait of lovers torn apart with barriers of alcohol addiction. With “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”, however, Bhansali created his first ever romantic musical. It was the director’s first attempt to capture the lives of couples in broken marriages facing tragedy but he succeeded immensely. Using spellbinding cinematography, Bhansali captures life of a woman seeking to reunite with a past lover. Bhansali expertly uses montages to convey hardships faced by lovers. For instance, the montages elevate the romantic bond scene. During this memorable scene, Nandini and Sameer form a strong bond by spending a vacation together. Through strong montage, Bhansali creates a portrait of romance that is engaging. Montages are tricky techniques to use in most Bollywood movies. As Sanjay Gadhvi’s “Dhoom 2” suggested, montages elevate Bollywood action blockbusters. That being said, it works immensely. Using strong visuals, Bhansali captures the tension which that couples trapped in doomed marriages are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” that merits appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the most impressive Bollywood movies you will ever see. Bhansali always excels at staging musical sequences in his movies, and “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” showcases his best strengths as a director. Bhansali effectively uses cross-cutting to stage musical sequences that prove to be engaging. For instance, the cross-cutting enhances the Dholi Taro Dhol Baaje song. During this memorable song, Nandini and Sameer spend precious time together in a ceremony. Using cross-cutting, Bhansali crafts music sequences that are engaging. Moreover, the musical score is superb. It gives the movie an intense atmosphere by capturing the burden couples bear. Using strong production, Bhansali captures lives of couples facing tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” is a Bollywood romantic film that’s engaging. The movie is extremely well written, and effectively uses silence to capture hardships couples which face destructive marriages experience. For instance, the silence enhances the farewell scene. During this emotional scene, Nandini bids a tearful farewell to Sameer to pursue her marriage. Through strong use of silence, Bhansali creates a portrait of romance that audiences can easily relate to. Silence isn’t an easy technique to use in Bollywood films. As Aditya Chopra’s “Mohabbatein” proved, silence often enhances Bollywood romantic dramas. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a strong screenplay, the filmmaker captures romantic relationships that face a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Aishwarya Rai gives one of her best career performances as Nandini. Rai first earned appreciation for playing romantic heroines in classic Bollywood movies. With “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”, however, she took upon her most complex role. It isn’t easy to play a woman trapped in a broken marriage which faces tragedy but she succeeds. This is the actress unlike you have ever seen her in the past: intense, charismatic and funny in her most iconic role. With bold expressions, she captures the angst, bravery and grief faced by a woman experiencing marriage tension. It’s a powerful performance from one of the most beloved actresses which is working in India today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Rai, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of recognition. Salman Khan is spectacular, capturing charismatic nature of a singer that’s eager to reunite with long lost lovers. Ajay Devgan is amazing, and captures the compassion of a husband that puts his wife’s interests above his own life. Lastly, Vinay Pathak merits appreciation. As a singer, he brings hilarious comic relief to the movie.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” can’t capture tensions that are faced by couples stuck in broken marriages. If there’s a shortcoming to the movie, it lacks an engaging ending. It’s an over the top conclusion that fails to bring the movie to a satisfying resolution. Whereas this predictable ending elevated Mani Ratnam’s “Guru”, it clashes with the tone of this movie. Therefore, “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” is one of those Bollywood films which not everyone is guaranteed to adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Aishwarya Rai would definitely enjoy “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” and so would audiences seeking engaging entertainment. A bold Bollywood romantic drama, it honours an actress with charisma.
Nearly 30 years following the release of a Bollywood movie about women seeking to reunite with lovers having barriers to fight, it’s a bright reminder of an actress making unforgettable movies earning the spotlight which have never lost their abilities to fulfill audiences’ appetite.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 