Writer/Director: Farhan Akhtar
Starring: Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna and Saif Ali Khan
‘A Magnificent Masterpiece’
Not many actresses in India are as beloved as Preity Zinta. Ever since her rise towards recognition in the 1990’s, Zinta has become a beloved icon in Bollywood. Whether it is passionate lovers, historical figures or the lovers of soldiers, Zinta has played several strong characters. Arguably, Zinta’s finest strength as an actress has always been her strong dramatic range. She is one of those rare actresses that has always had a talent for portraying characters in various genres. Through her abilities to portray characters audiences can relate to, Zinta has become a beloved actress with value. Throughout a powerful career, Zinta has made many bold movies which are undeniably worth talking about.
I’m a huge fan of Zinta and adore all films she has made in her career. However, “Dil Chahta Hai” definitely stands out as being her most meaningful film. Released in 2001, Farhan Akhtar’s movie offered a powerful portrait of long-lasting friendship. Packed with breathtaking musical numbers, bold storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a brilliant Bollywood masterpiece about the power of friendships. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Preity Zinta, who embodies a woman seeking romantic relationships in India. Ultimately, the film delivers a universal message about power of friendship which would resonate with everyone. Viewers aren’t required to be fans of Bollywood movies to appreciate it. A mesmerizing masterpiece about friendship, there are several reasons why it’s a movie worth watching.
Set in Mumbai, “Dil Chahta Hai” tells a story of a friendship among three comrades that face a grim price to pay. Aamir Khan plays Akash, a college graduate seeking purpose in his life. Akash is an outgoing young man which shares a powerful friendship with two close comrades Sameer (Saif Ali Khan) and Siddarth (Akshaye Khanna) whom he loves dearly. The three friends always shared an unbreakable bond spending valuable time with one another they come to treasure. At first, it seems as if their friendship can never be torn apart. However, when they each fall in love their conflicting view of relationships causes their friendships to endure disaster. Facing a dilemma, Akash questions whether it is possible to maintain friendships with his comrades in India. As he seeks a romantic relationship, Akash’s bonds begin to face hardships.
Farhan Akhtar is a newcomer to the stories of friendships. A first-time filmmaker, Akhtar had never made a movie about friendships in his career before. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the lives of friends in India, but he succeeded. Using spellbinding cinematography, Akhtar captures the bonds between friends embarking on a journey. For a first-time filmmaker, Akhtar demonstrated immense control behind the camera. Akhtar successfully uses montages to capture the powerful bonds between three friends which embark upon an unforgettable journey. For instance, the montages elevate the Goa trip scene. During this moving sequence, Akash and his friends embark on a road trip to Goa to spend precious time in bonding together. One appreciates montages capturing the strong bonds between three friends which strive to make their life dream come true. It brought back joyful memories of my strong bond with a companion which impacted my identity. Montages are tricky techniques to use in Bollywood movies. Nevertheless, they work tremendously in this movie. Through stunning cinematography, Akhtar captures tensions friends are facing.
Another aspect of “Dil Chahta Hai” meriting appreciation is the production-design. From a technical point-of-view, the movie is very well made. Akhtar effectively uses real-life locations in India to capture powerful bond among a pair of close friends. Throughout the movie, real locations in India showcase powerful bonds between friends that pursue dreams that they are passionate about. For instance, real-life Indian locations enhance the fort scene. During this engaging scene, the three friends spend time by bonding in Goa’s fort. One appreciates the backdrops of forts capturing the strong bond between a pair of friends. Through strong locations, Akhtar captures the beauty of India being a country where friendships often come true. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s score is essential to the success of the film. It gives the movie a joyous atmosphere capturing the powerful bonds between friends that care. Through stunning production design, Akhtar conveys the strong bond between friends that rarely decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Dil Chahta Hai” is an Indian classic which remains compelling. The film is beautifully written, and uses bold scenes of silence to capture bonds between friends falling apart. Akhtar’s screenwriting strength is capturing friendships declining through use of silence. Throughout the movie, the silence is used to showcase the bonds between pair of close friends falling apart. For instance, scenes of silence elevate the friend’s breakup scene. During this memorable scene, Akash adopts a silent attitude refusing to talk with friends after engaging in tense argument. Through scenes of silence, Akhtar crafts compelling Indian characters which audiences relate to. Silence is a tricky technique to use in Indian movies. In Bollywood, most films are driven by loud song and dance numbers with little room for subtlety. Nevertheless, it works in this movie. Through a fantastic screenplay, Akhtar creates a realistic portrait of bonds among a pair of close Indian friends which go astray today.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Preity Zinta delivers one of her best career performances as Shalini. Zinta first earned appreciation for playing romantic heroines in classic Bollywood films. With “Dil Chahta Hai”, however, Zinta took on her most tricky role. It isn’t easy to portray a woman that’s trapped in an abusive marriage that faces tragedy but she succeeds immensely. This is the actress unlike you have ever seen her before: intense, funny and emotional in her most charming role. With bold expressions, she illustrates the angst, frustrations and charismatic nature of a woman trapped in broken marriages facing tensions. It’s an extraordinary performance from one of the most commemorated actresses working in India today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Zinta, the supporting cast is also great and worthy of appreciation. The supporting cast is sensational and worthy of praise. Aamir Khan is sensational, capturing the larger-than-life personally of a young man seeking to repair friendships with close comrades that have fallen apart suddenly. Akshaye Khanna is astonishing, capturing a sensitive nature of an artist which pursues a strong passion for painting. Lastly, Saif Ali Khan merits appreciation. As a bachelor in broken friendships, he is unforgettable.
Finally, “Dil Chahta Hai” will earn the praise of everyone for capturing friendships which come with a price to pay. Unlike most Indian movies, it tackles themes everyone would relate to. The film discusses timely themes including friendships, careers and identity which resonate with everyone. It delivers a universal message about friendships which would definitely strike chords with everyone. Therefore, “Dil Chahta Hai” is one of those rare Bollywood films that everyone would adore.
Fans of Preity Zinta will absolutely enjoy “Dil Chahta Hai” and so will audiences seeking meaningful entertainment. A bold Bollywood classic, it honours an actor that is iconic.
Nearly 30 years following the release of a groundbreaking Indian movie about three companions that struggle to find their way discovering their friendships come with a painful price to pay, it’s a bold reminder of an Indian actress that hasn’t lost her ability to portray compelling characters in iconic Bollywood movies that are definitely worth celebrating today.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 