A lookback at ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’: family is forever
"Dil Dhadakne Do" by Zoya Akhtar is indeed one of the best movies made on family dynamics. Narrating a cruise embarked on by some elite Delhi families, the movie is a strong reminder of the fact that despite its turmoils and problems, family is still the strongest emotional unit in this subcontinent.
The ensemble cast of Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Farhan Akhtar and Rahul Bose evidently make this movie a success. The perfect casting and the fantastic performances bring believability to the characters, and one is deeply immersed in the story.
Zoya Akhtar does a brilliant job as a director and flawlessly portrays this beautiful tale. The shots, the framing and the narration are effortlessly captivating. She proves once again that it is refreshing to have women behind the lenses.
"Dil Dhadakne Do" celebrates love, and the rarely spoken truth that it's never too late to reclaim it. The arc that develops between Priyanka and Farhan's characters is a reminder of the heart wrenching ends love often endure, but is also an inspiration to start anew. Shefali and Anil's characters bear the naked truth that a relationship as complicated as marriage often takes bitter turns, but to seek forgiveness, one must amend one's behavior.
The movie equally celebrates the unpredictability of love. One finds the comment that Priyanka and Rahul's characters make a perfect match to be laughable. But to think rationally, one understands why Anil's character views it that way. Here's where we draw the insight that love essentially isn't something that goes by the book. When Kabir, played by Ranveer, meets Anushka's character, Farah, who might expect it to be something long lasting? Even Farah, the jovial dancer, doesn't think so. But what brews next is something brave and beautiful.
"Dil Dhadakne Do" highlights unexpected and thus unspoken issues. One wouldn't expect blatant sexism in the elite circles, and yet, there it is, hurting young girls and women. Priyanka's character doesn't get the recognition she deserves for her work, and finds everyone constantly commenting on and meddling in her personal life. She doesn't get the due support from her family for the longest time and this is a reminder of the ugly truth that in this subcontinent, often girls have nowhere to claim as one's own.
Songs constitute a significant part of any Hindi film and this is no exception. Here the songs go seamlessly with the story, in signature Zoya Akhtar style. Be it the "Pehli Baar" song capturing the erotic tension, or the "Gallan Goodiyaan" which was shot in one take, these tunes are definitely going to stick with you.
Hence, a family drama full of good music, funny bits, picturesque shots and most importantly, a beautiful storyline is what "Dil Dhadakne Do" is. This could be your ideal watch in this vacation.