Movie Review: Dil Dhadakne Do

Director: Zoya Akhtar

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Farhan Akhtar, Shefali Shah and Rahul Bose

Relationships don’t work on logic. They’re better handled with all heart. Regardless of the nature of the bond – fathers, mothers, siblings, lovers, friends, relatives and just about everybody else, will vouch for the fact that feelings and emotions are a lot more crucial to a relationship than rationality. No reason then, why a film based on relationships should adhere to concrete reasoning. Dil Dhadakne Do (DDD), a comedy about a dysfunctional family, takes that concession. It’s not the most brilliant film of all time. But it is an extremely entertaining and funny movie. Most importantly, it’s got its heart in the right place.

Comedies don’t always need an exceptional story. A functional one, almost always, is good enough. With DDD, you have the not-so-original tale of a rich family and their dysfunctions. They’re the Mehras from High Society Delhi. The family comprises of father, mother, daughter, son and a dog. Barring the canine, all other members’ interpersonal relations are abysmally fractured. The father’s emotionally distant and clued in to just business, the mother is a social misfit with no handle on her relationships, the daughter resents her marriage and distance from the family and the son is severely disinterested in being the sole heir. The only rapport that works is between the siblings. Brother and sister, played by Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra are the actual protagonists of the film. Not every day that you get brother and sister as the hero and heroine in a Hindi film. Then you have the quintessential setting of the cruise. The holiday is the perfect setting for situational humour. It’s not inspired writing. It’s a tad convenient. In fact, at times it gets so deliberate that the pace of the film gets downright sluggish. No one likes a three hour film, not anymore. Even then, DDD is remarkably entertaining. Parts of this Punjabi family escapade are so funny you’ll be hitting yourself in hysteria. What more to ask of a comedy?

When it comes to down to just cinematic quality, DDD is not Zoya Akhtar’s best. Luck By Chance and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara were superior products on the basis of storytelling and narrative subtext. But that doesn’t make DDD a bad film. It doesn’t offer any compelling arguments about life and existence, but it does a phenomenal job making the most of fluff and popcorn. The Turkish and Greek settings add the right exotic touch. The elite society customs and a luxury cruise ship are the perfect backdrop for character eccentricities. It’s all good fun. Some of the dialogue, written by Farhan Akhtar and Javed Akhtar is spectacular as well.

This isn’t the director’s or writer’s film. This is the actors’ film. It’s the cast that holds top spot. There are more than a dozen characters, each commanding equal importance in the story. Ranveer Singh’s Kabir and Priyanka Chopra’s Ayesha assume the larger roles. The rest are all on an even keel. The stand out performance comes from Ranveer Singh. He is quite literally the heart and soul of DDD. His comic timing, his sense of aloofness make his character memorable. He’s looking good, in top form and he’s 100 per cent authentic to his character portrayal. This film also proves that Ranveer can have great chemistry with a wooden cupboard. Thankfully, he has the talented Anushka Sharma to play off. Together, they look stunning and their romance is top notch. Anushka is faultless in her supporting character. The more complex role is handled by Priyanka Chopra. Her portrayal of Ayesha is testament to her talent. She displays versatility in her performance. Her character goes from being helpless to being nervously independent. It’s a great graph and Priyanka nails it like a champ.

Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah do a remarkable job as well. There’s no point in talking about their potential. Anil Kapoor is a proven acting legend and he just displays a range that could inspire a thousand new actors to take up the vocation. Shefali too shines in a more restrained and quiet way. Farhan Akhtar makes a late entry but manages a decent impact in a small role. Rahul Bose though, plays his character of part schmuck and part misguided husband with great effect. Believe it or not, Aamir Khan has a surprising and very fun role in DDD as well.

Every member of the literally big ensemble cast in DDD, comes together to make it feel like a family. You have a quirky Punjabi clan and their oddball friends dancing and singing to some great music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. They’re in good looking locations with fancy clothes and luxurious ambiance. It’s an exclusive peek into the lifestyle of the rich and famous. There’s a decent well-rounded story as well. It’s the perfect exotic weekend getaway.