Not heartfelt enough. Review on Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa

This week’s release is Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha – written and directed by Atull Agnihotri and produced by the same guys that made Tere Naam. Now Atull is the same guy that used to go by the name Atul (notice one l less in the name) when he was trying to make it as a leading man in Bollywood. Well, that did not work out and so he is back as ”writer” and “director”.

Writer, my a** - cos this movie is a straight lift from the Hollywood production Return To Me starring Mr “X Files” David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. Story, sequences – everything is a direct lift. So much for “writer” Atull!!!! Only thing he has done is add a lot of Bollywood melodrama to it and stretch it over 2.5 hours +.

To get back to the story, Rishabh (Salman Khan) is the owner of an ad agency. So you know what that means in Bollywood terms – designer clothes, designer office, snazzy cars and our hero coming up with amazingly brilliant concepts that just floor people. He is married to Parineeta (Preity Zinta) – what a lovely name !!!! Now she is a doctor – a cardiologist to be precise. She has under her care, Dhaani (Bhumika Chawla) – who is suffering from some kind of a heart ailment and is therefore a regular at hospitals.

To cut the long story short, Pari has a big accident (well shot) and as she is lying on her deathbed– in full makeup and not a scratch on her beautiful face – wills that her heart be donated to the ailing Dhaani. This is against Rishabh’s wishes, but he acquiesces cos its Pari’s last wish. And so the inevitable happens and a cured Dhaani falls in love with the bereaved Rishabh and he is initially resistant. But then this is a Hindi movie and so we all know from the beginning what is going to happen.

Don’t worry; I have not spoilt anything for anyone. No big mystery going on there to reveal. What is mysterious is how they are unaware of each other. The two patients are shown lying next to each other in the hospital!!! But I suppose that is possible.

What is also funny is the transplantation operation where Pari (dead) and Dhaani are on beds next to each other and the heart is taken from one and put into the other. Wow!!! Perhaps one of our medically inclined members would like to shed some light on this.

What is also exasperating is the Bollywood ploy that now that Dhaani has Pari’s heart, she starts feeling and acting like Pari. Perhaps they meant it to be symbolic or something…dunno.

Performance wise, this movie is pretty decent. No major histrionics on display here, but then no big turkeys as well. Salman Khan is back with his brand of serious acting – which means that he grimaces his way through the movie but is mercifully low key. Bhoomika, who obviously believes in restraint is good as Dhaani. But she needs to work on her dialogue delivery which sounds rather flat when combined with her expressive face. Priety, in an extended cameo, has bounced back from the fiasco that was Lakshya. Renuka Shahane has a total screen time of 3 minutes 26.567 seconds and has us wondering why she was there in the movie in the first place. And Rati Agnihotri who it seems is there in each and every new movie is also passable. Helen is good as Dhanni’s caretaker / granny.

Actually, it is pretty difficult to hate this movie. Its is sweet, shot beautifully and has nothing really offensive going on. Except for a horribly unfunny scene featuring a gay, effeminate character. But that’s just the point – there is nothing really great about it as well. Nothing to really tug the heartstrings. Not much of an emotional content in this one. And I suppose the director can be blamed for this.

Music is by A.R.Rehman and Himesh Reshamiyya. The title song is beautiful (ARR) and one another song in a party is also good (HR). Others are just so-so.

Worth a watch if weepies interest you but I am sure nothing more than that.

P.S: Unsolicited advice of the week – To Ms Riya Sen. Please stick to ads and music videos and leave movies to the rest – sister Raima perhaps!!! Please. Please.