Dec 18, 2015 02:37 PM
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Two estranged lovers meeting after years by a twist of fate is an idea that can work big time, provided it’s executed well. Shah Rukh Khan’s much loved film Veer-Zaara had the classic, unforgettable moment when he meets Preity Zinta after almost 22 years in a Pakistani courtroom. Even Jab Tak Hai Jaan had a similar scene - though it was not as legendary as Veer-Zaara, it made a mark nevertheless. With Dilwale, the moments of the lovers should have gone on a high as it stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, the much loved pair of Bollywood. And while their sequences do move the viewers, one is left wanting for more. Dilwale is a feel-good entertainer but nowhere close to the classic films of SRK-Kajol together!
The story of the movie: Raj(Shah Rukh Khan) owns a garage in Goa and lives with his younger brother, the mischievous Veer(Varun Dhawan). Veer falls for Ishita(Kriti Sanon) and both get into a relationship. Raj is happy with the union but somewhere he also comes face to face with his violent, troubled past – which he has forgotten long back. He too had someone he loved the most – Meera(Kajol) – but circumstances were such that they could never be together.
Dilwale begins with slick opening credits showcasing Shah Rukh Khan in a massy avatar that is sure to get loads of seetis and taalis. The portions thereafter are fine but one doesn’t really connect totally with the characters and narrative. Why is Veer so afraid of his elder brother especially when Raj never beats him up or even scolds him? This whole idea is something that is very unconvincing. The real fun begins with the flashback portion. It’s very entertaining and romantic and is sure to put a smile on one’s face. And the twist in the tale at this juncture is just outstanding! The flashback portion ends and one wonders why it isn’t the interval point as it’s usually supposed to be a highpoint. One wishes that the intermission point is as exciting as the twist. Sadly, it’s not but no complaints as it’s worth watching nevertheless.
It’s the second half where the film falls. The Meera-Manibhai(Johnny Lever) scene and confrontation scene of Sidhu(Varun Sharma) are some of the funny scenes. But that’s about it – the rest of the scenes don’t contribute to any humour. There’s hardly any excitement or a point where the film goes on a high in the second half. The climax fight is needlessly added just to create some dhamaka moments. This is not fair especially when Shah Rukh-Rohit’s last outing Chennai Express had an excellent climax battle that was not only paisa vasool but was organically incorporated in the script.
However, all actors deliver some great performances. Shah Rukh Khan as always is terrific and gives a superb performance. He looks amazing with the beard and clean shaven as well. Watch out for scenes when he smiles shyly – it’s very heartening! Kajol makes a great comeback and the first thing one can’t help but notice is that she still looks so stunning! Performance wise, she is first rate and shines the most in the flashback scenes and the songs. Varun Dhawan gets back into his Main Tera Hero mode and as expected, gives a powerpacked performance. He is absolutely right when he says that he is born for such kind of roles! It is evident that he is enjoying himself immensely. Kriti Sanon somewhere gets overshadowed by SRK, Kajol and Varun but nevertheless, has an important role. She looks great and her performance is satisfactory. Mukesh Tiwari(Shakti) and Pankaj Tripathi(Anwar) leave their mark in the ‘5 minute date’ sequence and the scene where they reveal Raj’s ‘past’. The latter is a damn funny scene! Varun Sharma too gives his best shot but wins hearts in the confrontation scene. Johnny Lever contributes to the laughter in some scenes especially with his accent. Same goes for Sanjay Mishra(Oscar). Chetna Pande(Jenny), Nawab Shah(Raghav), Vinod Khanna and Kabir Bedi are good. Boman Irani(King) is forgettable.
Pritam’s music is terrific and it’s great to see that the music composer is on a roll. Manma Emotion Jaage is funky but its Gerua and Janam Janam that are the most memorable songs of the lot. Dudley’s cinematography is stunning and gives a rich look to the film. Some of the scenes especially the one in Bulgaria and Iceland look absolutely beautiful. VFX is upto the mark. Amar Mohile’s background score enhances impact. Action, like in every Rohit Shetty film, is a treat. Sajid-Farhad’s dialogues are funny and witty – nice to hear their lines after ages! Yunus Sajawal’s screenplay is unexciting on the whole despite all the drama and action, especially in the second half. Rohit Shetty’s direction is pretty neat but he has done a much better work in his previous films. With his direction, he should have ensured that the emotions remained at a high but that just doesn’t happen in the second half. Hope to see him with a much better film because we know he can do it – after all he’s one of the best filmmakers around!
Some of the best scenes:
The opening credits
Ishita meets Raj for the first time
Veer gets bashed up and the scene thereafter
The entire flashback(the best part of the film)
The songs Gerua and Janam Janam
Meera beats up Manibhai
Anwar-Shakti open up about Raj’s ‘past’
Manibhai gets drunk, teases King
The emotional moment between Raj and Veer in the pre-climax
On the whole, Dilwale is decent entertainer that’ll keep the viewers engaged. Yet, it’s a bit of a letdown as the makers could have done so much with the plot and the hordes of interesting characters at their disposal. While the first half is rocking, the second half is underwhelming. The eternal SRK-Kajol jodi rock the show especially in the flashback portion which is easily the best part of the film!
