Nov 24, 2005 05:06 PM
4150 Views
(Updated Nov 24, 2005 05:19 PM)
A mystical experience courtesy of visually technical values and some superlative performances.
That is, the essence of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. It was the biggest hit of 1999 thanks to box office king SALMAN kHAN with Sanjay Leela Bhansali´s knack for good story telling and an amazing star cast as its trump card!
The theme of the film is nothing new; in fact it is inspired from Bapu's Woh Saat Din! However under the direction of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who wrote the screenplay, the story comes to life thanks to a fresh outlook and innovative interpretation. The film is magical ; in fact it´s just flawless in terms of performance, in the essential factoral category of putting together a powerful film.
About the movie itself, the storyline is simple - but the characters are not necessarily so. This makes the movie so much more human in the midst of color and grandeur. Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) is the daughter of classical singer Darbar (Vikram Gokhale). Wonder if this is only coincidence with the music director's name. Sameer (Salman Khan) is half-Indian settled in Italy who comes to his homeland to learn music from Nandini's father. Games, pranks, and light revelry mixed with marriage sequences, kite-flyring festivals, etc. make up most of an imminently enjoyable first half. These also contribute to building each of the key characters though there are a few stereotypes around too. All performers including the supporting cast contribute to making this half enjoyable. Towards the end of the first-half enters Vanraj (Ajay Devgan), a family associate of Darbar and alliance for Nandini. Culture and complications leave the movie poised for an interesting second half as father decides in favor of this alliance leaving Sameer (Salman) in despair.
While film version is visually stunning, the pace of the film is uneven. The first half is slow in some parts and only gains true momentum post - Nandini's wedding to Vanraj is arranged. . Secondly ,the film is so rich in cultural value - One could perhaps look at the movie as the most colorful movie, and this makes it a movie that looks wonderful.
Another area where film works in a big way is drama- the dramatic intervals work for the most part. Assembling many other scenes of emotive excellence like Salman being insulted by Aishwarya's family and his subsequent outburst, salmans´ reaction to wedding of Aishwarya, the portions following where Ajay confronts Aishwarya,Salman-Aish-Ajay meeting in Italy and the well-shot climax all show us why Bhansali is considerably leagues ahead of some of Bollywood’s current directors.
However the story gets boring in some areas, but the saving factor is that it doesn´t completely disappoint. And when the pace tags on the viewer, the stunning visuals certainly make up for it. . The film carries a certain subtlety, which was missing in Bhansali's last film Devdas.
Technically the film is flawless. If you are bored with the story, then the visuals more than make up for it and make for some interesting viewing. A lot of money has been spent and it shows everywhere. To help along the way Binod Pradhan´s cinematography captures each frame and turns it into art.
Ismail Darbar´s music also adds to the grandeur of the film. The music completely compliments the film and is perfect in creating the mood for each scene. Nimbuda ,Hum Dil de chuke Sanam are amazing both on tunes and picturisation.
HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM belongs to SALMAN KHAN completely.The superstar handles this role with complete understanding . He carries the movie on his shoulders and doesn’t go overboard in any of his scenes. The biggest asset of Salman as an actor is that he can excel despite the limited characterization . Here he has limited footage but he does it in such a way that he leaves a mark. His uneasiness to convey his feelings is fully justified by his facial expressions.
Aishwarya Rai gives her best performance . She uses her emotive eyes to the best of her ability. The scene where she meets Salman in Italy is impressive as the sequence where she rejects him. Not only does she emote well, but also she carries herself with a lot of grace. And her dances[nimbuda] are the highlight of the film.However if there is one scene, which is completely hers, it´s the climax, where she has to choose between Husband and beloved.
Ajay Devgan is okay as his character is drastically underdeveloped.
The rest of the cast is adequate.
I would give 5 star to this heart wrenching love story! Highly recommended@MS!
