DIL CHAHTA HAI
Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Starring: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Akshaye Khanna

RATING:
6 out of 10 for Overseas and 3 out of 10 for India

Excel Entertainment's Dil Chahta Hai is a story about three friends and their ideas about love. Aamir Khan does not believe in love or the institution of marriage. Saif Ali Khan falls in love with any and every girl he meets. For Akshaye Khanna, love just happens - and when it does, nothing else matters.

The three friends enjoy life but a day comes when Akshaye slaps Aamir for hurting his feelings (about love). Aamir sulks and the friendship breaks. While Akshaye gets busy with his passion (painting) and love (Dimple Kapadia), Aamir goes off to Australia to look after his dad's business. He meets a girl (Preity Zinta) whom he had briefly known in India, and their friendship slowly but surely blossoms into love there. In the end, the friends sink their differences. Aamir is also able to express his love to Preity.

Debutant writer and director Farhan Akhtar has given an extremely fresh and youthful look to the film. Besides, it does not conform to several norms set by earlier films and, in that sense, is quite a non-conformist fare. For instance, although there are three heroes, not a single one believes in love quite the way heroes do in Hindi films.

The first half is fun-filled and has good situational and words-based comedy. The drama doesn't move too much in this half but several of the comedy scenes are hilarious. The post-interval portion has more of drama and movement but the film also slackens in pace in the last few reels. For one, Akshaye Khanna's revelation of his love for a woman, much older than him, doesn't hold viewers' interest. Aamir Khan also takes unduly long to come to terms with his belief in love and to express the same to his beloved. Some exceptionally funny scenes in the second half provide entertaining moments.

Aamir Khan is simply splendid in a role that gives him the maximum scope among the three heroes. If he is marvellous in the light scenes, he is extraordinary in the scene in which he breaks down while talking to his father over the telephone.

Saif Ali Khan springs a wonderful surprise with a performance that could be rated as his best. His sense of timing and his facial expressions in comic as well as emotional/dramatic scenes are laudable. The scene in which he describes the fiancé of his beloved is mind-blowingly funny.

Akshaye Khanna's is a difficult role - less flamboyant, more restrained. He comes out with flying colours and delivers a perfectly restrained performance.

Preity Zinta looks glamorous and sexy and acts beautifully. The new look of all the four aforementioned actors only adds to the freshness.

Dimple Kapadia looks quite old for people's liking but she fits the character very well.

Sonali Kulkarni has been wasted. Ayub Khan acquits himself favourably. Suchitra Pillai is okay.

Farhan Akhtar's choice of the subject may have some people smiling and others frowning but his direction deserves distinction marks. He handles the narration with aplomb and belies the fact that this is his maiden attempt. The guy has a very bright future ahead. However, the subject of this film is of the kind which will appeal to the city audiences (in India) mainly. It is too much of a departure from the usual Hindi films to be lapped up by the viewers outside cities (that is, in towns and villages of India).

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is pretty youthful. `Koi kahe kehta rahe', the title track, `Jaane kyon log pyar karte hain' and `Tanhayee' are brilliant numbers and their picturisations (Farah Khan) complement their tunes. The picturisation of `Koi kahe kehta rahe', especially, is fabulous. Computer graphics are very good at most of the places they've been employed.

Camerawork (Ravi K. Chandran) is masterly. Australian locales are a treat to the eyes. Production values are rich. Other technical aspects are of a high standard.

On the whole, Dil Chahta Hai will be loved/adored by the elite audience for its freshness and youthfulness. It will do great business in Overseas. In India, it will click in Bombay, Maharashtra and `A' class centers, but it will not find too many takers in North India and small centers.

RELEASE DATE: 10th August 2001