Cruise
Control
Film: Dil
Dhadakne Do
Cast: Anil
Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shah
Directed by:
Zoya Akhtar
Duration: 2 hrs 47 mins
Rating: * * 1 / 2
Dil Dhadakne Do is about a bunch of people who think they are
going places but actually they are going nowhere and they all have some serious
problems to boot. Of all places, the resolution incidentally happens on cruise
ship during a holiday in the Mediterranean. That’s Zoya Akhtar’s ultra long Dil
Dhadakne Do, a film that has a decent beginning and a redeeming end with a
whole lot of nothing to fill up the spaces in between.
We are introduced to the Mehra family with a voice over, that’s
turns out to be of the family dog (Aamir Khan’s distinct voice). The patriarch
Kamal Mehra (Anil Kapoor) is a rich self made tycoon and never misses a chance
to remind everyone about that. His wife
Neelam (Shefali Shah) is not exactly suffering in silence, she makes her
presence felt from time to time, but she is suffering all the same. Their son
Kabir (Ranveer Singh) is still learning the ropes as far as managing their
business is concerned, he has no knack for it, instead, he is interested in
flying he family plane. At that point you very well know how his career is
going to unfold.
Their daughter Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra), now a successful
businesswoman, was married off to Manav (Rahul Bose) who treats her marginally
better than a doormat. Her erstwhile heartthrob Sunny (Farhan Akhtar) also
lands on the scene and at that point, you know very well how this love story is
going to unfold.
Now the dysfunctional Mehra family is under huge debt and yet
they plan this big celebration aboard a cruise liner because it is their 30th
wedding anniversary. They are also hoping to rope in some investors; their plan
is to marry off their son to one of the rich businessman’s daughter so that their company can be
salvaged. If you think this “dosti ko
rishtedari mein badalte hain” happened only in the 60’s and 70’s, then
think again.
It doesn’t take too long for the setting to be established
but from there on, it doesn’t go anywhere. Well, physically it does, to many
fancy places, including Istanbul targeting an audience that has aspirations. A
serious amount of time is spent showing off all the locales while you wait
patiently for the story to change gears. It doesn’t.
It is only in the climax that it gets going, even if the proceedings are a
bit illogical.
There are too many characters and you barely understand any
of them. We get a glimpse of Ayesha and her mother, though the former is woman
of resolve, the latter looks a bit confused. Kabir is more of a fun person who
shares a chemistry with Farha (Anushka Sharma) but since other characters have
to be accommodated, there isn’t enough screen time for him.
Co-written by Reema Kagti (of Honeymoon Travels fame, another
road movie about dysfunctional families, except that was in a bus this is a
luxury ship) the screenplay not-so-cleverly makes way for what is coming up
next. For instance, when Sunny’s name is mentioned you know Ayesha shares a
past with him but yet that matter is delved upon till the cows come home.
The film touches upon patriarchy and women’s issues in a not
so subtle manner - but at least it might make a point to a segment of the
audience.
On the acting front, Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah play their
parts with conviction; the latter in fact stands out among all the ladies in
the film. Ranveer Singh has his moments and Priyanka Chopra is apt.
Dil Dhadakne Do has the makings of a Bollywood blockbuster,
big stars, exotic locales, romance, bit of humor - never mind if the story is a
bit tedious and about an hour too long.
When it comes to Zoya Akhtar, give me
Luck By Chance, any day.
Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 7th June 2015
