The Mehra’s are classy, fabulous and highly sophisticated, who are without a doubt living the good life! Dil Dhadakne Do is a fun voyage which witnesses the warped family -problems of this dysfunctional family. The performances are so good and locales are breathtaking! Are you ready to sail with the Mehra’s in Zoya Aktar’s DIL DHADAKNE DO!
Dil Dhadakne Do is not a film for the masses. The film has a distinctive approach towards familial bonds and that may not go well with everyone. Let me introduce you to Kamal Mehra, who is a millionaire who is facing bankruptcy with his company AYKA. Trying to fix the issue he plans to call his friends and family on an exquisite cruise citing his 30th anniversary as the reason for celebration. Through this tour Kamal and Neelam plan to set their son Kabir up with Nurrie, the daughter of the super rich Lalit Sood. The planner of this cruise and Kamal’s daughter Ayesha is a successful entrepreneur who is facing a rough patch in her marriage with Manav which gets aggravated after having her ex-lover and best friend Sunny Gill on the tour.
Kabir is born with a silver spoon, the heir of Mehras but while his parents want him to fall in line of the business, he dreams of becoming a pilot. On the cruise, Kabir meets a free spirited Farah Ali who he is attracted to him right in the first go. Thus, the cruise turns out to be an eye opener for many relationships as emotions come out in the open for this classy Punjabi family. Will Kabir convince his parents about his choice or will he give in to the pressure and marry Nurrie? Will Ayesha end her marriage to get back with her ex-lover? Watch Dil Dhadakne Do to find it out!
The film being a multi-starrer, balances quite well when it comes to the performances. Anil Kapoor as Kamal Mehra is a perfect choice. As the self-made businessman who loves talking about it, he is brilliant. There are certain scenes where he shines like the conversation over Ayesha’s marriage. Ranveer Singh as Kabir Mehra is quite impressive. He bounces back from his previous dull films – Kill Dil and Gunday. He adds the right comic elements when needed and shares a great chemistry with Anushka Sharma. He is brilliant in a scene where he confronts his parents about their dysfunctional relations as a unit.
Priyanka Chopra as Ayesha Mehra is impressive. She is truly cinematic brilliance. She emotes well and you truly feel her frustration. Post Mary Kom this has been a good role for her. Shefali Shah as Neelam is excellent. As the super elite, classy mother, she does a fine job. Anushka Sharma as Farah Ali is so average. There is not much to explore when it comes to her character. Farhan Akhtar does a cameo as Sunny Gill and he is an absolute delight. Rahul Bose as Ayesha’s husband Manav plays the irritating and pompous husband who cares little about his wife’s aspirations. In spite of the Mehra’s standing tall, Manav’s character is proud and headstrong. Bose does a good a job at and an actor of his caliber can certainly pull off such a role easily.
The supporting cast of Riddhima Sud, Vikrant Massey, Parmit Sethi are well fit for their roles. Mr. Pluto Mehra is another show-stealer when it comes to the performance and who is Pluto and why is he important will be quite clear once you watch the film. A special mention to Aamir Khan! for his amazing skill and finesse as a performer. For what you need to watch and find out! Overall what works for the film is its entire look, as they look chic and fabulous and hence you can’t get enough of the Mehras.
Zoya Akhtar takes the film’s story quite wide geographically and hence as the story keeps moving from the cruise, into the territories of Istanbul, Italy, the scenes are a visual delight. The cinematography is brilliant and each frame looks bright as most scenes are shot in day light. The only problem with this film is its run time. It gets an outstretched ending which content wise too is weak. Another problem for the film is its utterly mediocre music which helps in no way to cut down on the already slow course of the story. Akhtar manages to hold ends tight in the story in the second half but is not able to create free-flowing transitions between scenes .
Dil Dhadakne Do is not everyone’s cup of chai or coffee! It is a high society drama which tackles regular family issues but may not suffice as entertainment for all. It is a memorable piece of cinema! The various locales and breathtaking shots in the film is a beautiful travel experience paired with a great story with a few minor flaws! I am going with 7/10 for this not-so-typical family drama. Watch it ! – Shevaal Singh