Dil Se..

Mani Ratnam's Dil Se is a classic example of casting gone wrong for a very good storyline. Well, at least, for the male lead. Such was the persona of Shah Rukh Khan as a romantic hero that it was improbable that the burning issue of North-East insurgence would salvage this wonderfully-crafted film from the fate it suffered.

On the whole, the film impresses, with its breath-taking visuals of Ladakh and the North-East, the mesmerizing music, and a fiery performance from Manisha Koirala. Granted that Priety Zinta was more of an ugly duckling than the elegant woman she is now, hers was a delightful debut. But the biggest disappointment is Shah Rukh. Tied to a role light years apart from the moon-gazing, mandolin-strumming Casanova that he was so accustomed to, he fails to bring the required wee-bit restraint to an investigating reporter. Perhaps, movies with hard-hitting realism were not his forte then.

Despite that, there are plenty of sequences worth remembering: the disturbing throwbacks into Meghna's (Manisha) past; the awkward interaction between Amar (Shah Rukh) and Preeti (Zinta) and that song on top of a train. I read somewhere that the songs were brilliant to listen to, but were inserted at the most inappropriate of moments in the film. I don't disagree. However, considering the length and the pace of the storyline, I wouldn't blame the editor and the director either. In any case, the songs are fabulous on their own and take the listener on a rich and vibrant journey of foot-tapping modernity and old world classicism. There is also a mournful melody rendered by the then-rejuvenated Sukhwinder Singh that somehow escaped a listing on the soundtrack. Maybe, you need to watch the movie to savor that.

It is definitely worth watching and more realistic than the fare dished out by Karan Johar and his ilk, but it is more an adventure of human motivations than a treatise on terrorism that the filmmakers would like us to believe. Pity, it suffered badly at the box-office.

This is a great film, even though the screenplay is dull Santosh sivan's camera work is excellent. Rahman's music is superb especially the "Chaiyya Chaiyya"song. FarahKhan's choreography is good in the Chaiyya chaiyya song (dancing in a moving train).Sharukh's acting is classic in all parts of the movie. The best one in this movie is cinematography by SantoshSivan.I think this film will show his calibre as the best cinematographer in india to date.

This is a haunting film. Everyone raves about the music and cinematography (which of course are excellent), but I wanted to write about the often maligned plot. After seeing Dil Se for the second time, it was easier to see how the seemingly irrational actions of the characters were a result of their life circumstances. I understood much better why Amar was compelled to pursue Meghna; if you've ever been in love with the wrong person, you'll understand too. Meghna is like many other damaged people I've known: capricious, confused, sometimes cruel to others, but in the end her own worst enemy. Both know that their paths are not supposed to join (and pay lip service to that fact), but find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. This is evident by Amar's reaction to seeing Meghna at his engagement, and again in Meghna's attempts to convince herself to feel nothing but fiery patriotism. It is this relentless attraction that forces the shattering scene at the end of the movie--there is no other way for them to be together. This is a very thought-provoking movie, but it does require you to think--not the sort of thing to watch mindlessly while munching on popcorn. It will move you to your core, if you let it.

"Dil Se" is easily the most cerebral film churned out by commercial Indian cinema in the last decade. It is not presented as a separatist polemic, nor should it be considered as such (as a lot of myopic viewers have done). Nor is it a film about terrorism. It is essentially a love story told against the backdrop of terrorism. Mani Ratnam is at his best, producing what can only be called surreal realism. Many of you may have forgotten, but once upon a time Shah Rukh Khan was a good actor, and this is easily one of his best performances. Preity Zinta is the only glimmer of relief in this heavy handed tale of darkness and despair. This was also her first film. Rahman's songs are his career best, each of the six tracks more replendent than the last. Above all, however, Dil Se belongs to the luminously gifted Manisha Koirala, who delivers a crushing and skinless portrayal of a reluctant avenger. In a role of almost no dialogue, she speaks volumes through her reticent glances and a body language that is burdened by sorrow. It is a sin that such dramatically gifted actresses like Manisha, Tabu, Juhi, Nandita Das, etc. are relegated to competing for potboiler non-roles that crown glamorous dance queens like Aishwariya, Amisha, Madhuri and ilk the top of the heap. India has great actors- the film industry just doesn't know how to utilize them.

This movie is close to my heart. It stands out as one of a kind to me in the world of Bollywood cinema, which is usually frivolous and contrived. Every part of this movie was well-made, the music was used brilliantly and it was just emotionally very touching. The chemistry between Shahrukh and Manisha was subtle but definitely there. Manisha's acting in this difficult role was done superbly. It is surprising that many people disliked this movie because of the ending, as I think it was beautifully portrayed. My favorite movie of all time- I would recommend this movie to anyone who is a hopeless romantic like myself and would do anything for love.