Dil Chahta Hai

Indian movies tend to have a reputation for (a) being musicals and (b) having overmodulated, distorted sound tracks, as if everyone was singing and playing through a guitar fuzzbox. Fuzz is fine in its place (heavy metal rock music, for example) but a surfeit of it can readily wear down the listener.

Dil Chahta Hai is a welcome breath of fresh air in the genre. It does have musical numbers but they're very pleasant on the ear, as is the sound track in general - modern musical styles, in some cases mixed with more traditional musical instruments (even a didgeridoo, the presence of which is explained below).

I have an absolute hatred of musicals so for me to find this movie likable it really has to be something special. The awards it has already won demonstrate that it IS something special.

The storyline is a little convoluted (which may explain why it takes 3 hours to run its course - around twice as long as its western counterparts, although Indian audiences may prefer the much longer format) but the acting is excellent throughout and the viewer is kept interested as the multiple interwoven plots twist and turn.

This movie demands concentration though, to get the whole picture. There is a good deal of spoken English mixed with Hindi, so the subtitles are a must for those who don't understand Hindi, but the English speech is not often mirrored in the subtitles, so one must both listen carefully and watch carefully in order not to miss a beat.

The subtitles themselves are not perfect, using unusual punctuation at times to emphasize a point (a word bracketed by a plus or minus symbol on one side and a two thirds fraction on the other takes a little time to absorb, for example).

But these are only minor niggles. This movie is richly textured and provides a visual a feast throughout, especially if, like me, you are not familiar with the sights and sounds of places like Bombay and Goa. A good part of the movie is also set in Sydney, Australia, providing plenty of material to keep the interest going (and hence the presence of the aboriginal instrument noted earlier).

This is very much a westernised production, with characters and behaviours that are possibly harder for traditional Indian audiences to identify with; I had no difficulty though with identifying with the three main male characters - three guys who are firm friends and have been for some years, and who may separate but somehow always manage to come back together when circumstances demand it. This kind of theme is pretty universal - the British TV series "Last of the Summer Wine" operates along pretty much the same lines, albeit fifty years on.

One of the themes is the conflict between traditionalist parents and modernist offspring (in particular the arranged marriage) and the author leaves the audience to make up their own mind about which is "right", but maybe with a slight nudge in the direction of the traditionalists.

The only gripe I have is with the choice of the anglicised title "Do Your Thing" for the US market. I think that totally misses the point of the movie. From the subtitles, Dil Chahta Hai translates as "The heart wants...", which would be more accurately and pertinently translated as "What The Heart Wants...".

In other words, the storyline is more about following your heart in love than it is about leading a self-indulgent life (which, obviously, these characters do most of the time - courtesy of being very well off and generally able to please themselves what they do; not quite the little rich kids, but verging on it).

This movie is that rare beast, a guy flick that is also a chick flick. Guys will enjoy watching it for the macho moments, girls will enjoy it for the soulful scenes (and the fact that the women generally behave with more maturity than the guys) and the weepy bits.

All in all a very enjoyable, watchable movie. If this is a new direction for the so-called Bollywood cinema, then it is very welcome and I would like to see more of the same.

As a professional writer I'd even be interested in contributing to that new direction...

After a string of Bollywood stinkers, this film was a breath of fresh air! Upon first glance, it might seem like the story has been rehashed from the plotlines of several other Indian films. But the presentation blew me away! Yes, I agree that Dil Chahta Hai has been heavily influenced by the Hollywood style of filmmaking. But it still retains the same passion and romanticism that has become a Bollywood staple ever since the beginning, thus making DCH a thousand times better than other "Hollywood-wannabees".

Another thing that you might notice while watching the film is that there is not much of a plot. It just... floats along. But that's what makes it great; you never know where the next scene might lead you. What ties the story together is the bond of friendship shared by the three main leads. All the performances were terrific, especially Aamir Khan, who is probably the most respected actor of his generation.

Ultimately, what's great about the film is that it connects to the youth. The depiction of youth is so dead-on and realistic that you would be disgusted at the way youth is treated in other Bollywood films, where every college student aside from the hero/heroine are party-going idiots or jittery nerds! In DCH, however, the people talk like how they're supposed to talk, and nothing seems unrealistic about their personality. While watching the film, it becomes quite evident that Farhan Akhtar belongs to a breed of young, talented directors. What they lack in experience, they make up with an ambitious vision and raw talent.

If you haven't seen the film yet, go watch it. You'll be surprised at how much hope is still left in Bollywood.

DCH is like a breath of fresh air. It shows how bringing youth into an industry is always a good thing. Just compare this film with Yaadein, from Bollywood veteran Subash Ghai.

Where as Yaadein is probably one of the worst things to come out of a camera, DCH is one the best. It's just one of those films you'll find hard not to like, basically because it's exactly how the medium of Indian films should be used.

Rather than just cut and paste a song into the film, the filmmakers have done very well to make each song feel wanted, visually interesting, and they never drag. The result is a near 3hr film that just flies by. Comedy, Drama, Great Songs, love stories that work, and some truly excellent casting. Everyone carries the film, and the 3 guys, Safi, Akshay and Aamir are too good together!

Hopefully this film is a wake up call to the rest of Bollywood, who seem to be obsessed with unoriginality. Technically DCH can easily stand up against anything from the West. Editing, Directing, Cinematography, lighting, set design -- everything just works so well.

Sometimes Bollywood can produce some truly great films, and this is most definately one of them!! You must watch it.

Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai is a true example of cutting-edge cinema. It is a groundbreaking film in that it realistically portrays the life of Indian upper-class youth and shows the urban and modern India in the most precise way through the story of three close friends and their experiences. The characters are real and very easy to relate to, the dialogues are simple and genuine, the proceedings are dramatic yet realistic, and the film is extremely interesting and entertaining. The film is emotional, but it never goes over-the-top. Farhan Akhtar makes an impressive directorial debut. His excellent direction is aided by extraordinary music, brilliant cinematography, effective editing, fantastic city locations and some very impressive performances by the ensemble cast. The camaraderie between the three friends looks most real and believable. I can't recall any other Indian film I've seen before or after Dil Chahta Hai which portrayed true friendship as well as this one.

Aamir Khan, though initially seems to be miscast in the role of the completely cynical womaniser Akash, demonstrates a very fine versatility in this role and successfully shows the gradual growth in his character with depth and humour. Saif Ali Khan, in his best performance up until that point, is just brilliant as the insecure and very kindhearted Sameer. He displays confusion and fear with great conviction and a fantastic pinch of comedy. Akshaye Khanna is outstanding in this wonderful dramatic role of a serious and sensitive guy who falls for a woman much ahead of his age. Preity Zinta is marvelous as Shalini and skillfully sensitises her character. She plays the part with grace and restraint, and her inner feelings are perfectly understood thanks to her expressive eyes. Dimple Kapadia adds another accomplished performance to her vast repertoire. Sonali Kulkarni's real talent is unfortunately wasted, though she does try to do the best of what she is given.

Overall, Dil Chahta Hai is a remarkable picture about life, and it should provide a great deal of quality entertainment to each and every viewer, whoever and wherever he is. A great film which is according to me the best Hindi film of 2001.

I am not a fan on Hindi movies at all, but since I decided to study in India, learn a little Hindi and whatever else, I have expanded my Hindi film repertoire from just Lagaan and Amar Prem to include Dil Chata Hai.

The story is simple – at first, and is largely interspersed with a lot of English. Even I could understand the story without any subtitles. (Although you might turn it on for intense moments of extreme speed Hindi) Three spoilt rich best friends grow up, and in doing so, learn that their relationships between themselves, women and their families becomes tense as they mature and travel.

"What the Heart Wants" is a sort of theme that persists throughout the film. One friend is stuck to a girl he cannot get, another to an older woman, and the last one is just struggling with many girls he cannot choose between. For a Hindi film, the dance-music numbers are not terrible (but of course not great) and the music without the dance is quite nice, with a lot of meaning attached to it. So after a major fallout they realize many things separately, and learn about their own relationship in turn.

I recommend this film to anyone as a primer to Bollywood films – I know I used it as one. High marks for this film since it beat the Bollywood standard of being completely incoherent and inane, although still sticking to the three plus hours.

"Can what the Heart Want be controlled?" RATING: 9/10