DILWALE MOVIE REVIEW

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Review by : Kaushik L M 

CAST AND CREW

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Production: Red Chillies Entertainment, Rohit Shetty
Cast: Kajol, Kriti Sanon, Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan
Direction: Rohit Shetty
Screenplay: Rohit Shetty
Music: Pritam Chakraborty
Background score: Amar Mohile
Cinematography: Dudley 

Known for his extravagant car stunts and  commercial cinema template, director Rohit Shetty is back with Shahrukh Khan for Dilwale, which also boasts of the likes of Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. The film's casting is its biggest plus and the pairing of SRK and Kajol is sure to draw in audiences in large numbers. But the film's masala mix is bland and something that we have experienced in many movies before, particularly in the South. At more than 2 hrs 30 mins, you would be forced to check out the time quite often over the course of the film.

 

We have a pair of brothers and a pair of sisters, and love sparks between the elder set and the younger set in varying timelines, separated by 15 years. There are conflicts, gang rivalries, misunderstandings, all the attempts to patch-up and the final resolution in the best interests of all. The idea of a silent, straightforward man having a tainted history is straight out of a Rajinikanth film (remember the landmark Baasha?) but the part involving Kajol in the first half in Bulgaria was a pleasant surprise and a sit-up moment for the audience. 

 

Swanky cars and the related stunts, maneuvers hold pride of place and the film's production quality, budget and grandeur are evident whenever these mean machines are on screen. One expected nothing less from a Rohit Shetty film. The locations are exotic (particularly in the dreamy 'Gerua' number) and there is something to take home on the visual front, after seeing Dilwale on the big screen.

 

Varun Dhawan is earnest as always and shines in the emotional scenes with SRK. Kajol has lost a bit of her infectious charm and chirpiness, or maybe she has toned it down due to the nature of her role. But she still has the looks and the curves. The tall and leggy Kriti Sanon doesn't have much to offer and is just a pretty presence.

SRK has a few shades in his role and it is an easy outing for the 'Baadshah' of Bollywood. One wishes that he selects interesting themes to present to his massive audience base after reaching such a level of superstardom. Despite such a star cast and limitless production resources, Dilwale is a test of patience more often than not due to the stale nature of its plot. After Chennai Express, Happy New Year and now Dilwale, one really wishes that SRK puts on his thinking hat and comes up with something new in his upcoming films at least.

 

Sanjay Mishra, Johnny Lever, Rahul Sharma and Boman Irani bolster the comedy department but sadly the laughs aren't organic. The part involving 'Ram Lal' and 'Pogo' is one of the few instances when you would feel like smiling.

 

The background score by Amar Mohile is another factor in adding to our tedium as the same orchestrated theme from the song 'Janam Janam' is used almost throughout the film. That said, almost all the songs by Pritam have turned out well. The silken-voiced Arijit Singh is behind the mike for most of the songs.

 

Dilwale has its share of decorative elements which may look enticing from the outside, but the viewing experience is a disappointment. We have to see how the film holds up after the opening weekend which is bound to be extraordinary.