If I could collate words and make up a review for Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do, I've a handful of them here - filthy rich families, dysfunctional families, sturdy patriarchal overtones, daddy issues, mommy issues, spouse issues, et al. In short, there is a lot of family involved here; we see a bit too much of it actually. But where else do you run off to, on a cruise movie, to catch some new faces?
Director Zoya Akhtar's body of work exhibits a steady trend—towards mainstream. Luck by Chance didn't depend on luck alone; it was a smart movie that blended the cliches of Bollywood with realistic screenplay and came out surprisingly well. Then came Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with a 'face your fear' tag, all so agog about throwing bucketful of tomatoes at each other that it was hard not to get suspicious whether the Tourism Ministry of Spain was really a benefactor! Although these movies did take a peek into familial bonds and showed us a glimpse of certain horrors it brings along, Dil Dhadakne Do has made a nosedive into this very social construct.
Ensemble cast is a feature of Zoya Akhtar movies. Among the uncountable number of characters, the ones on which the spotlight flickers are the 'Mehras'. To sum it up, they'll sound something like this -
Daddy Kabir Mehra (Anil Kapoor): I'm the king of the clan, and I want my son to take over the business although I strongly believe he doesn't have it in him. So I'll be sarcastic about it, but I'll still insist on him taking it up. I'll also try to manipulate him, so that we can forge an alliance and partnership with the rival company. Do I sound like a cliché?
Mommy Neelam Mehra (Shefali Shah): I worry about my husband's infidelity, but there's no way I'm going to confront him about that, because I think staying power counts!
Son Kabir Mehra (Ranveer Singh): Flying is fun! Daddy's business is not.
Daughter Ayesha Mehra (Priyanka Chopra): I have my own company and I'm good. My husband sounds like he uses a time machine to travel back to the eighties every now and then. I don't love him, but if I ever so much mention the word 'divorce' my hyperactive parents let all hell break loose. Oh and I'm not great with timing; I just might ask someone out when my brother is drifting away in the sea!
And for side effects, we have Aamir Khan giving a voice over to the family's dog, Pluto Mehra. The movie runs on dog-speak - narration, explanation and contemplation.
Anushka Sharma has her cues to step in as Ranveer's love interest every so often. There are a number of others, including Zarina Wahab, who get their fair share of lopsided characterisations. There's Farhan Akhtar too, who comes in with a gleaming smile, the counterpoison to all things regressive.
The limitation of the movie lies in its huge star cast and their numerous problems. In the hustle-bustle, we can hardly keep track of each person's issue and when we actually do get around to it, they don't seem convincing enough. The actors have done a good job, most of them. Ranveer Singh is ease personified, Anil Kapoor's craftiness and Shefali Shah's pretensions do seem credible. But when all those colours merge on the palette, it makes for a shabby act altogether.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy did not make magic with music, and some of them are quite misplaced. Cinematography pans out to beautiful Turkey and Istanbul, and is quite a breather since most of the time it's the stuffy cruise air that we breathe in.
In all, it's not an interesting watch, although there's no dearth of pretty people and stylish clothes. As for hearts, don't count on them to pump up in excitement, they'll beat ever so languidly.
Onmanorama Rating: 2.5/5