I must have tried defining love a hundred times over so far. Every time I tried, I failed miserably. I couldn’t find a single word to even start with! But today I’ve learnt. Love has a very simple definition.
Love is love.
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~~ The Review ~~
There are a few movies that come and go. When they are around, people watch them and some people might even talk about them. But once their heyday is gone, they are forgotten. Then there are a few other movies. When they just come in, people watch them and talk a lot about them. A little while later, the watching stops. A little more time passes by and the talking stops too. But the movie isn’t forgotten. Welcome to the league of “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”!
~~ Plot ~~
Once upon a time, there was a wealthy musician in the romantic land of Rajasthan. He had a beautiful daughter who was his little obedient princess. A very talented young man comes from far away Italy to learn from him. In his stay, he falls in love with the princess and the princess falls in love with him. The wealthy musician does not like it and exiles the young man forever. The princess is married to another prince. But the second prince learns about her first love and how the princess has not forgotten the lad from Italy. Like a large-hearted chivalrous prince, he tries his best to reunite these lovers. The princess realizes how innocent and pure the second prince’s love really is. She lets go of the first prince and the princess and her legally married husband live happily ever after.
The princess is Nandini. The prince from Italy is Sameer. The extraordinarily generous husband is Vanraj.
~~ Cast Performance ~~
AISHWARYA Rai as Nandini was an unforgettable spectacle. As the obedient princess of an orthodox Hindu lord, she looks like an apsara from above, honest. For the first time, Rai has managed to get away with playing Miss World in a movie. For this role, that was ‘good acting’.
SALMAN Khan as Sameer was a revelation. I’ve watched his more recent films before I watched this movie. I can see the huge difference. In this movie, he has portrayed the picture of a young man betrayed by destiny with perfection. His “young brave heart” disposition in the movie added a small tinge of melancholy. I wonder why he thinks that will work in every movie he does!
AJAY Devgan was no surprise. I suppose he is well known for some real powerhouse performances- like his role as Bhagat Singh and (if reports are to be believed) in Main Aisa Hin Hoon. This time round, Devgan stands out and says, “Look, this is how real good acting looks like!”
~~ Screenplay and Music ~~
The screenplay of this movie made me an instant fan of it! Scenes switch from one to the other with a strange delay. The previous scene lingers on the screen for just a second too long. The effect that it has is stupendous. It brings out the frame of mind of each character perfectly. Have you noticed that?
However, what I will truly remember Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam for is its music. Ismail Darbar has come out with a classic album here! The music has a very intelligent blend of folk and “new age” styles. I’ve never heard something like that yet. The music spreads (except for the pointless “Dhol Baaje”) through your heart like a strange drug to slowly muffle every outcry in it, and fill your heart with a strange feeling of great loss yet some strange happiness.
It’s almost like falling in love.
~~ Random Ramblings ~~
Like Cinderella, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is a fairy tale. Everyone has dreamt of falling in love with someone. All of us have fantasized about a great passionate bond of love with someone very special. We have all dreamt of how we will fight a whole world of calamities for his or her sake! We have all promised that we only care for our lover’s happiness. We have all prepared ourselves to make any sacrifice for its sake. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam comes along and caresses each one of those dreams of ours all at the same time. That is probably why so many people fell in love with this movie!
But can you imagine it? Vanraj was ready to sacrifice his love for his lover. What extraordinary things love makes lovers do! Love is strange, isn’t it?
On a different note, I will never forget the last line Nandini says to Sameer- “Tumne mujhe pyaar karna sikhaaya hain… Lekin unhone (Vanraj) mujhe pyaar nibhaana sikhaaya hain…”
~~ Verdict ~~
This isn’t a movie you can watch for “light entertainment”. Only very sensitive people can truly appreciate the beauty of the story. There isn’t any extraordinary in this movie from the point of view of cinematic quality. It isn’t even a story that comes anywhere close to reality. But still, there is something about this movie that is compelling and engaging. I would recommend it.