Dhadkan Review

When Raja Hindustani released a few years back, everyone cribbed that the script was a straight lift from Jab Jab Phool Khile. With Mela, it was said that it was just a case of reworking Sholay. It isn't as simple though. With Dharmesh Darshan's films, you cannot confidently say that they are the same as some other movie. The fact is that his sources are as varied as the industry itself. Moreover, he has the same tendency as nearly everyone else of taking the audiences' sensibilities for granted as he comes up with plots that need a lot of explaining. Not that anyone will be able to.

So, we have two lovers, Dev (Sunil Shetty) and Anjali (Shilpa Shetty) separated by the objection raised by Anjali's parents. What is it, you ask? Well then, you have no business watching Hindi movies. What else, but poor guy, rich gal? Anjali gives in to her parents' wishes, but not before a jarring observation by Kiran Kumar on the parents and children of this world. She is then married off to a khandani ladka, Ram (Akshay Kumar).

Ram's family is full of steps - mother and siblings, I mean. A desi mother, an anglophile brother and a sister with bad teeth (she keeps gritting them for no reason), to be precise. Being what they are, the family can't help but think of usurping Ram's riches.

Three years into the marriage, Dev returns to the scene, with a partner Sheetal (Mahima) in tow. He is now worth Rs 500 crore, and no one knows what he is. His only business appears to be dressing up in fancy suits and designer glasses. You wonder what all the dressing up is for, as he just stays in his abode. Here, Dev stops just short of making an 'indecent proposal'. That is another thing about Dharmesh Darshan: his resources are truly Desi. Dev still makes a proposal, which is instantly rejected by Anjali.

With vengeance in his heart, Dev reduces Ram and her to penury. The methods here, I am sure, can't be explained by the existing theories of commerce. And when you are under the impression that Dev is auctioning their house, he comes and buys it. Anyway, things are sorted out in the end, with the right guy keeping the right girl and so on.

Dharmesh Darshan's policy of sticking to the time-tested formulae is bound to run out of luck. It happened with Mela, and could just be repeated with Dhadkan. There is no Aamir Khan here either, for the audience to have sentimental reasons to watch this movie. Every aspect of the plot seems to be there for the sake of convenience.

However, there are a couple of redeeming features to this fiasco - the music and the cast. There could be only one explanation to the cast heading off for European locales every time they decide to sing a song. Where else could they find Nadeem to complete the score? Shilpa Shetty finally gets a break from the one-scene-two-songs roles. She passes on the mantle to Mahima Chaudhary. Shilpa digs deep to deliver a noteworthy performance. Akshay and Sunil leave aside their action routine to try their hand at emoting, and meet with moderate success.

For all the sincerity, the movie fails to deliver the punch expected of it.