Dilwale Movie Review

Dilwale is without doubt the biggest film of the year. The star cast comprises of some of the biggest names in the industry – Shah Rukh Khan, the king of romance, a man who continues to be a top superstar even after 24 years in the industry. He reunites with his iconic leading lady, Kajol. The film also has the industry’s rising star, Varun Dhawan and the beautiful Kriti Sanon. Dilwale is directed by Rohit Shetty, who has established himself as one of the most popular filmmakers in the country. The man behind hugely successful films like the Golmaal series, Singham series and Chennai Express. Has Team Dilwale succeeded in delivering a good film? Let’s find out.

Story: We do not want to reveal the plot here, because there are plenty of twists and turns in Dilwale. Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Mira (Kajol) fall in love, but circumstances separate them. Years later, the two meet again. Raj’s brother Veer (Varun Dhawan) is a mechanic, he falls in love with Ishita (Kriti Sanon) and wants to marry her, but Ishita’s sister is against their marriage. Meanwhile, local gangster King (Boman Irani) has a challenger to his local supremacy in the mysterious but powerful Kaali.

Review: Dilwale is a film that is designed to please every section of the audience. It was evident from the promos that the film has romance, comedy, action and emotion.. but by the time the closing credits roll, Dilwale ends up offering a lot more than it promised. It’s not only an entertaining film, but a celebration of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. For fans who love the on-screen jodi, it simply cannot get better than Dilwale. The chemistry that they share in Dilwale is their best since Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

The first half is fast-paced, the action sequences are terrific and Shetty’s trademark car stunts have received a massive upgrade. A crispier and shorter second half would have enhanced the impact of Dilwale, as the film stagnates after the interval. The music composed by Pritam is arguably the best of 2015. Gerua is a visual treat, Janam Janam is beautifully picturised. The background score is good.

There was tremendous speculation around the length of Varun Dhawan’s role in Dilwale. There were reports that he had a meatier role than Shah Rukh in the film, which is absolute rubbish. Diwale is a SRK – Kajol film from start to finish. Varun has very little to do in the first half, but gets plenty of screen time in the second.

Scenes that we liked in Dilwale:

• Shah Rukh Khan’s Dabangg inspired action scene in the first half of Diwale.
• The flashback sequence where SRK woos Kajol and the chemistry that they rekindle on screen will win you over once again. Sure, Shah Rukh looks way older than his flashback character, his makeup and that weird lipstick, looks odd at times.. but when it comes to on-screen romance in a Bollywood film, it simply cannot get better than Shah Rukh Khan. He conveys so much just through his eyes.
• Kajol is terrific in the important twist that takes place mid-way through the film.
• The comedy scene in the second half between Johnny Lever, Varun Dhawan, Varun Sharma and Boman Irani is howlarious.
• The last 20 odd minutes will make you laugh and cry. It has a bit of everything.
• There are some small but sweet moments in Dilwale that are intended to evoke a sense of nostalgia. Varun’s tribute to Shah Rukh, the iconic ‘Bade Bade Deshon Mein’ dialogue.

Acting: Shah Rukh Khan is outstanding in Dilwale. Romance is his forte, but he also excels in action. Kajol is terrific, no other actress could have done justice to the role. In fact, Dilwale wouldn’t work without SRK – Kajol. Varun Dhawan has a funny role to play, he does well. Kriti Sanon looks pretty, she has very little to do in the film. Varun Sharma is fantastic. Johnny Lever, Sanjay Mishra and Boman Irani are exceptional with their comic timing. It’s good to see Johnny Lever in a big film like Dilwale. Vinod Khanna and Kabir Bedi have a couple of small scenes, they enact their parts well.

Overall, Dilwale belongs to Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. It’s a ‘love wins against all odds’ kind of film, with a bit of comedy and action. A perfect family entertainer and the most entertaining action-romantic film of Rohit Shetty’s career. The story is not designed to make sense, but unlike most of his other films, Rohit does have a story to tell here.

Positives:

• Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. If you love them and their films, stop reading and book your tickets.
• Masses will love the action, both adults and kids will like the car stunts
• Johnny Lever and Sanjay Mishra excel in their roles
• Good music
• Visual treat
• Family entertainer
• Production design

Negatives:

• Comedy doesn’t always work
• Pace dips in the second half

Rating: