Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is a spectacle of a film in the tradition of films made by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) is the free spirited beautiful daughter of renowned musician Pandit Darbar (Vikram Gokhale). A half Indian half Italian young man Samir Raffilini (Salman Khan) comes to learn classical Indian music from Pandit Darbar. The inevitable romance follows and is interspersed with lots of humor, music and dancing. There is excellent chemistry between the lead pair and all seems to be well until the parents find out and as Gurudakshina Samir is asked to leave Nandini and go away forever. In the meantime Nandini has caught the fancy of a young lawyer Vanraj (Ajay Devgan). The parents arrange a marriage between Nandini and Vanraj. Vanraj soon finds out that his reluctant and indifferent bride is in love with another man. He decides to take her to Italy so she can find her true love. The rest is a story well worth watching.
HDDCS is infused with energy, color and music in the first half and with a somber mood in the second half. The question one has to ask is what are the lengths to which a man can and will go in the name of selfless love, and what is the true meaning of love. The film is full of a dreamy mood, excellent locales in the desert, exquisite buildings, divine music and amazingly choreographed dance numbers. What is a bit jarring is Poland in the guise of Italy! But who really cares when all else gels well.
The acting is actually very good - Aishwarya shines as Nandini the perky girl, but is a bit whiny as Nandini the separated lover. Salman is okay - I never do like him, but this is probably the best I have ever seen him and one can see why Nandini falls for him. All that talking to his dead Dad is strange and creepy. Ajay Devgan is excellent as Vanraj. His is perhaps the most uniformly well acted role in the film. You like him as the Vanraj who falls in love, and really like him as the self sacrificing Vanraj. In the moments beside the river in "Italy" when he is a little drunk - he is astoundingly good. The other supporting cast is good. But why does every Bhansali film have an evil witch-like relative? The music by Ismail Durbar is pleasing. My favorite numbers are Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan, Dholi Taro, and Nimbooda is excellently danced.
Flaws? The evil witch aunt, the strange attackers in Poland, Aishwarya whining, Salman talking to his dead Dad all the time, a lot of irritating relatives in the Darbar family, the turban tying, kite flying contests..
But all in all, Mr. Bhansali directs with a lot of heart and the film is generally good. Well worth a watch so go see it!
HDDCS is infused with energy, color and music in the first half and with a somber mood in the second half. The question one has to ask is what are the lengths to which a man can and will go in the name of selfless love, and what is the true meaning of love. The film is full of a dreamy mood, excellent locales in the desert, exquisite buildings, divine music and amazingly choreographed dance numbers. What is a bit jarring is Poland in the guise of Italy! But who really cares when all else gels well.
The acting is actually very good - Aishwarya shines as Nandini the perky girl, but is a bit whiny as Nandini the separated lover. Salman is okay - I never do like him, but this is probably the best I have ever seen him and one can see why Nandini falls for him. All that talking to his dead Dad is strange and creepy. Ajay Devgan is excellent as Vanraj. His is perhaps the most uniformly well acted role in the film. You like him as the Vanraj who falls in love, and really like him as the self sacrificing Vanraj. In the moments beside the river in "Italy" when he is a little drunk - he is astoundingly good. The other supporting cast is good. But why does every Bhansali film have an evil witch-like relative? The music by Ismail Durbar is pleasing. My favorite numbers are Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan, Dholi Taro, and Nimbooda is excellently danced.
Flaws? The evil witch aunt, the strange attackers in Poland, Aishwarya whining, Salman talking to his dead Dad all the time, a lot of irritating relatives in the Darbar family, the turban tying, kite flying contests..
But all in all, Mr. Bhansali directs with a lot of heart and the film is generally good. Well worth a watch so go see it!