'Dil Dhadakne Do' - Pulsates With Fine Performances

BANGALORE: Film: "Dil Dhadakne Do"; Cast: Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Rahul Bose, Zarina Wahab and Parmeet Sethi,; Director: Zoya Akthar; Rating: ***/12

Narrated from Pluto, the omnipresent family dog's point of view, "Dil Dhadakne Do" is a classic and an oft-seen tale about love, freedom and hypocrisy in a dysfunctional family.

The story is the usual, run-of-the-mill; a family meets for a grand occasion followed by a catharsis. Here it is to celebrate the 30th wedding anniversary of Kamal (Anil Kapoor) and Neelam (Shefali Shah) Mehra, the most envied couple in Delhi's high-flying society.

To keep up with his standard and image, Kamal Mehra sponsors a cruise to Turkey and Greece for his family and friends. But unknown to the rest of the world, Kamal Mehra and his family are battling their own demons.

The senior Mehras are an estranged couple, Kamal is a shrewd businessman, whose every move in life revolves around his business. His wife Neelam leads a pretentious life. Son Kabir (Ranveer Singh), a good-for-nothing in the eyes of his father, desires to take up flying, but is expected to take the reins of his family business. Daughter Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra), married to Manav (Rahul Bose), is a promising entrepreneur locked in an unhappy marriage.

The rest of the troupe too, come with their own baggage of grouses and heartbreaks.

On the cruise, the inevitable happens. It is fascinating to observe the layers of their persona and drama unfold with stimulating performances from the ensemble cast.
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