Dil Se… The cult romantic thriller starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, which was way ahead of its time completes 25 years and makes one wonder if the filmmakers today would attempt to make such movies?
Mani Ratnam made his Bollywood debut with Dil Se… which was the third film in his “love & terrorism trilogy” after Roja (based on insurgency in Kashmir) and Bombay (based on Hindu Muslim riots of 1992-1993). Released on 21st August 1998, Dil Se… is poignant, hard-hitting and a hugely underrated gem from Ratnam. It’s been 25 years since Dil Se… released and the film remains relevant even today as there aren’t many Indian films which talk about the issues of North East India.
With the backdrop of rising militant insurgency in the state of Assam, Dil Se… is a romantic musical that follows the journey of Amarkant Verma, a programme executive working for All India Radio (played by Shahrukh Khan) and Meghana alias Moina, an extremist on a deadly mission played by Manisha Koirala.
Dil Se… has one hooked right from the first frame. Wearing a bright red jacket, Amarkant reaches the deserted Halflong station on a rainy night to catch his train for Assam where he would be interviewing the locals as well as the head of a terrorist group for his radio programme on 50 years of India’s independence. Amar shivering in cold, looks for a matchstick to light his cigarette. Just then he notices someone sitting on a bench nearby covered in a black shawl and asks for a matchstick. The shawl blows away by the heavy winds and Amar too is blown away with it as he sees the first glimpse of this mysterious young girl sitting alone on that deserted station. Amar is bewitched by her, and she asks if he could get her a cup of tea. Before Amar could come back with the tea, the girl boards her train and leaves. As Amar sees the train passing by, he exclaims that his must be “world’s shortest love story”.
Enroute to Assam, Amar is seen dancing on the roof of a train, imagining his ladylove and singing her praises “Vo yaar hai Jo khushboo ki tarah, jiski zubaan Urdu ki tarah” – (she who is like a soft fragrance, whose words as melodious as Urdu language).
Amar believes that he might never meet the mysterious girl again, but life has different plans for him, and he catches a glimpse of her again in Assam. Like many other films of Khan from the 1990s where he has played the obsessive lover, he is seen chasing the girl in Dil Se too right from Assam to Ladakh. The girl, who identifies herself as Meghana, too is drawn towards Amar but keeps rejecting his advances as “she doesn’t have much time”. Like Amar even audiences get confused by what Meghana means when she says that she doesn’t have time. Frustrated by her indifference towards him, Amar tries to force himself on Meghana and this causes her to have a panic attack. Amar placates her and asks her to cry everything out but in vain. As Amar and Meghana are stranded in Ladakh on a stormy night, they share some deep conversations. Amar who wants to unravel the mystery behind Meghana asserts how he loves her eyes and equally hates them as no matter how hard he tries he can never read what’s in them. Next morning when Amar wakes up, he sees that Meghana has vanished again leaving behind a note on the sand for him. Heartbroken Amar then returns to his hometown Delhi where his family has already fixed his alliance to another girl.
Shahrukh Khan as Amar is as charming as ever, sometimes annoying but most of all very real and relatable. Amar is just a regular guy, not the typical Bollywood hero of today’s time who would fight with 50 goons alone. Rather, in this film he himself gets beaten black and blue for chasing the girl. While everyone has always raved about his dimples, Dil Se will make you fall in love with his deep brown eyes which have conveyed every emotion amazingly. And there couldn’t be anyone else better than Manisha Koirala to play the character of Meghana / Moina. The innocence, pain, anger and vulnerability of Meghana is portrayed by her brilliantly. Minimal make-up, very less dialogues but yet she manages to deliver some really high intensity scenes with utmost simplicity and honesty.
Dil se also marks the debut of Preity Zinta who had rose to fame with her Perk advertisement and is seen playing the role of Priti Nair, a vivacious Keralaite girl to whom Shahrukh’s character gets engaged. On their first meeting, Priti shares with Amar that she was in a relationship before and that the guy left her to take up a job in Dubai. Later, when they go out on date, Priti shocks Amar by asking if he’s a virgin. The conversations between Priti and Amar are unfiltered, contemporary and clearly define the progressive mindsets of people from Southern Indian states, especially Kerala.
The story takes an interesting turn when Meghana arrives at Amar’s residence on the day of his engagement and asks for a job at All India Radio. Amar is aware that Meghana has some ulterior motives but his love for her is so strong that he refuses to give up on her. Meghana on the other hand, feels guilty for using Amar as a scapegoat but refuses to give up on her mission either. Dil Se… is said to be a journey through the seven shades of love that are defined in ancient Arabic literature. Shahrukh Khan’s character passes through each of these shades defined as attraction, infatuation, love, reverence, worship, obsession, and finally death.
Dil Se is a masterpiece in every aspect. The gripping storyline, brilliant characterization and superlative direction of Mani Ratnam, captivating cinematography of Santosh Sivan, soulful lyrics by Gulzar Sahab and astounding music by A.R. Rahman everything just blends together superbly and makes it an unforgettable experience. Although, the film didn’t do well at the box-office it is still considered a cult film by many cinema lovers. Rightly so, as don’t think any directors today would dare to even touch upon such a sensitive subjects or in any way portray the government or armed forces in a bad light.
It is Dil se… A film truly made from the heart which also needs to be watched from the heart, keeping all the hatred aside and giving in to the magic called ‘Love’. For those who have not seen this masterpiece yet, please watch it today!
Dil Se… is streaming on Netflix India in Hindi while the Tamil and Telugu versions are streaming on Prime Video IN.
PS: Director Shaad Ali, writer / director Tigmanshu Dhulia (who has also written the Hindi dialogues of Dil Se) and Badhaai Ho actor Gajaraj Rao can be spotted playing side roles in Dil Se.
Very informative