wanting the popcorn to save the film is in bad taste

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Dil Chahta Hai - a scary thought


Almost eight years on, watching this film it seems that most of my fears have come true. I do not like it anymore. These are the people I was worried will take over the world.

Don't get me wrong. I had watched it 5 times when it was released. So in a way I have contributed to this conspiracy.

While going to college in the 90's, I always had this vague theory that the generation younger to me was more conservative - they would be interested in returning to traditional values, higher salaries would drive their lives, not interesting projects and they would not shirk from spending big on their weddings a far cry from their parents. And if they failed in their first career of choice, they would have no hesitation in joining their family business.

When the film was released, an editorial had appeared in a newspaper which had claimed that the film represented a new India - its characters a young generation confident about their abilities, not afraid to flaunt their richness and ready to take on the opportunities in global village. Really?

Aamir is the rich kid who joins his father after playing the loafer for some time. Akshaye is the artist. He can afford it since it seems his mother (and family) seem to have a lot of money. We never really know what Saif does but this does not matter since in most films of the 90's what the hero does for a living is not important. How is this film any different from those ones? The guys do not want to strike out and try something different. Except go to Goa on a Merc.


The girls in the film do not have a career. Forget about working, all they interested in falling in love and getting married. Coming at the beginning of the 21st century this is a scary thought.
Whatever happened to the fight started by their mothers in the 1980s when they went out to work? Preity and Sonali have no thoughts beyond the men and loves in their lives. Of course everyone is open about their dreams but their dreams are very conservative and boring.

The climax of the film with the showdown at the marriage is again a celebration of that institution with the emphasis that this is the most important day of your life. Something that other films have been singing for decades.


Dil Chahta Hai was never a fresh breeze of cinema. It just packaged the old values and passed it onto the next generation with songs, designer houses and funky hair styling. What more the young embraced it since they knew what they would become. Now that I can see it coming true all around me I'm scared.

1 comments:

Harsh said...

One of the most interesting essays I've ever read.... I am going to pass this on to as many DCH fans I know...