Dil Chahta Hai- 3 Ways

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Dil chahta hai is a movie released in 2001. But shall remain timeless….
And in many ways is a landmark movie in Indian cinema. It is probably the first time we have a movie depicting male bonding among three friends. Boys going on road trips; hanging around the whole day; playing video games; partying and pulling a fast one on each other all the while. The dynamics and the relations between the three male protagonists is what forms the fabric of the story. It’s a movie of coming of age and importantly accepting and celebrating people the way they are. To acknowledge someone for what manifests their lives and looking beyond prejudice. And what forms the core plot is the way men understand love. And hence the name Dil Chahata Hai.

The movie has three main leads Samir ( Saif Ali Khan); Akash (Aamir Khan) and Siddharth (Akshaye Khanna). The story is about how they in their unique way approach love and how in the end it’s important reaching the destination of finding true love and not the journey.

The story begins with three boys just out of college and celebrating their farewell party.
Samir- displays the most typical of the characteristics of men. He does not really understand the difference between lust and love. Every girl he finds desirable, he mistakes it for love. And as lust wanes, so does love. He confesses of desiring most women but it’s not sure if he loves them. In his efforts to keep his lady love happy he also ends up being a push over. Until he finds true love. Finally he meets a girl who he accepts to be in love and does not lust her as much.

Aakash- is sure there is nothing like love. It’s just a passe and over a period of time the partners get fed up and the only thing left is bickering and no love. He believes in short term relations, not more than two weeks. All girls have so many things to offer and how can one settle for just one- a very typical mentality of men at that age. Just go with the flow, cheery pick what you like and enjoy the now. Love what is that? A little commitment phobic too.Yes and he too finally meets the girl and realizes it’s for her, he would die a thousand times to spend a few days, and knows true love.

Siddharth- the most matured among the three. His way of loving though not very prevalent and largely misunderstood – is to love and let it free, not expect anything in return – not even love, but to continue to love unconditionally. And not even confess his love. Magnanimous to feel like that but so impossible to comprehend at that age. His feelings remain an enigma to his friends and misinterpreted by his mom. Its even shocking to the object of his affection, a middle aged woman in the neighborhood, that he is in love with her, and wants nothing in return. But that’s the only way he knows to love.

The story is woven through some fine fabric of humor, wittiness and camaraderie.
The relations and the bonding among the three friends is what real life friendship goals are made of. It is this movie that made the Bombay- Goa road trips so fashionable. The one liners and smart comebacks are folklore now (for eg. ‘hum cake khane kahin bhi jaa sakte hai’ is a dialog everyone must have used at least once in their lifetime).
The screen play of the movie is among the best we have seen – it seamlessly moves between the three love stories and from flash back and present. That is its biggest strength. Shot in a very chic and a classy way. The music is legendary and will remain favourite for generations to come. Absolutely a landmark movie.

Love has its own way of finding you, if you have the patience and the faith that it will one day….!!!!