Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Sanjana Sanghi, Sahil Vaid, Saswata Chatterjee, Swastika Mukherjee
Director: Mukesh Chhabra
Rating: ***
Director Mukesh Chhabra brings us a wave of emotions with the movie Dil Bechara, swan song of the late Sushant Singh Rajput. Offering the actor’s final cinematic performance, releasing less than two months after his unexpected demise, there were always bound to be all eyes on this romantic drama.
Based on the novel The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, as well as the 2016 Hollywood adaptation of the movie, Dil Bechara is a weepie designed to tug at your heartstrings. We see the main protagonists Kizzie Basu (Sanjana Sanghi) and Immanuel Rajkumar Junior, aka Manny, played by Sushant Singh Rajput. Kizzie has thyroid cancer, which leads her to have less oxygen and the problem of lugging around an oxygen cylinder wherever she goes. She wants a ‘normal life’ without visits to the hospitals and all the medicines. Instead she goes to funerals to see what future holds in store for her.
Enter Manny, who slowly seeps into her mind and heart with his cocky and playful behaviour. After a failed attempt to befriend her at college, he later coincidentally shows up at cancer support therapy sessions Kizzie attends. Manny’s friend JP (Sahil Vaid) has a vision to direct a film and needs a heroine before losing all of his sight. Can Kizzie be persuaded by JP and Manny to play the part?
Bonding over a musician’s album which comes to an abrupt ending, Manny and Kizzie go on an adventure to find and quiz the creator, only to realise they have fallen for each other during the journey. But little do they know that a tragic twist in the tale awaits them.
Director Mukesh Chhabra and writers Suprotim Sengupta and Shashank Khaitan ensure the narrative flows, taking you through some sensitive and profound moments between Manny, Kizzie and her parents. Be prepared for some heart breaking scenes and dialogues that will definitely bring you to tears.
Having made her acting debut in Imtiaz Ali’s romantic drama Rockstar in 2011, later starring in Fukrey Returns and Hindi Medium, in Dil Bechara Sanghi steps up to take on her first lead role. It’s a casting decision that pays off, with Sanghi displaying raw talent and internalising Kizie. Imagining anyone else in the role is near impossible.
From Rajput’s debut film Kai Po Che, the actor has excelled in different roles and genres. Whether it be the rom-com Shuddh Desi Romance, biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, drama Kedarnath or entertainer Chicchore, he has always led us on a merry adventure. With Dil Bechara and Manny, Rajput’s personal voyage comes to a poignant end. The movie ties a knot in his career, showcasing the natural talent he possessed and what he achieved during his short time in the Hindi film industry. Watching the young star shining on screen may prove a potentially cathartic moment for Indians and Bollywood movie lovers across the globe. May it also rest his soul in peace.
Review by Roshni Parmar & Jas Bajaj
Bombay Funkadelic 