Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam – 22 Years On
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam released 22 years back. I remember my mother drove us to watch it at Sangam theatre. She used to drive those days but family outings were inadvertently led by my father. She must have driven me many times but I distinctly remember this one.
22 years on neither does my mother drive any more & Sangam has changed beyond recognition but memories are a strange thing & they persist through time & changes.
HDDCS was the first Sanjay Leela Bhansali film I remember watching. I was completely taken by the story of Nandini & Sameer, a large part of which was due to the electrifying chemistry between Aishwarya Rai Bachchan & Salman Khan.
I recall being extremely upset by the end & I still have trouble accepting it all these years later! People argue that Sameer & Nandini’s love was puppy, childhood love while her relationship with Vanraj was the lasting, mature kind. For me, the love b/w Sameer & Nandini was not just the first blush of adulthood but one meant to last. Their bond may have been playful but it was also deeply meaningful & passionate. With Vanraj, Nandini becomes a woman but with burden & scars on her heart. Perhaps that changes by the end & they may be happy together today, but as an audience I have a hard time accepting it.
None of this however takes away from this stunningly shot with music for the ages. Of course it has been criticised in years since with many accusing it of overly exoticising India, inherent patriarchy (honestly wasn’t that the main trait of some characters which drove the story ahead?), Vanraj’s toxic behaviour (based in a deeply traditional household, he finds out his wife is still in love with her ex & is unable to accept her new relationship, cut him slack!) or Nandini’s lack of agency (she literally refuses to partake in a physical relationship with her husband & actively tries to search for her ex, not to mention she helped her cousin run away!) etc.
In conclusion, HDDCS can be debated,reflected on & different viewings will yield diff aspects – which imo is the hallmark of a well made film with complex characters.
Direction – Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Cast – Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ajay Devgn
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