Dil is really a fun film to revisit for its youthful energy and romantic feel. The film has a very strong first half, which fucuses on the tension between the two leads - Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit. They really work well together and do a wonderful job with the love-hate relationship. The scenes of romantic realisation are absolutely charming. The film's second half is far less intriguing, as it takes a sharp dramatic turn and makes the overall product seem to consist of two different films.
Aamir Khan, in one of his early films, does what he did pretty much in each one of his films in those years, playing the innocent young romantic fool, and he does it well. It is Madhuri who charges the film with her graceful presence and extraordinary beauty, and hers is actually a truly good performance. Her transformation during the course of the film from an impetuous brat to a caring, mature housewife, is very credible.
Without taking anything from these two young charmers, the film actually belongs to the two fathers, Anupam Kher and Saeed Jaffrey, who steal the show with their impeccable comic timing. Kher is great as the pathetic, eccentric and greedy Hazari Prasad, but it is Saeed Jaffrey who made me laugh out loud with his officious antics. Just see the scene in which he finds out about Kher's identity - totally hilarious.
Mind you, Dil is a mainstream Hindi romantic film and should be viewed in the right context. Those who will try to take it too seriously are bound to be disappointed. It is to be enjoyed for its soul and young spirit. The film's music is beautiful. "Mujhe Neend Na Aaye" is a classic, but so are the other numbers. Dil is overall a charming romance with many great moments and even though it gets a little more serious like most films of its sort, it remains a watchable and entertaining Hindi.
