“Dil Bechara” Should Have Been An Easier Watch
“Dil Bechara” is the love story of two youngsters who want one thing that many of us take for granted – they want to be normal.
Kizzie Basu (Sanjana Sanghi) and Immanuel “Manny” Rajkumar Junior (Sushant Singh Rajput) both suffer from fatal diseases and meet in a support group. They find an almost-instant connection and become friends, eventually falling in love. Knowing that their lives are at the mercy of the universe, Manny brings color into Kizzie’s otherwise dull world, teaching her how to live life to the fullest and reach for the stars.
Based on John Green’s novel “The Fault In Our Stars” (also a Hollywood movie) and adapted for Bollywood by first-time director Mukesh Chhabra, “Dil Bechara” was released just a month and a half after the sad demise of Sushant Singh Rajput. To honor the late actor, Disney+ Hotstar has made “Dil Bechara” available to all subscribers and non-subscribers.
In the movie, you see Manny helping his near-blind friend Jagdish Pandey “JP” (Sahil Vaid) fulfill his lifelong dream of making a Bhojpuri film. They decide to cast Kizzie as the lead actress alongside Manny as the lead actor and the trio become good friends in the process. Manny also motivates and helps Kizie in pursuing her dream of meeting her favorite singer, Abhimanyu Veer (Saif Ali Khan) who resides in Paris.
Sanjana Sanghi is very natural in her role as Kizzie and her acting is a breath of fresh air. Swastika Mukherjee who plays Mrs. Basu will steal your heart with her performance as Kizzie’s tough-yet-protective mother.
(Spoilers ahead) While the movie is mostly lighthearted with budding friendships and young love, it takes an unfortunate turn when Manny’s sickness resurfaces causing his health to deteriorate. Knowing he has limited time, Manny wants to see a preview of his own funeral and asks Kizzie and JP to read their eulogies while he is still alive.
Watching “Dil Bechara” in a post-Sushant world was extremely surreal as I could relate to the characters in the movie watching the Bhojpuri film after Manny’s death. It almost feels like the universe is mocking us and telling us to value the people and things we have because once they are gone, all we can do is hold on to their memories.
This #FirstLookWithNeha of Sushant Singh Rajput’s last movie “Dil Bechara” is a dedication to the man himself and to those memories he has left behind for us to cherish for a lifetime.
