It is possible that Chand Mera Dil has more depth than a tub of popcorn, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Key Points
- Ananya Panday and Lakshya star as the glamorous leads, Chandni and Aarav, in Dharma Productions' coming romantic film, Chand Mera Dil.
- Directed by Vivek Soni, known for Meenakshi Sundareshwar, the movie aims to explore contemporary relationship dynamics with more complexity.
- The title Chand Mera Dil is inspired by the classic Rishi Kapoor song, suggesting a blend of classic romance with a modern narrative.
It could be the effect of the surprise success of last year's Saiyaara, or maybe it's just the right time for a glamorous Dharma Productions romantic film to wash off the gore of Dhurandhar.
The prerequisite of a big budget love story is the casting of good-looking leads, who can carry off stylish outfits, and look pretty even when they are crying or looking heart-broken.
Ananya Panday as Chandni and Lakshya as Aarav look the part -- she a wealthy heiress type, he the muscular jock -- and they are young enough to pass off as college students.
Unveiling the Plot and Scale
The teaser released earlier had a lot of kissing and making out, and then some kind of conflict, that causes both to look sad and weep. The longer trailer shows the scale of the film, and includes slowmo twirling, riding a bike on a beach, partying, downing shots with friends, a shot at the Golden Temple, where she tells him she likes horror movies.
'You have to crazy to be in love,' he says.
Then he responds to her line, 'Our love story is legendary,' with 'Legendary love stories are the tragic ones.'
Contemporary Relationship Dynamics
There's a glimpse of Adarsh Gourav giving an exasperated look, as Chandni pays more attention to her phone than to him. There are shades of Ananya's OTT show Call Me Bae, as she poses for the camera showing off a new look. There is talk of a break up, bickering, jealousy, which may just be the way contemporary love stories go.
Vivek Soni, whose filmography includes Meenakshi Sundareshwar and Aap Jaisa Koi, at least attempts relationship stories that are a bit different than the usual meet cute-dating-romancing kind of movies.
Beyond the Popcorn Romance
It is possible that Chand Mera Dil (the Rishi Kapoor song from Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, gives the film its title) has more depth than a tub of popcorn. Considering Saiyaara made the current crop of youngsters weep copious tears, maybe they are ready for some adulting.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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