Review: In Dilwale, Shahrukh Khan is crippled by his own talent

There are a lot of cars in Dilwale. For anyone who knows this film is directed by Rohit Shetty, this won't come as a big surprise.

What is disconcerting, though, is the way this car fetish threatens to overpower the rest of the movie, undermining the actual story and almost drawing the viewers’ attention away from the main protagonists. I say almost because such a feat is impossible; actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have such a strong screen presence that nothing short of a hurricane in the movie theater could possibly take our focus away from them. The screen lights up with their presence, they give depth and meaning to the flimsiest script and never fail to command the audience’s attention.

Kajol in particular is luminous and Shah Rukh proves that he still knows how to hold the audience in the palm of his hand.

In Dilwale, Raj and Meera belong to rival crime families and the tragic cycle of love and revenge they're trapped in becomes the main obstacle to the love affair that their respective younger siblings Ishita and Veer inadvertently strike up.

This is Bollywood after all, not cinema verite, so these coincidences are expected from the first frame. In fact, the entire film wallows in indulgent clichés and nostalgic references to Khan’s most successful films.

SRK fans are always a little disappointed these days because we want to recreate a magic our favourite star is just not interested in making again.

We are shown Raj and Meera’s story in flashback and here is where the edge of intrigue holds the audience’s attention: in the first dream sequence Raj is shot, then there's a sudden betrayal, and then the slow unravelling of the secrets which keep him and Meera apart for 15 years.

Kriti Sanon as Ishita cuts a mostly decorative figure, but Varun Dhawan’s perfect turn as Veer, a ’not the sharpest tool in the box’ younger brother stands out. Veer is one of the highlights of the movie. Varun has the kind of charisma Govinda was once famous for: the ability to play the kind of mischievous charmer that can reduce the fiercest, most bloodthirsty killer/international gold smuggler to 'Tiger bhaiya'. There is also plenty of humour provided by Johnny Lever as Money Bhai and Pankaj Mishra as Oscar Bhai but Boman Irani falls short in both the comedy and villainy departments.

While the Shah Rukh –Kajol jodi does its magic the rest of the film falls short because of a weak script, a lot of unnecessary action sequences and a dire lack of editing. What made Chennai Express, Rohit Shetty’s previous outing with Shah Rukh, a lot smoother to watch was the fast-paced action, shorter scenes and a script someone had actually worked on. Like a lot of Bollywood movies these days some of the running gags and much of the main character’s dialogues are passable but there is a lack of continuity with the main story that makes it all seem ad hoc at times.

Just as It would be a mistake to look for a Picasso in a junk yard, if anyone expected a DDLJ sequel they should have waited for Aditya Chopra to direct it.

After watching the brilliant Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, perhaps Bollywood would do well to outsource a few scriptwriting jobs to the likes of Vasay Chaudhry who knows how to keep an audience enthralled.

The songs in Dilwale are perhaps the biggest disappointment. Though the song 'Gerua' is catchy and melodious enough to stay with you after leaving the cinema hall, the way it and the other songs have been picturised has quite rightly been mocked as backdrops from Windows 8, suffering from a complete lack of originality or imagination.

With a talented cast most directors would literally kill for and an awe-inspiring budget combined with every facility known to modern filmmaking, one wonders why Rohit Shetty couldn’t make something better.

The title Dilwale was an obvious ploy to pull in audiences still in love with the Raj and Simran from Dilwale Dulhaniya Ley Jayege. However, just as It would be a mistake to look for a Picasso in a junk yard or order steak at a vegetarian restaurant, if anyone expected a DDLJ sequel they should have waited for Aditya Chopra to direct it. Rohit Shetty is not known for making films with subtlety, depth or emotional nuance, but what he can make seems to please enough people to keep the cash registers ringing.

For all its faults, Dilwale is pulling in the crowds because it’s a great way to pass a few hours, especially if you are a diehard Shah Rukh–Kajol fan. It manages to provide a lot of family-friendly fun and lots of entertainment, but it could have been so much more.

And a special note on Shahrukh Khan: SRK fans are always a little disappointed these days because we want to recreate a magic our favourite star is just not interested in making again. While cinema goers don’t have any particularly high expectations of, let's say, Salman Khan, whose unique presence is usually deemed enough for his fans, Shahrukh is handicapped by his own talent. People just expect more from one of the most talented actors in Bollywood.