Underplayed Gems

Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

Dil Chahta Hai poster
Original title
दिल चाहता है
Directed by
Farhan Akhtar
Genre
drama film, buddy film, romance film, coming-of-age film
Country
India
Runtime
3h 05m
Rated
6
Rating
6.9 of 10 from 345 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More films like thisWatch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

Three close college friends drift apart as they face different relationships and life choices in urban India. The film follows their separate journeys of love, growth and reconciliation.

bittersweetlightheartedwistfulwarmintrospectiveeasygoingpoignantreflectice

What happens

Dil Chahta Hai (transl. The Heart Desires) is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language coming of age comedy drama film written and directed by Farhan Akhtar in his directorial debut, and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani under the newly formed Excel Entertainment banner. The film stars Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna as three inseparable college friends navigating adulthood, relationships, and diverging life paths. It also features Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia in pivotal supporting roles. Set in contemporary urban India, the film explores themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery among upper-class youth. Akhtar wrote the film based on personal diaries detailing his experiences travelling to different cities, with inputs on the story from creative associate Kassim Jagmagia. Shot on location in India and Australia, Dil Chahta Hai was one of the first Hindi films to use sync sound. Cinematography was handled by Ravi K. Chandran, with sound design by Nakul Kamte and H. Sridhar. The music was composed by the trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. Released theatrically on 10 August 2001, Dil Chahta Hai received widespread critical acclaim for its modern sensibilities, direction, script, music, and performances, particularly those of Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna. Although it underperformed in rural regions, the film emerged as a commercial success in urban centres and grossed ₹397.2 million (US$4.7 million) worldwide, ranking as the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. It has since achieved cult status and is regarded as a landmark in Hindi cinema for redefining youth narratives and contemporary storytelling. At the 49th National Film Awards, Dil Chahta Hai won two awards, including Best Feature Film in Hindi. It received thirteen nominations at the 47th Filmfare Awards, winning seven, including Best Film (Critics), Best Supporting Actor (Khanna) and Best Comedian (Saif Ali Khan). Over time, the film has been credited with launching a new wave of urban Indian cinema and establishing Akhtar as one of the leading filmmakers of his generation. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems. Not quite it? You can browse by genre, country and year, or take this one into the 3D catalogue and ask the Catbot for something closer.