Sushanth Singh Rajput was one of the few actors who could really say that he managed to find good films and great accolades for his performances from audiences too. He left too early and what forced him to die by suicide, we might never know. In any case, his last film, Dil Bechara released on OTT platforms on 24th July, 2020. Covid-19 pandemic did not allow the movie to get a good theatrical release but the film feels like the actor’s last love letter to everyone whoever loved him or liked him. Why? Let’s discuss more …
Plot: For people who have seen or read The Fault in Our Stars, the film story is nothing new. For those who didn’t …, Manny a.k.a Immanuel Rajkumar Junior (Sushanth Singh Rajput) is lively and doesn’t care about embarrassing himself to just do what he loves. He has big dreams and even though he lost his leg to cancer, he doesn’t feel that it should stop him from living life as he wants to. He meets Kizie Basu (Sanjana Sanghi) who is depressed and completely shattered from inside as she is also a cancer patient.
Both of them become friends and Manny has another friend JP (Sahil Vaid), who is going through eye Cancer. Three start to make a movie to realise JP’s dream and also Manny’s dream to become a hero. He worships Rajinikanth and with his charm wins over Kizie. He wants to take Kizie to Paris to realise her dream of meeting writer and singer, Abhimanyu Veer (Saif Ali Khan). Rest of the story follows their journey as a couple to Paris and the oblivion.
Performances: Sushanth Singh Rajput has given one of his memorable performances in the film. He tries some Shah Rukh Khan mannerisms like closing his mouth with his upper lips and being vulnerable while talking. But he adds his own charm to them and the character Manny becomes more likeable because of him.
Sanjana Sanghi is a find for Indian Film industry. She is confident and very assured about what she is doing on screen. She has a charm of her own that will make many go mad for her. Sahil Vaid is a revelation in this film. He gives his best in each scene and film belongs to him as much as it belongs to leads. Saswata Chaterjee and Swastika Mukherjee are lovely too.
Technicalities: Mukesh Chhabra being a renowned casting director got the casting perfect for his film. Both the leads look perfect for each other and even the simple cameo by Saif Ali Khan is on-point. But he seems to have been too carried away by The Fault in Our Stars movie and he made this one in same style. It feels like an extension of that film than being an Indian original remake.
Writers Shashank Khaitan and Suprotim Senguptha have added filmmaking to the original as desi thadka. It works because of Sushanth more than the leading lady. That should have been worked on from their side as the movie was supposed to be her retelling of their story. AR Rahman gave his best in recent times for this movie as an OST. Cinematography by Setu and editing by Aarif Sheikh are perfect.
Analysis: Movie keeps reminding Telugu viewers who are familiar with classic Geethanjali more. The tone of the movie is too similar to it but writing is not on par with it. Still, the movie holds on its own due to the performances and music of AR Rahman. Mukesh as a director followed Independent American and European movies style too much that at times the Indian film style doesn’t reflect in the film. It rather feels like filmmakers intentionally or unintentionally mocked Indian filmmaking more than they should have.
Still it holds up as a movie very well majorly due to Sushanth, Sanjana and Sahil. The docu-drama style could bore few audiences who like more melodrama but as a film this is not any inferior to the original and the book. May be if the makers did see Geethanjali, it might have helped them in making completely original desi version of the book by retaining some parts. You can easily watch it for Sushanth and the film is like his signing off from world doing his most loved work- acting. Keep tissues ready for the climax and appreciate debutant Sanjana & Sahil Vaid for their performances too.
Bottom line: Worth watch. Sushanth will always be missed!
Rating: Let’s Respect
