Dhadkan (2000 film)

Dhadkan () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama musical film directed by Dharmesh Darshan and produced by Ratan Jain. It stars Akshay Kumar, Shilpa Shetty, Suniel Shetty and Mahima Chaudhry. Being inspired by the novel Wuthering Heights, it also features Parmeet Sethi, Kiran Kumar, Sushma Seth and Manjeet Kullar in supporting roles. The story follows, Anjali and Dev are in love with each other and plan to marry, but her family gets her married to Ram. Years later, Dev shows up to reunite with Anjali, however, she has fallen in love with Ram. The music was composed by Nadeem–Shravan.

Dhadkan was delayed for almost 4 years for certain reasons. It finally released on August 11, 2000 during the Independence Day weekend and garnered generally positive reviews. It emerged as a commercial success grossing ₹26 crore worldwide. The music album was the second best-selling album of the year after Mohabbatein.

At Filmfare Awards, It was nominated in eight category, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress and Best Music Director, won two for Best Villain to Suniel Shetty and Best Female Playback Singer to Alka Yagnik.

Plot
Anjali Chauhan Verma (Shilpa Shetty) is the only daughter of a wealthy businessman in love with Dev Chopra (Suniel Shetty). Dev is of humble means but Anjali's father reluctantly agrees to meet him. However he rejects Dev for apparent rudeness and uncivilized behavior. An attempt to elope with Dev is foiled. Her father emotionally manipulates her into an agreement to marry Ram Verma a man chosen by him. Dev is left heartbroken.

Anjali marries Ram and joins his household; a step-mother and step- siblings who detest him.  Ram however loves his step-family with a pure heart. He gives Anjali time to find her space within the new family but she cannot return his affection.

Ram’s stepbrother tries to seduce Anjali and when caught accuses her of being the guilty party. But his eyes now open, Ram fully supports his wife and asks the step family to leave the home. Anjali falls in love with him.

Three years later at their wedding anniversary celebrations Dev, now wealthy, returns as a rival in business and in love . Anjali is stunned into silence. Dev, unable to see Anjali's fulfilled happiness tries to reach out to his first love. He cannot bear to hear her pleas to leave her be.

Dev, wretched with  rejection, decides to ruin Ram. With Ram’s step-siblings he manages to bring financial ruin to Ram and Anjali. When Ram hears Anjali talking to her father about Dev he reproaches Anjali for hiding her past. But she faints and it is revealed that she is pregnant. Anjali meets Dev to say a poignant farewell. He returns all that he had taken and leaves his past behind. Music fills the spaces in between words throughout the narrative.

Cast
Akshay Kumar as Ram Verma
Shilpa Shetty as Anjali Chauhan Verma (Ram's Wife) 
Suniel Shetty as Dev Chopra
Mahima Chaudhry as Sheetal Verma
Sushma Seth as Vibha Verma
Parmeet Sethi as Bobby "Bob" Verma
Manjeet Kullar as Nikki Verma
Navneet Nishan as Nikki Verma in the song "Dulhe Ka Sehra"
Kiran Kumar as Narendra Chauhan
Anjana Mumtaz as Veena Chauhan
Neeraj Vora as Babban Miyan
Sharmila Tagore as Jhanvi Chopra
Anupam Kher as Digvijay Varma
Kader Khan as Pandit Hariharan in the song "Dulhe Ka Sehra"

Music

The music of the album has been composed by duo Nadeem–Shravan in the span of three years. "Dulhe Ka Sehra" sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was composed in 1997. The other songs were also recorded in 1997–98, with the exception of "Tum Dil Ki Dhadkan Mein", which was recorded in 2000 at London. "Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se" and "Tum Dil Ki Dhadkan Mein" became legendary love tracks and "Dulhe Ka Sehra" a popular wedding song till date. The other successful songs are "Aksar Is Duniya Mein" and "Na Na Karte Pyaar". The album was listed at second position in the yearly music charts. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, around 4.5 million units  were sold making it the second highest-selling album of the year after Mohabbatein. The soundtrack was #73 on the list of "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks of All Time", as compiled by Planet Bollywood

Reception
Taran Adarsh wrote of the film:

Adarsh described Shilpa Shetty as the "life of the enterprise", adding that she "looks good, delivers her lines effectively and emotes with utmost conviction."He said Sunil Shetty's performance is one of his best, especially the scenes between Sunil and Shilpa are fabulous." He also remarked "Akshay Kumar shows vast improvement as an actor. He is very controlled and handles this difficult role with sincerity."

Padmaraj Nair of Screen felt the film had a "nostalgic feel to it, what with the effect of watching social drama from the good ol' 60s." He added that the film was "fairly interesting in the first half, with its slick screenplay, But the director does seem to lose his grip towards the end, as the film climaxes rather tamely. It seems as if he developed cold feet as far as justifying the grey role of Sunil Shetty is concerned, and ends up portraying him on a positive note." He felt, performance-wise, Shetty "scores over the rest", while adding, "Shilpa gets the best role of her career and doesn't disappoint. Akshay Kumar, in the role of the cool-headed husband, is impressive." On other departments of the film, he concluded writing, "Nadeem-Shravan's music is the very lifeline of the film, and all the tracks are melodious and situational. Cinematography by W. B. Rao is outstanding."

Awards

 46th Filmfare Awards:

Won

 Best Villain – Suniel Shetty 
 Best Female Playback Singer – Alka Yagnik for "Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se"

Nominated

 Best Film – Ratan Jain
 Best Director – Dharmesh Darshan
 Best Supporting Actress – Mahima Chaudhry
 Best Music Director – Nadeem–Shravan
 Best Lyricist – Sameer for "Tum Dil Ki Dhadkan Main"
 Best Male Playback Singer – Udit Narayan for "Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se"
2nd IIFA Awards:

Nominated

 Best Film – Ratan Jain
 Best Director – Dharmesh Darshan
 Best Actor – Akshay Kumar
 Best Actress – Shilpa Shetty
 Best Supporting Actress – Mahima Chaudhry
 Best Villain – Suniel Shetty
 Best Music Director – Nadeem–Shravan
 Best Lyricist – Sameer for "Tum Dil Ki Dhadkan Main"
 Best Male Playback Singer – Abhijeet for "Tum Dil Ki Dhadkan Main"
 Best Female Playback Singer – Alka Yagnik for "Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se"
 Best Story – Dharmesh Darshan

Screen Awards

Won

Nominated

Box office 
The film was released on 11 August 2000 at 250 screens.
Dhadkan had a worldwide theatrical release on August 11, 2000 during the Independence Day weekend and garnered predominantly positive reviews. It emerged as a commercial success grossing 26 crore in global markets.The film’s music, composed by Nadeem - Shravan, went on to break records.

Remake
This film was unofficially remade in Bangladesh in 2001, titled as Hridoyer Bandhon.

References

External links

2000 films
2000s Hindi-language films
Films scored by Nadeem–Shravan
Films scored by Surinder Sodhi
Indian romantic drama films
Hindi films remade in other languages
Films directed by Dharmesh Darshan