I came across Mani Ratnam’s cinematic genius for the first time a couple of weeks ago. At six in the morning, my father and I had comfortably seated ourselves in the living room to watch Ratnam’s 1998-romance drama Dil Se. This detail is important because the two of us represent different strata of the present-day film audience. My dad, a finance professional now in his 50s, purely derives entertainment from cinema. He prefers pace in the films he watches, ideally action, and if not that, he plumps for a certain righteousness, a fresh breath of morality. Films that make one think too much aren’t his deal. I, on the other hand, have grown to belong to the other side. Seeking to build a career in cinema, I try to look at films from a more objective POV and consume alternate forms of cinema—just textbook “cinephile” behavior. Thus, when these two disparate worlds collide for a film like Dil Se, it is only normal. 

Dil Se received a lukewarm response at the time of its release but was a major success overseas. It is only recently that the film has been “rediscovered.” 2023 would mark the 25 years of this cinematic “flop” that, over the years, has built a cult following. On account of this silver jubilee year, we revisit the film and what really makes it special.

Embracing Simplicity

Dil Se opens at the Haflong railway station on a rainy midnight. Amarkant Verma—a program executive for All India Radio—is stranded alone while he awaits his train to the Barak Valley in Assam. At the railway station, Varma (Shah Rukh Khan) comes across a beautiful woman (Manisha Koirala). He is visibly smitten and tries to strike up a conversation with her. She repudiates, but Varma pursues her. A few minutes later, the mysterious girl catches the next train and leaves, making this “world’s shortest love story,” according to Varma. Over the course of the film, both of them keep meeting—the woman keeps turning down Varma’s responses while Varma is convinced she is the one! 

However, Dil Se isn’t your typical boy-meets-girl story. It has strong political and social undertones. It’s romance done differently, for Ratnam doesn’t look at love as a fleeting emotion. However, for him, it is clearly a force that transcends everything else in the world. In the world created by Ratnam, love can conquer all forms of negativity. 

While Shah Rukh Khan has all the qualities we look for in a hero, Koirala is a testament that a Hindi film heroine need not be a schmaltzy figurine. Koirala brings a certain melancholic mystery to this film. Needless to say, both actors are equally believable in their respective roles. The film’s cinematography and music majestically enhance the story.   

Beyond the Conventional

For years the Hindi film industry has catered to a North Indian locale. The stories and characters—particularly the protagonists—that have dominated mainstream Hindi cinema come from a certain background. Dil Se is not like that. Mani Ratnam does a stellar job of bringing the voices of the northeast, the South, and Kashmir to this film. When Varma travels to Assam, we hear them echo their woes. Some talk about the feeling of alienation—something the Northeast has been subjected to for too long—while others throw a nationalist slogan in the air, some are genuinely rooting for the country’s progress while some are just reluctant to speak to the media.  

Ratnam does this thing wherein he brings to the forefront the voice of two ‘Indias’. Both debate their righteousness, and in some way, both are saying the truth. It is the space for dialogue that Ratnam creates through these two characters that needs to be applauded. Yet, Ratnam knows his constraints—and he graciously abides. 

With every passing minute, Dil Se becomes closer to reality, consciously shedding the belief that love is a matter of fantasy. In the last 20 minutes of the film, my father and I were on the edge of our seats. The ending of Dil Se matters to you because it isn’t a matter of love anymore. Your nationalism is evoked. It is a bigger gamble now, a matter of morality. Koirala—who is part of a Liberationists group—is part of a series of suicide attacks in New Delhi at the upcoming Delhi Republic Day parade. Varma, as a voice of rationality, tries to convince her otherwise. Tragedy is expected. Somebody will die, but who it is going to be will determine the fate of this film—and interestingly, it does. The moment Amarkant Varma and Moina, cased in a tight embrace, died together, my dad said, “no wonder this film flopped.” His statement echoes a common sentiment that many harbor towards the film. 

Simplistically, Dil Se is the classic “if they cannot live together, they will die together,” but the film leaves you with questions one would want to ruminate over. The themes of Dil Se are timeless. Twenty-five years later, the issues highlighted are still relevant and in equal disdain. 

Article Courtesy of Anjani Chadha

Images from Dil Se directed by Mani Ratnam