Dil Chahta Hai: The Love Continues

I am watching Dil Chahta Hai again these days and as always there is something new..something which I did not think about earlier. It surprises me every single time as to how did I miss this. I have two snippets to share, which I was bowled over.

The first time we see Tara, she is being dropped off by a truck and she is trying to carry her heavy baggage inside her new house. I think it was not only her physical baggage but a reference to the emotional baggage that she is carrying within her heart as well. She has been divorced and is not allowed to meet her daughter. She is unable to carry her baggage inside as it is too heavy for her. When she tries to do that, it breaks. Similarly, she is unable to carry the emotional heft of her tragic life and for that she embraces alcoholism, which will eventually break her. She is emotionally very weak. She needs help. And I love this part. When they both are sitting together in her house, there is a box labelled fragile. The fragile box is Tara. Sid is the one who offers her help, not only to physically carry the luggage inside but to deal with the emotional baggage as well. He is the one who takes care of her, like the time when he celebrates her birthday. Tara initially refused to take Sid's help, when he wanted to carry her bags inside but realizing she will not be able to carry it herself, she relents later. Similarly, at first she is aghast when Sid tells her that he loves her. Eventually, she again realized that she has become dependent on Sid and perhaps that explains why Sid is the one who takes her to the hospital. Finally, she says to Sid as if relenting to her initial hesitation to ask for Sid's help, tumne bahut saath diya mera..kuch rishton hote hai jinka koi naam nahi hota.

Physical Baggage or Emotional Baggage?

The box is labelled fragile. Tara?

Earlier in the film, Sid makes a portrait of a lady who is sitting backwards and her face is not shown. It was as if Sid was trying to find the perfect face to draw. Interestingly, he also drew a portrait of Shalini on a napkin in their graduation party, but perhaps he did not find her worthy of a portrait. Also, when he is speaking with Deepa at the beach, he sees her longingly for a moment as if trying to imagine if Deepa is that face. In that song, kaisi hai rut, he is shown dreaming about that face. Later, when Tara asks him which is his favorite painting, he says he has not drawn one yet, again reaffirming his quest for the face of his dreams. When he draws his favorite portrait, it is of Tara's as if he finally found the face he was looking for. Imagine his happiness when he runs to get his painting things when Tara agrees for a portrait as if the face will finally be drawn. And if we look closely enough, the similarity of the face in the two portraits is uncanny.

Women of his dreams

Shalini? No..not worth a portrait..

Deepa? For a minute maybe..

Yes, Tara..finally :)

I have found many other observations. I am working on a long piece on this film, which will take a lot of time to write. I love this movie. It has taught me so much :) More later.