The high point of Dhadkan is probably Akshay Kumar's performance as the bewildered husband who has to deal with rejection for unknown reasons.
Rich Girl, Poor Boy
Anjali (Shilpa Shetty) and Dev (Sunil Shetty) are two college students in a steady relationship, but they come from different backgrounds. Anjali belongs to a well to do respectable family, while Dev is the illegitimate child of an unwed mother (Sharmila Tagore). He is angry and bitter due to his low social status, and Anjali is the center of his world.
Anjali's parents meet the outspoken, uncouth Dev and strongly disapprove of the match. On their insistence, Anjali leaves Dev to marry another young man Ram (Akshay Kumar) of their choice.
An Arranged Marriage
Ram is a successful businessman, but he has his own share of problems. He lives with his step family, an avaracious manipulative lot. To add to his problems, Anjali is against him and refuses to share any kind of relationship with him.
Ram falls deeply in love with his incalcitrant wife, and tries to win her over, but to no avail. The turning point comes when his stepmother and stepbrother try to trap Anjali. Ram revolts against their false accusations, and Anjali, who is impressed by his support even though she rebuffed his advances, accepts him as her husband.
An Obsessed Lover
Ram and Anjali lead an idyllic life for a few years, until trouble looms again, this time in the shape of an unknown competitor who plots to take over Ram's business and personal property. The couple are puzzled by his moves, until the real reason emerges.
Dev was shattered by Anjali's desertion and had vowed to turn over a new leaf. By dint of sheer hard work, he earned both money and power. His goal is to drive Ram into oblivion and win back his first love Anjali whom he never forgot.
He has a new female companion Sheetal (Mahima Choudhury) but it is Anjali that he still wants. Anjali tries to dissuade him but Dev persists. In the process Ram learns the truth and resents his wife's past affair as she had kept it a secret from him.
A Melodrama
Dhadkan is a typical example of what Hindi movies used to be until new age cinema gradually made inroads. The film is ridden with melodrama, cliches, stereotypes, mushy dialogues besides the usual songs and dances. It boasts of a couple of extremely melodious numbers in Tum Dil ki Dhadkan and Dil ne Ye Kaha Hai. Mahima Choudhury has a small part but is impressive in the dance number Aksar is duniya mein. Sunil Shetty grossly overacts in his role of the obsessed lover. Shilpa Shetty is sometimes believable as the woman torn between her love and loyalty to her parents, but she also overacts in the hysterical scenes. It is Akshay's performance, his velvet voice and impeccable dialogue delivery that stay with you long after the movie is over. Akshay's subsequent rise to the top and dominance are evident today, on the eve of his much awaited action flick Blue.
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