Five-minute date: Meera (Kajol) receives a bunch of flowers from Kaali (Shah Rukh Khan) when she agrees to date for five minutes.

Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and Kajol return to the big screen with another enthralling action and heart-warming love story. Last paired six years ago as husband and wife in My Name is Khan, SRK and Kajol are on a comeback in Dilwale. The film tells the story of Kaali (SRK) and Meera (Kajol), both children of mafia bosses who continue the legacy of their fathers.

Kaali meets Meera while in a car chase pursuing rival gang members in Bulgaria. In the process his car accidentally hits Meera. He gets out of the car and helps her and leaves reluctantly only when she assures him that she is alright. The next day he finds her in the market at her painting stall. He asks her out for dinner and she agrees but only for five minutes. The next day he tries to fit dinner and desert into five minutes. She asks Kaali to take her out again the next day, which happens to be her birthday, but he says he is unable to, as he has some major business to attend to.

Disappointed, Meera accepts the declined offer. The next day, Kaali with his entourage transports a huge amount of gold to another city, but is cut off by an armed group. The group shoots at Kaali'€™s car until he loses control and the car flips.

The group leader walks towards him and points a gun at him. When he looks up, it is Meera holding the gun. She almost pulls the trigger but stops, because it is her birthday and instead just takes all the gold. Kali is also on the verge of shooting but something stops him.

Kaali'€™s father Randhir Bakshi (Vinod Khanna) is upset and wants to take revenge, but Kaali stops him and tells his father he will deal with Meera himself.

Kaali follows her as she returns home and tries to make her stop her car but she only veers and collides into his vehicle. Kaali has no choice but to defend himself by hitting her car in return. Eventually Meera'€™s car comes off the road at a mountainous curve in the road and is stuck on the cliff face. As she falls out of the car Kaali goes to her rescue, pulling her back to the car, and tells her to never show her face again.

Meera realizes Kaali'€™s kindness and love for her. She goes back to apologize to him but he only kicks her out of the house. Meera stays outside of Kaali'€™s home, rain, hail or shine, she sits faithfully on the pavement. Kaali, observing her still at her post in the rain, decides to go out and give her an umbrella. She takes it and they become lovers.

Both continue with their own lives as usual. Kaali is a good and obedient son. He listens to his father and takes care of his younger brother as if he was his own son. When his father cannot handle his brother Veer (Varun Dhawan), who sulks because he feels unloved, it is Kaali who talks him out of it. Meera is the same, her father'€™s approval comes first.

When Meera and Kaali decide to tie the knot, it takes a lot of work to convince their fathers who are arch enemies. Kaali manages to convince his father who cannot refuse, knowing that his son is now running the organization. When Meera informs her father Dev Malik (Kabir Bedi) about her desire to marry Kaali, he agrees, but formulates a plan without her knowledge.

A meeting between Randhir and Dev is set up in a hotel. Kaali accompanies his father, Randhir, while Meera waits at her house. Kaali is nervous as he enters the lounge of the hotel. Harsh words are exchanged when the two fathers came face to face, followed by gunshots. Kaali shoots back at Meera'€™s father'€™s men. After the firefight the only four people still alive are Dev'€™s lieutenant who ran away, Kaali and the two fathers, whose guns are pointed at each other. Randhir and Dev both fire and Kaali tries to help his father, but it is too late as his father is already dead. Kaali takes the gun from his father'€™s hand, holds it and unknowingly points at Dev. This is the scene Meera witnesses as she enters. Angry and hurt she doesn'€™t think twice and shoots Kaali below the shoulder. They part ways.

Fifteen years later, in India, Veer, Kaali'€™s younger brother has grown into a young man and is in charge of his brother'€™s car repair shop. While on a car ride he meets a girl named Ishita (Kriti Sanon) and falls in love with her. Kaali does not object. He never told his love story to Veer, deciding to leave his past a secret. The film'€™s plot begins to take some unexpected twists when Veer asks for Ishita'€™s hand in marriage.

At some points Dilwale has its emotional moments. Once again, the chemistry between Kajol and SRK is magical, but this time in a different genre, an action drama. Kajol'€™s acting is impeccable with a marvelous depth, which is matched by SRK'€™s own acting prowess.

Although the movie is supposed to be about Meera and Kaali, director Rohit Shetty starts the movie with Veer'€™s story which is confusing because it is obvious that the film is supposed to be about SRK and Kajol. The film could have had better editing for a clearer storyline. On the other hand, Rohit adeptly combines the action and romance by not having too much of either. He doesn'€™t go too far away from the Bollywood action stars where the hero handles 20 men at a time!

The upcoming actor Varun Dhawan'€™s performance is remarkable at times. One may not take him seriously in the beginning, but he manages to capture audiences when he is told to leave his brother after he marries.

My compliments to the make-up artists. Overall, Kajol looks stunning, and in parts where SRK and Kajol are supposed to look young, the make-up artist nails the early 30s look.

As usual the film has its songs. The '€œGerua'€ song has scenic landscapes that somehow look like wallpaper. Overall, the film is good fun, it has its moments of suspense and at times a clichéd sub-plot, but it is worth the 154 minutes.

'€” Photos courtesy of Red Chilies Entertainment
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Dilwale

Directed by: Rohit Shetty
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Johnny Lever, Sanjay Mishra, Mukesh Tiwari, Pankaj Tripathi, Boman Irani
Time: 154 minutes

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