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Dil Dosti Dilemma Review: Former child actress and popular influencer Anushka Sen takes the lead in Prime Video's new series, Dil Dosti Dilemma. Based on author Andaleeb Wajid's (who has a cameo in the finale) best-selling novel Asmara's Summer, it is a feel-good show that may ride on cliches aplenty but has moments filled with effusive warmth. Anushka Sen's confident performance steers Dil Dosti Dilemma even through choppy waters. Her real-life influencer persona brings a sense of authenticity to her character, making even her less likeable traits relatable. However, I wish the writing also maintained that same charm throughout. Dil Dosti Dilemma Trailer: Anushka Sen’s Summer Joy Takes an Unexpected Turn in Prime Video’s New Young Adult Series.
Dil Dosti Dilemma is set in Bengaluru, but its language aesthetics could place it anywhere in North India. Nearly every character speaks in Hindi, with the only instance of Kannada I recall being from a popular rapper who appears in the finale of season 1 and utters a line in the language. One of the main characters is supposedly Malayali, occasionally heard uttering bits and pieces of Malayalam. However, her surname, Kariappa, suggests a Karnataka origin. There's another character who insists on speaking 'shuddh' Hindi, leaving a couple of westernised characters perplexed about what he is referring to.
It's already confusing to discern the demographics of the show. And it's even more annoying if you are showing these westernised characters talk to each other in Hindi, but they are daft enough not to understand what 'ascharyachakit' is! That's stretching a cliche beyond disbelief.
The plot of the series, directed by Debbie Rao, revolves around Asmara (Anushka Sen), a spoilt-brat teen daughter of affluent parents (Shruti Seth and Khalid Siddiqui), though she has a softer side. This makes her less annoying than her two condescending besties, Naina (Revathi Pillai) and Tania (Elisha Mayor), who dub themselves the 'Awesome Threesome'. Asmara conceals from her friends that her maternal grandparents (Tanvi Azmi and Shishir Sharma) reside in a lower middle-class locality on Tibbri Road.
Watch the Trailer of Dil Dosti Dilemma:
When her Naani visits her house while her friends are present, an embarrassed Asmara introduces her as her grandmother's friend, leaving the elderly woman heartbroken. As punishment for her behaviour, Asmara's mother excludes her from their upcoming Canadian trip, sending her instead to spend her summer vacation at her Naani's place. She hides this from her friends, maintaining a facade that she has gone to Canada. Whether Tibbri Road will change her for good or worse, or will she transform that place is what Dil Dosti Dilemma is about.
Dil Hai In The Dilemma
With a plot like this, you can easily anticipate where Dil Dosti Dilemma, scripted by Anuradha Tiwari, Bugs Bhargava Krishna, and Manjiri Vijay with dialogues by Raghav Dutt, is headed. And most likely, you'd be spot-on. When a subplot emerges involving Asmara's grandfather battling developers seeking to redevelop the area, and Asmara herself is depicted as an aspiring influencer, you know the twain (plotlines) shall definitely meet. It's that predictable.
However, I've consistently emphasised in my past reviews that a film or show's shortcomings don't solely lie in the predictability of its screenplay, but rather in how it handles it. In this regard, the coming-of-age aspect of Dil Dosti Dilemma initially showcased strengths that won me over. Credit is due where it's most deserved—it's refreshing to witness a show featuring predominantly Muslim characters that don't succumb to political stereotypes, despite the continuing clash between conservatism and modernism in the narrative.
The Sweet Grandmotherly Love
The most captivating aspect of the series is the evolving relationship between Asmara and her grandmother. There's love intertwined with friction, respect tinged with misunderstanding, and witnessing these two surmount barriers to forge an endearing bond is where the show finds its emotional backbone. Even Asmara's reignited friendship with her fangirl next-door neighbour and former childhood friend, Rukhsana (played by the winsome Vishakha Pandey), is charming.
It's refreshing to see that Dil Dosti Dilemma doesn't portray its protagonist's modernist values as her primary issue, but rather identifies her judgmental nature as the real challenge. If you expect Asmara to unconditionally embrace the traditional aspects of her family, you might be in for a surprise. Tanvi Azmi delivers a particularly delightful performance as the grandmother, and Shishir Sharma shines as her husband. Their chemistry is so captivating that one might wish the show revolved solely around their dynamic, though unfortunately, that's not the case here.
An Icky Love Story?
Asmara also becomes entangled in this 'opposites attract' love story with Farzaan (Kush Jotwani), Rukhsana's elder brother. While the show portrays this romance with a charming playfulness, there's an undeniable discomfort that arises in the love story. Although Dil Dosti Dilemma isn't very specific about Asmara's age - the novel pegs her at 17 - she distinctly appears as a teenager, while he seems to be in his mid-20s, making it difficult to overlook this incongruity.
Additionally, the love story goes predictably stale after a point, with a few contrived conflicts that are easily resolved, while dominating a significant portion of subsequent episodes. Indian Police Force Review: No Singham Comes to Rescue This Lacklustre Sidharth Malhotra-Rohit Shetty Cop Series!
The Other Subplots
We also encounter a vexing character in the form of Akhtar Begum (Suhasini Mulay), Rukhsana and Farzaan's conservative grandmother, who harbours resentment towards Asmara's mother. Akhtar Begum mostly serves as a source of conflict in later episodes, also providing an opportunity for some characters to break free from their inhibitions and rebel. However, this also leads to some confusing character turns. For instance, there's a scene where Asmara rightly confronts the old woman for her rudeness and refuses to back down when scolded by her Naani for her insolence. Kudos! Yet, in the next scene, Asmara apologises to Akhtar Begum for her hurtful words, citing respect for her elder status. Bummer!
The subplots continue to unfold. Rukhsana also has her own love story with her tenant Suhail (Ritik Ghansani), which somehow remains hidden in their nosy neighbourhood. Even Asmara's snobbish best friends have their own side stories. Naina remains oblivious to her boyfriend manipulating her to gain access to her tennis coach father (Priyanshu Chatterjee) for training. Poacher Review: Nimisha Sajayan and Roshan Mathew’s Series Is an Absorbing Thriller With a Conscientious Heart.
Meanwhile, Tania believes her parents (Dilnaaz Irani and Mahesh Thakur) are separating due to her father's alleged office affair. Of course, most of these threads ultimately converge around the redevelopment subplot, adding a layer of 'social messaging' to the series. However, many of these narratives feel dull or distracting or both, often diluting the charm of the original storyline that initially captivated me - the bittersweet bond between Naani and her granddaughter.
Final Thoughts
Dil Dosti Dilemma is charming in places, largely owing to the likeable performances of Anushka Sen and Tanvi Azmi. However, the show struggles to maintain focus on what truly makes it endearing - a pivotal central relationship between a traditional maternal grandmother and her culturally divergent granddaughter. As Dil Dosti Dilemma juggles numerous subplots, the series loses sight of this core dynamic, leaving us in a constant state of dilemma regarding its overall impact. The first season of Dil Dosti Dilemma is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2024 09:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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