Cinegoers are still humming those lovely tunes by Himesh Reshammiya from director Aditya Datt's debut film Aashiq Banaya Apne. But just as they are about to erase those memories, Datt returns with the romantic tale Dil Diya Hai. But this time the story is quite different. Datt has surprisingly improved his writing skills and also directed the film with lots of panache. With a gripping plot Dil Diya Hai is sure to keep you engrossed.
UK travel agent Sahil's (Emran Hashmi) mother is ill and needs to undergo an operation. Meanwhile, Sneha (Geeta Basra) and her family, who are visiting the UK, hire the services of Sahil to see the country. Soon romance develops between Sahil and Sneha.
However, desperate for money to pay for his mother's bills, Sahil sells Sneha to a brothel run by Kunal (Ashmit Patel). A little while later, he realises his love for her and desperately wants her back. The problem is that Kunal too is madly in love with Sneha and is not willing to release her.
Sahil then takes help from Mr and Mrs Rony (Mithun Chakraborty and Kitu Kidwani) to get back his lady love.
The story holds your interest until the beginning of the second half and then it loses focus with some odd songs and dull moments. Hashmi is improving with every film and impresses once again. Debutant Basra looks confident and shows potential.
Though Patel tries his best, you miss the presence of a seasoned performer in his role. Chakraborty gives a dignified performance and with the kind of response he got from the audience when he made his screen entry only goes to show that he still has a loyal fan following.
Reshmmiya's music is a value addition to the film though it falls short in comparison to his earlier effort in Aashiq Banaya Apne. The production values are of high quality.
A tighter screenplay and better star cast would have definitely helped the film go a long way, but thankfully Datt's direction shows great improvement.
Critic's warning: Film's sexual and violent content makes it unsuitable viewing for children
