I was prepared, as prepared as anyone can be, to watch Dil Bechara. I had read the novel, so I was aware of what the ending would entail. And I had steeled my heart against the expectant riot of emotions. And yet, the ending left me teary-eyed. 

Dil Bechara could never have been just another film. It is, after all, Sushant Singh Rajput’s last acting performance. And, in this case, it was impossible to view it objectively. 

In an alternate universe, perhaps I’d have looked at Dil Bechara as an emotional rollercoaster, a tear-jerker Bollywood drama, like Veer-Zaara, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and countless others. 

But this isn’t the alternate universe. And in this universe, Dil Bechara and its end, hit a little too close to reality. 

Dil Bechara is the story of two cancer patients, Manny (Sushant Singh Rajput) and Kizzie (Sanjana Sanghi), whose unexpected counter leads to friendship, love, and the realization that life is lived in moments, not days. 

In the film, Manny, pens a last letter to the Kizzie, the love of his life. And just like that, Dil Bechara appears to be a letter that Sushant wrote, or rather performed, for the audience. 

Every scene, no matter how hilarious or emotional, is a reminder that this is the last time Sushant brings alive the boy-next-door with the same ease that he brought alive a fearsome dacoit, a cricket legend considered next only to God, or a detective whose stories we grew up reading. 

Irrespective of whether you were a fan of his acting or not, it is impossible to not feel your heart constrict at the thought that this is the last time his smile will light up a frame. How can you then stop the tears, when he comes on the screen for the last time?

I enjoy movies because I enjoy stories. In that respect, perhaps Dil Bechara is not a novel story. 

But, Dil Bechara is the one film where, it’s not the director or writer, but the audience who can’t separate the star from the story. To be honest, I don’t think anyone wants to, either.

All images are screenshots from Hotstar, unless specified otherwise. 

If you, or someone you love, are suffering from depression, suicidal thoughts, or just need someone to talk to remember that help is just a phone call away. Reach out to the following helplines in India. BMC mental health helpline: 022-24131212 (available 24X7), Vandrevala Foundation: 186-02662345/180-02333330 (24×7) or AASRA: 91-9820466726 (available 24X7).