Genre: Comedy
Director: Anil Senior
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkana Sen, Rahul Bose, Soha Ali Khan, Rahul Khanna, Payal Rohatgi
Storyline: Two couples learn a thing or two about marriage and infidelity
Bottomline: Watch it for this cast
Due to the unavailability of the DVD of Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives, it maybe difficult to comment about how original Dil Kabbadi really is.
Having rarely reviewed films without watching the original, I find myself a little confused. Dil Kabbadi with its cast is certainly one of the funniest films of this year and probably the most intelligent of them all.
But then, a lot of the writing in the film sounds so much like a Woody Allen film that I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hindi script is a mere translation from the English subtitles.
In any case, given that it is quite difficult to find the DVD, Dil Kabbadi might be worth your time if you want to see Irrfan Khan rock this role as the infidel husband, with an innocent charm.
The actor has us in splits in this conversation-driven film in the ‘Life in a Metro’ genre while the rest of the ensemble delivers a first rate performance. Konkana Sen as the passive aggressive housewife, Soha Ali Khan as the easily irritable prude, Rahul Khanna as the charming romantic and Rahul Bose as a thirty-plus lecturer on cinema make Dil Kabbadi work and how. Even a loud, shrieking Payal Rohatgi works here because she’s meant to be annoying. Kabbadi also features, by far, the best onscreen kiss of the year in Hindi cinema. Debutante Saba Azad is seriously hot, super talented and a star in the making.
There’s not a dull moment in this bitter-sweet take on marriage, infidelity, love, sex and power as Anil Senior takes a subject usually used as a staple for slapstick (remember No Entry, Masti and similar multi-starrers) and deals with it with inspired maturity and light heartedness. Or maybe the credit should entirely go to Woody Allen.
Strictly for the multiplex audience. Not the kind of movie you would take your girlfriend to. Unless, you are married.
Disclaimer: The critic reserves the right to hate this film, once he gets to watch the original.
MADRAS INK. 
I’m quite sure you’ll hate the movie once you watch husbands and wives.It’s almost a scene to scene, dialogue to dialogue rip-off of the original.I found dil kabaddi quite boring, except for irfan’s and konkona’s amazing performances.
Hello Sudish,
I am an avid reader of your reviews and everytime a movie releases (esplly multi starrers and the big league movies), I look forward to your review before seeing the film. I just have one question though? Is there any movie in Bollywood that has been spared of your sarcasm? (trust me I like it) Probably this was the one movie that was spared off the “butchering” (ahem ahem) save for the disclaimer at the end!!
I heard from people who’ve seen the original that this is a blatant rip off!!