Film critic Anupama Chopra will not be reviewing Sushant's 'Dil Bechara'; here's why

As Sushant Singh Rajput's last film 'Dil Bechara' released on Disney+ Hotstar on July 24, popular film critic Anupama Chopra took to her social media handle to share that she will not be reviewing the film. In a 2 minute 15 seconds video, Chopra said, "The truth is for me there is no way to do an unbiased review of Dil Bechara. I found it hard even to watch the trailer of the film."

She said, "It was difficult to see him play a jovial cancer patient, laughing, dancing and wooing his co-star. His dialogue, ‘Janam kab lena hai aur marna kab hai, hum decide nahi kar sakte. Par kaise jeena hai woh hum decide kar sakte hain’ took on a whole new meaning. Every frame reminded me of what was lost and what could have been..."

"I didn't know Sushant well but I have interviewed him a couple of times, the last being for Chichhore in September. He was smart, candid, and always ready to experiment. Sushant’s death is a loss for the Hindi cinema. The circus which has followed his passing is equally sad. Instead of respectful introspection and trying to figure out how we can all do better, what is mostly on display is rank opportunism. The possibility of real change has been hijacked by settling scores and personal agendas. It’s ugly and utterly graceless. In such a vitiated atmosphere, it’s impossible for me to see Dil Bechara in isolation and gauge it on its own merits. I have no wish to contribute further to the noise," said Chopra in a video statement.

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Talking about his performance and star presence, Chopra called him a 'strong actor' and a 'rare thing' who proved his mettle right in his first film Kai Po Che!. Anupama Chopra said, "I loved his performance in Shuddh Desi Romance (I wrote in my review that his character, “the irresistibly goofy Raghu” is “easily the most charming guide in Hindi cinema since Dev Anand’s Raju in Guide”). I was one of the few fans of Detective Byomkesh Bakshy.  His work in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and Sonchiriya was terrific. Even in uneven films like Kedarnath, he held his own."

Chopra concluded by saying, "I wish director Mukesh Chhabra and his team the best for their film. I hope the troubled journey of Dil Bechara finds a happy ending. And Sushant, wherever he is, finds a semblance of serenity."

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