Why ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ Nails Rich People Drama

“Aunty, woh butter knife hai,” Kabir Mehra (Ranveer Singh) tells his sister’s mother-in-law, Smita (Zarina Wahab), in one of the most quoted scenes of the 2010s. That’s a butter knife. When she threatens to cut her wrists with it, Kabir tells her to use a real knife instead — for maximum impact in her threat. In just one moment, director Zoya Akhtar did what she does best: teach us about social issues with a dash of levity. 

Dil Dhadakne Do was the 10th highest-grossing Indian film of 2015 — though not as popular as masala flicks such as Bajrangi Bhaijaan and epics such as Baahubali. However, when it came out on June 5, it was especially popular in the diaspora, earning the highest overseas box office returns. The movie featured a jam-packed ensemble cast and an unusual premise: a story about a wealthy Delhi family embarking on a cruise, narrated by their oddly reflective family dog, Pluto. But that’s not why audiences stayed. Or why we should rewatch it today.