Dhadkan

Dhadkan/Heartbeat (2000)
Directed by: Dharmesh Darshan
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Shilpa Shetty, Sunil Shetty, Mahima Chaudhry, Sharmila Tagore

Filmfare Awards
• Best Female Playback
• Best Villain

An action/romance complete with class struggles, love triangles, and even evil step-siblings! Dhadkan tells the tale of Anjali (Shilpa Shetty), a wealthy woman in love with a man of modest means, Dev (Sunil Shetty). Forced into an arranged marriage by her protective parents, Anjali weds Ram (Akshay Kumar), but being the feisty female that she is, refuses to consummate the marriage! Ram surprises Anjali with his patience and his kindness in the face of family obstacles, brought about both by her and his step-siblings and step-mother. Believing that only love can overcome hatred, Ram wins Anjali over and she soon falls head over heels in love with him. Her love for Ram is challenged when Dev comes back into her life with a vengeance. Dev refuses to let Anjali forget him and he will do anything to get her back. Entering into intrigue with Ram’s step-siblings, Dev, now a wealthy man, conspires to buy back the life and the happiness he feels Ram has taken from him. Anjali is forced to make a choice between her feelings for her former flame and the happiness she has found with her husband. -Jessica Willingham