Dil Chahta Hai 2001

Three friends Akash Malhotra, Sameer Mulchandani, and Siddharth “Sid” Sinha celebrate their college graduation, a moment filled with optimism and a hint of what lies beyond campus life. At the party, Shalini is engaged, and Akash flirts with her, unaware of the engagement, only to be punched by her fiancé, Rohit. The next day, Sameer breaks up with his girlfriend, Priya, and joins Akash and Sid on an impromptu trip to Goa, a journey that blends reckless youth with the ache of growing up. There, they encounter Akash’s persistent ex-girlfriend, Deepa, whom Sid gently counsels to move on, while Sameer falls for a Swiss tourist who turns out to be a con artist, robbing him of trust and money.

Back in Mumbai, Sid grows close to his new neighbour Tara Jaiswal, a middle-aged alcoholic divorcee and art enthusiast whose quiet strength and empathy attract him. He admires her maturity and compassion and gradually develops deeply affectionate feelings for her, a shift that challenges his friends’ casual expectations. Meanwhile, Sameer’s parents push him toward an arranged marriage, but he unexpectedly falls for Pooja, the first woman he meets, throwing a wrench into the traditional path laid out for him and igniting a softer, more uncertain romance.

Tara breaks down on her birthday when her ex-husband prevents their daughter from visiting, and Sid is there to comfort her, a moment that deepens his emotional commitment. He later confesses to his friends that he loves her, a revelation that sparks tension when Akash mocks him for falling for an older woman, prompting Sid to slap him. The clash strains their once-tight friendship, as Akash clings to his cynical views and resists compromising his stance on love.

Akash departs for Sydney to manage his family’s business, where he reconnects with Shalini, who is visiting her uncle. The two bond and fall in love, but Rohit arrives to take her back to India for their wedding. Akash is devastated, yet a pivotal turn comes when Mahesh, Shalini’s uncle, reveals that she agreed to the marriage out of obligation to her adoptive parents. On the eve of her wedding, Akash proposes, and after a heated confrontation with Rohit, Shalini admits she loves Akash and chooses him, with Rohit’s parents ultimately giving their blessing.

Sid leaves for a painting workshop, but returns when he learns Tara is hospitalized with liver cirrhosis. At the hospital, Sameer reflects on his relationship with Pooja, who broke up with her boyfriend to choose him, and he notes Akash’s reconciliation with Shalini. Akash, initially reluctant, visits Sid and offers a final, heartfelt apology. Tara, on her deathbed, begins to express what Sid meant to her but dies before finishing, leaving Sid distraught and grappling with the weight of their connection.

Six months later, the three friends reunite in Goa. Sameer and Akash are accompanied by Pooja and Shalini, and Sid meets a young woman at the beach, joining her and his friends for dinner as the trio contemplates the future, carrying the echoes of friendship, loss, and love that shaped their paths.