Banner: Zee Studios, Dharma Productions, Cloud 9 Pictures Genre: Romantic Drama (UA)
Story & Screenplay
Dhadak 2 revisits the classic theme of caste-based romance, adapted from the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal. The story follows Neelesh (Siddhant Chaturvedi), a lower caste student in a prestigious law college, and Vidhi (Tripti Dimri), an upper caste classmate. As they fall in love, societal and familial pressures escalate, testing their relationship.
The adapted story by Rahul Badwelkar and Shazia Iqbal, with additional screenplay by Bikas Ranjan Mishra, is interesting but long-winded. The focus on casteism overshadows the romantic element, making the drama feel scattered across multiple tracks student bullying, campus unrest, Neelesh’s personal demons, the love story, and family tensions. While some sequences are engaging, others slow down the narrative. The dialogues are emotional but lack the firepower to leave a lasting impact.
Performances
Siddhant Chaturvedi excels as Neelesh, capturing his angst and helplessness convincingly.
Tripti Dimri is mature and effective as Vidhi, especially in dramatic and emotional moments.
Saurabh Sachdeva stands out as Shankar, while Zakir Hussain shines as college principal Haider Ansari.
Anubha Fatehpuria is natural as Neelesh’s mother, and Vipin Sharma impresses briefly as his father.
Supporting cast including Saad Bilgrami, Aditya Thakare, Priyank Tiwari, Harish Khanna, and others perform adequately, contributing to the ensemble.
Direction & Technical Aspects
Shazia Iqbal’s direction is fairly competent but the film feels scattered due to multiple parallel tracks.
Music is a highlight:
Bawaria (Tanishk Bagchi/Ozil Dalal) is a hit number.
Preet Re, Ye Kaisa Ishq (Rochak Kohli/Gurpreet Saini) and Bas Ek Dhadak, Tu Meri Dhadak Hai (Javed-Mohsin/Rashmi Virag) are melodious and soulful.
Duniya Alag (Shreyas Puranik/Siddharth-Garima) is tuneful.
Song picturisations are well-executed (Caesar-Gonsalves, Tushar Kalia, Rakesh Kumar).
Background score by Tanuj Tiku is decent but could have been more compelling.
Cinematography by Sylvester Fonseca is very nice.
Action choreography by Amrit Singh (with Vikram Dahiya) adds thrill.
Production design by Suman Roy Mahapatra is realistic.
Editing by Omkar Uttam Sakpal and Sangeet Verghese could have been sharper.
Final Verdict
Dhadak 2 is an ordinary romantic drama. While the music and lead performances are strong, the overemphasis on caste issues, multiple parallel tracks, and a weak romantic focus prevent it from leaving a lasting impression. It is unlikely to perform well at the box office despite its merits.
PUBLISHED BY SUYASH PACHAURI, FOUNDER & OWNER, GLOBAL BOLLYWOOD | THE HOLLYWOOD SCOPE