Oh, where to even start? Nadaaniyan —a film that swore it’d be a breezy, Gen-Z rom-com but instead serves up a glitter-bomb of nonsense, leaving you to wonder if Bollywood’s storytelling soul has been outsourced to a meme factory.
Directed by Shauna Gautam and blessed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions (because who else?), this cinematic mess is a chaotic, cringe-fest that dive-bombs into absurdity without a parachute. And the most tragic part? It’s blissfully unaware of its own disaster status.
The Plot? More Like a Plot Hole
Meet Pia Jaisingh (Khushi Kapoor), a wealthy high-schooler (of course) drowning in daddy issues (naturally), desperate to prove herself to her old-money clan. Enter Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan), Falcon High’s token “brainy” student who’s gasp not a trust-fund baby. Falcon High, by the way, resembles a posh London prep school—if prep schools banned uniforms, canceled classes, and prioritized drama over diplomas.
After a spat with her Insta-famous squad (Rhea and Sahira), Pia hires Arjun as her fake beau for a cool ₹25k a week. Because in this universe, cash flows like tap water, and love is just another Venmo transaction. Cue forced flirty encounters, Gen-Z slang spewed like autocorrect errors, and a romance as deep as a TikTok duet.
Characters? Try Walking Meme Templates
Bollywood’s attempt at Gen-Z relatability here is like a middle-aged relative trying to dab—it’s awkward, painful, and so off-trend. The dialogue? Imagine an AI bot fed nothing but viral tweets from 2016. Case in point: Arjun “wins” a debate by flashing his abs. That’s Falcon High’s idea of intellectual prowess. Pia, duly impressed, upgrades him from “peasant” to “fake boyfriend material.”
Pia’s dad (Suniel Shetty) is a cheating tycoon, her mom (Mahima Chaudhry) the silent martyr. Arjun’s mom (Dia Mirza) teaches at Falcon High (because nobility!), and his dad (Jugal Hansraj) is a doc—because nothing says “humble roots” like a physician parent. Pia’s friends? Living, breathing satire—rich, vapid, and obsessed with turning toxic relationships into Instagram content. Principal Archana Puran Singh drops “LOL” (translation: “lots of love”) and “YOLO” like she’s hosting a Student of the Year parody.
A Technical Trainwreck
If the script weren’t enough, the dubbing is so off, it’s like watching a dubbed K-drama after six espressos. The camerawork? A nauseating mix of shaky close-ups and zooms that scream, “We ran out of ideas!” Then comes the Diwali bash—a glitter explosion capped with a song called Tirkit Dhoom (yes, really). By now, you’re either numb or laughing at the glorious nonsense.
The Silver Lining (Sort Of)
The OG Bollywood squad—Archana, Suniel, Dia, Mahima, Jugal—show up, cash checks, and exit gracefully. They’re not here for Oscar buzz; they’re here for the paycheck. The leads? Their chemistry is akin to two mannequins forced to slow-dance.
Final Verdict
Nadaaniyan isn’t just bad—it’s a two-hour loop of bad decisions, cringe dialogue, and plotlines so thin they’re see-through. The Gen-Z vibe is as authentic as a TikTok filter. Save yourself: Re-watch Mean Girls and revel in a film that actually gets it. Unless, of course, you’re here for the train-wreck spectacle. In that case, grab popcorn—and a stiff drink.