Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment is back with a new romcom, Nadaaniyan, introducing Saif Ali Khan’s eldest son, Ibrahim Ali Khan, in his much-anticipated debut alongside Khushi Kapoor. Directed by Shauna Gautam, who has previously assisted Karan on Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, Nadaaniyan tries to be a breezy romance but is stuck in known tropes.
Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan) is a middle-class boy from Greater Noida, who is ambitious and laser-focused on his future, while Pia Jaisingh (Khushi Kapoor) is a spoiled South Delhi girl masking her personal struggles behind her picture-perfect social media presence. Their worlds collide when Pia, after a misunderstanding with her friends, convinces Arjun to fake it as her boyfriend in exchange for money. As expected, scripted emotions turn real, but the film doesn’t offer much beyond this predictable arc.
Adding to the chaos is Pia’s dysfunctional family. Her parents — played by Suniel Shetty and Mahima Chaudhary — are estranged, and her grandfather reinforces age-old gender biases. While the film attempts to highlight patriarchy and classism, these themes are tackled in such a surface-level manner that they feel like buzzwords thrown in for relevance.
The screenplay by Ishita Moitra, Riva Razdan Kapoor and Jehan Handa fails to breathe life into what could have been a fun, contemporary love story. There are moments where you wait for the film to find its rhythm but it keeps getting derailed by juvenile storytelling choices. One such moment comes early on in the film when Arjun, in a bid to win the presidency of his school’s debating society, delivers an awkward speech before lifting his T-shirt to show off his abs.
This looseness pervades the whole world that Nadaaniyan creates. The film romanticises an elite, bubble-wrapped existence where a high school — reminiscent of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Student of the Year — feels more like a holiday resort and one where students never actually attend class. The cinematography is glossy, the wardrobe is straight out of a high-end fashion catalogue, and every frame screams luxury. But this focus on aesthetics over substance makes it difficult to invest in the characters or their struggles.
Ibrahim Ali Khan has screen presence but his expressions rarely go beyond mildly confused or slightly amused. Khushi Kapoor, on the other hand, puts in an earnest effort but her character feels like a throwback to the stereotypical Bollywood heroines of the early 2000s.
The chemistry between Ibrahim and Khushi is underwhelming. There’s no spark between them, and their interactions don’t feel organic. Some supporting characters, including Arjun’s parents (played by Jugal Hansraj and Dia Mirza), exist only to highlight his ‘middle-class’ background. Ms Braganza (Archana Puran Singh reprising her role from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) pops up now and then in various designer outfits, but even nostalgia can’t save the weak writing.
One of Bollywood’s saving graces, even in weaker films, is usually the music. Unfortunately, Nadaaniyan doesn’t offer any memorable tracks. The songs blend into the background, failing to leave a lasting impression.