Tere Ishq Mein review: Anand L. Rai's romance drama leaves you cold, confused and unconvinced

What should have been Raanjhanaa's worthy successor becomes just another Bollywood cliché, thanks to its poor writing, stretched run-time and an unconvincing plot. 

While Hindi cinema convinced us of an idea of love where chiffon sarees flutter in the breeze, red sweaters warm lovers in snow-clad mountains and heartfelt realisations and confessions resolve every conflict, some filmmakers courageously shattered our illusion and held up a mirror to the realistic side of it. They showed our inner battles, our social conditioning, and the unbridgeable class divides that make love far more complex and grounded than a simple play of destiny! Anand L. Rai has long been one of the masters depicting these nuanced complexities on the big-screen, however, he disappoints this time with the Dhanush and Kriti Sanon starrer 'Tere Ishq Mein'. 

Believed to be the spiritual sequel of 2013 cult classic Raanjhanaa, Tere Ishq Mein retains the soul of its predecessor and introduces us to two deeply flawed protagonists who cross paths across irreconcilable social divides. The film opens with Flight Lt. Shankar (Dhanush) disobeying a command from seniors and intimidating an enemy aircraft amidst a war scare on the other front of the country, leading him to temporary suspension and in a counselor's cabin. We are then introduced to a pregnant and distressed Mukti (Kriti Sanon), who is the counselor with alcohol problems and is assigned to course correct Shankar, however, as fate or Bollywood would have it, they share an unpleasant history which has a hand in shaping where they are today. Flashbacks take over the screen, and we are taken to the politically charged corridors of Delhi University, where students from all social spectrums find contrasting joys and meaning in their campus lives. While going into more details of the events that unfold in the institution would mean giving out spoilers, all I can say is, what follows next is roughly three hours of unconvincing and over-familiar romance drama that neither immerses you completely nor lets you withdraw from it. 

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In the larger context, the film comes across as just another Bollywood saga featuring a heroine having the ‘I can fix’ him complex towards the irreparably alpha/sigma hero with childhood traumas. While there is definitely more nuance and layer to their characters and the story, it’s so frustratingly convoluted, stretched and bizarre that you do not get emotionally invested in any of it. The first half deals with the duo’s student lives and what purpose they serve in each other’s lives before some harsh reality checks separate their ways on bitter notes. While the pre-interval still keeps you interested, expecting some twists and turns, the second half adds to your miseries with another set of drama and revelations that exasperatingly make you go - "wait, what?"

While Raanjhanaa worked because both Zoya and Kundan were as flawed and vulnerable as we are, without taking sides. Tere Ishq Mein, on the other hand, just doesn’t let you feel for the miseries of any of the characters, thanks to its poor writing. This film also tries hard to incorporate the earthy charm, sharp punchlines and passionate dialogues that made Raanjhanaa a critical and commercial success, but fails to deliver on it. While some sarcastic digs and snap-backs of the protagonist and his sidekick, Ved (Priyanshu Painyuli),try to inject some much-needed light-hearted moments and smiles, other dialogues fall pale in comparison to the pithy, earthy and wonderfully funny ones inRaanjhanaa. This film has an intense climax, but comparing Shankar’s voice-over to Kundan’s inner voice in his final moments in the epic original, feels criminal as it fails to create even half the impact that the latter still has, even after a million re-watches. 

Performances, however, are the strongest factor of Tere Ishq mein. Dhanush effortlessly pulls the fiery, slum dewelling DUSU president Shankar, whose tragic heartbreak turns him into an 'outstanding' but 'outrageous' and 'out-of-hand' flight lieutenant of the Indian Air Force. He barely lets language get in the way of the screen presence he usually commands, while Sanon packs a punch as a South Delhi psychology scholar with multiple physical and mental health issues. Prakash Raj chips in with a small and effective role as Shankar's father.

Overall, Tere Ishq Mein fails to deliver on the expectations of an Anand L Rai love story thanks to its confusing plotlines, uneven narration and some unconvincing characters and story development. 

Tere Ishq Mein is now playing in theatres near you!

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