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Aanand L Rai returns with Tere Ishk Mein, a complex love tale led by Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, carries shades of the emotional intensity earlier seen in Raanjhanaa.
Tere Ishk Mein
Director: Aanand L Rai
Cast: Dhanush, Kriti Sanon
Rating: ★★1/2
‘Pagal ho kya? Chinta kyun karte ho? Sab theek ho jaega’ says Mukti Behniwaal (Kriti Sanon) – a Psychology student in jest. Reason? Mukti Behniwaal wants Shankar Gurrukkul (Dhanush) for her case study so she can get her thesis – violent, ‘alpha-type’ men can be changed into calm, gentle individuals – approved. While she is convinced of turning this ‘gandi naali ka keeda’ into ‘insaan’ with her experiments and sessions, Shankar doesn’t change. All the way to the film’s final moments, he is called ‘outrageous, outstanding, out-of-hand’ by a flight-mate and ‘aggressive, angry, alpha’ by Mukti. So does anything change? Yes, the lives of Mukti and Shankar that flips upside down. And also the minds of the viewers who can’t believe that in 2025, they are offered a film that revolves around a brutally aggressive college student who storms through Delhi University crushing opponents and obsessively pursues a girl who had clearly mentioned at the outset that her ‘relationship’ with him would always be ‘work’.
Tere Ishk Mein Movie Review: What is the story?
Shankar (Dhanush) is a rebellious DUSU President who is invariably shown picking fights for social causes. He stays in a cramped little room with his father played by Prakash Raj, and remembers his mother who died saving him from a fire. Following his first unexpected meeting with Mukti, Shankar becomes her case study on the condition that she is with him strictly for ‘work’. What follows next, keeps the viewers glued to their seats. For the film offers an interesting mix of laughs, action, and the whole rich-versus-poor vibe between them. By the time an hour rolls by, you’ll be thinking that you actually watched a lot. As we get back to the present, we are told Shankar is now a pilot in the Indian Air Force, and Mukti works as a head counsellor in the Armed Forces. What brings them together is what the film is about?
Tere Ishk Mein Movie Review: How are Kriti Sanon and Dhanush’s performances?
Within the first 15 minutes, the film pushes us into a mix of past and present. This is where Mukti – who is now heavily pregnant – is shockingly called to Leh to give a mental fitness certificate for Shankar. Until now, she hadn’t heard from him following her wedding to another person. Despite her condition, she sets off on this journey to Leh. As expected, the past and present collide which isn’t just emotional, but also messy and gripping.
Kriti Sanon is impeccable as Mukti – who is determined about her goals in life, but also a confused character. After winning hearts in films such as Mimi, Bhediya, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, and Crew, she still needs to be cautious while portraying roles that have a messy setup. Even though there is enough chaos in her character, Kriti is flawless in making Mukti believable and relatable. Dhanush clearly owns Shankar. He nails this messed-up guy who is evidently violent, but also emotionally vulnerable. A couple of sequences where he describes his mother’s death and witnesses his father’s demise, truly standout. Even when the film falters, Dhanush and Kriti keeps us invested. Prakash Raj is impressive as his dad. Priyanshu Painyuli, Tota Roy Chowdhury and Vineet Kumar play their parts well.
Tere Ishk Mein Movie Review: What goes wrong?
Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav bring to the viewers a dark story. It may have sounded convincing on paper, but falters in execution. There are parts that look totally absurd, and a few that are either too grim and unnecessary. And what is that climax? It is almost like a patience, and logic-stretching endurance test than the viewers have to sit through. Mukti could have been a more fleshed out character, but isn’t. And her ways to ‘control’ him are as much weird as laughable. And with the way her dad behaves, it is tough to be convinced about her ability to fix her own issues before she is even considered as the only option for the entire Armed Forces.
In a nutshell, Tere Ishk Mein is watchable only for Dhanush and Kriti Sanon’s performances. But what about the story? Wait for OTT release, and thank us later!
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