A Teen Rom-Com That Forgot the “Com”

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when Bollywood takes a WhatsApp forward and turns it into a movie, Nadaaniyan might be your answer. Directed by Shauna Gautam and produced by the ever-glossy Karan Johar, this Netflix teen rom-com introduces Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor, who bring all the charm of a cardboard cutout and a mannequin to the screen.

Plot: A “Fake” Relationship… and a Real Mess

The film follows Pia, a rich South Delhi brat who hires Arjun, a middle-class scholarship kid from Noida, to pretend to be her boyfriend. Because obviously, nothing spells rebellion like forcing a poor dude into a fake relationship. Predictably, fake feelings turn into real emotions, leading to drama, eye-rolls, and a few existential questions about why you’re watching this.

What Went Wrong? (Everything.)

The reviews were about as kind as a school principal catching you bunking class. Critics slammed Nadaaniyan for being as deep as an influencer’s Instagram caption. Nandini Ramnath from Scroll.in called it “breezy but forgettable,” which is just a polite way of saying “you’ll be asleep before the popcorn’s finished.” NDTV’s Saibal Chatterjee found it “lively but shallow,” meaning the film has energy but no brains—kind of like a golden retriever, but less entertaining.

Performances: Wood, but Not in a Good Way

Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor make their debut here, but calling their acting “wooden” would be an insult to well-crafted furniture. Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India practically begged for better performances, while Uday Bhatia from Mint Lounge suggested that the only watchable people were Jugal Hansraj and Dia Mirza—probably because they actually know what they’re doing.

Final Verdict

If you enjoy painfully predictable love stories, characters that behave like AI-generated teenagers, and jokes that feel like they were written by ChatGPT 1.0, Nadaaniyan is for you. If not, maybe just rewatch Student of the Year—at least that had good music.

Ratings

Acting – 1/5

Direction – 1/5

Cinematography – 3/5

Screenplay – 1/5

OVER ALL – 1.5/5

“Watch at Your Own Risk“