In an era when fresh stories and genuine performances are highly appreciated, “Nadaaniyan” attempts to check the pulse of Gen Z romance but offers a product that is as perplexing as it is disappointing. The film, featuring Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor, had guaranteed a light-hearted college romance with modern twists, but fails with a clichéd and poorly constructed screenplay. In this 1000-word review, we break down where “Nadaaniyan” falls short, examining its plot, character development, technical presentation, and overall impact on its audience.
A Promising Premise Lost in Translation
At its core, “Nadaaniyan” is positioned as a youthful rom-com, with a mission to make a light-hearted commentary on today’s relationships, identity crisis, and clash of urban cultures. The movie follows the life of Pooja (Khushi Kapoor), a vibrant, bohemian girl who is committed to breaking out of the chocking expectations of her conventional family. Her path crosses that of Arjun (Ibrahim Ali Khan), a well-meaning but accident-prone middle-class man whose life is complicated when he gets entangled in a complicated scheme to fake a relationship with Pooja. Unfortunately, what could have been an interesting tale is buried under a script heavy with clichéd dialogues and an inconsistent tone. The film tries to balance humor and pathos but instead vacillates between forced attempts at humor and melodramatic, serious moments. Instead of reaching the delicate balance needed to make a romantic comedy successful with a modern audience, “Nadaaniyan” becomes bogged down by its competing agendas.
A Plot That Makes You Think
The narrative of “Nadaaniyan” is as fragmented as its title suggests. The film establishes its central conflict—a pseudo-romance that is meant to cure a personal crisis—whose opening promise of witty banter and situational humor promises a lot. As the narrative unfolds, however, the story goes astray. Various subplots are established, ranging from family melodrama to superficial social media one-upmanship, but none are given space or elaboration to be anything other than what they are.
The biggest issue is that the film can’t sustain a coherent narrative.
Whenever there are suggestions of emotional resonance, they get overwhelmed by contrived coincidences and too much reliance on clichés. The narrative is aware of its failing and attempts to inject irony or self-awareness, but this only sounds like pandering and not actual commentary. What might have been a rich exploration of modern romance becomes a series of loosely connected scenes that feel more like a list of misfired ideas than a carefully crafted plot. ## Character Development: Flat and Forgettable
Since this is a relationship film, character development is the most important aspect.
“Nadaaniyan” unfortunately fails to establish any real connection between its audience and its leads. Khushi Kapoor’s portrayal of Pooja is also lacking in depth—her character is written as a flat representation of the rebellious youth, with barely any development throughout the film. Instead of an interesting, unconventional character, she is a static caricature whose moves are predictable and lacking in credibility. Ibrahim Ali Khan’s Arjun fares no better.
As the everyman who finds himself in over-the-top circumstances, Arjun’s character is burdened with a script that demands emotional resonance he simply never gets the chance to provide. His clumsiness and uncertainty are meant to be endearing, but they sound uninspired and uninteresting. The chemistry between the leads, something that could have salvaged some of the aspects of the story, is also buried by the script’s failure to provide them with meaty moments. Their scenes, largely reduced to plain mundane interactions and recycled one-liners, only add to the overall sense of disconnection and disenchantment. ## Direction and Technical Aspects: A Disjointed Execution
The direction of vision of “Nadaaniyan” is as perplexed as its screenplay. Although the film has modern-day cinematography and music that attempts to give the life force of youthfulness, technical complexity is spoiled by the overall fractured nature of the story. The inability of the director to harmonize the different elements of the film makes the audience a disjunct experience rather than an engaging one.
Scenes shift abruptly from comedy to drama without warning, and the viewer is left perplexed. The editing of the movie, particularly, is disappointing, with some parts rushed and others dragging on for too long. Although there are a few nice-looking moments—due to the vibrant settings and chic production design—the technical virtues are not enough to counter the glaring storytelling faults.
Dialogues and Humor: Forced and Cringeworthy
The single greatest attraction for any contemporary rom-com is its dialogue, especially when it must attract a younger audience. “Nadaaniyan” falls short in this regard. The film’s script is riddled with one-liners that attempt to be clever and witty but end up reading as forced and antiquated. Slang used is an attempt at being trendy rather than being true to the characters’ voices.
Humor, when and if it occurs at all, is marred by its predictability and lack of novelty. Instead of wry one-liners that brighten up the story, the film makes do with stale jokes and situational humor that has been stale for ages. The meta-jokes or self-referential attempts are hit-or-miss and ineffectual and fail to save the overall narrative from its morass of clichés.
The Supporting Cast: Underutilized and Misguided
While much of the focus is given to the leads, the rest of the cast of “Nadaaniyan” too does their bit to help bring down the film. Characters that would have added more depth and complexity to the story are instead reduced to mere plot devices. Some of the performances, while genuine, are wasted on underwritten roles that do not allow these actors the opportunity to truly shine.
A handful of supporting actors attempt to bring energy and humor to the proceedings, but their efforts are soon overwhelmed by the general mayhem of the script. This failure to manage character arcs not only takes away from the central story but also serves to underscore the film’s larger problem of not being able to build a unified cinematic world.
Thematic Ambitions vs. Execution
Theoretically, “Nadaaniyan” tries to explore the intricacies of modern-day relationships, the battle between old morals and new trends, and self-discovery. These are ideas that are barely explored, however, and instead serve as superficial set dressing for the confused plot of the movie. The movie’s brief forays into these larger ideas are overwhelmed by the constant barrage of superficial plot twists and unfulfilled character arcs.
The potential of a thoughtful exploration of youth and its ills is present, but the film never entirely commits to any one perspective. That inability to commit leaves one with a sense of incompleteness, as if the film had started to hint at a genuine exploration of social ills before abandoning it halfway through for schlock humor and formulaic romance.
Final Verdict: A Disappointing Misfire
“Nadaaniyan” is a film that promised the makings of a new, young rom-com but turns out to be a cautionary tale of misplaced dreams.
Its flimsy script, uneven tone, and subpar performances deliver a viewing experience as forgettable as it is infuriating. While Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor might be able to support a story which will speak to a modern audience, they are left stranded in a script which refuses to be taken seriously. For viewers who want an engaging tale with relatable characters and a coherent plot, “Nadaaniyan” will be a disappointment. The inability of the movie to reconcile its thematic ambitions with good storytelling makes it an utter mess—a jumbled blend of stereotypes, forced humor, and wasted potential. In the cluttered landscape of contemporary cinema, where viewers are increasingly discerning, “Nadaaniyan” is a reminder that star power and state-of-the-art sheen cannot compensate for a fundamentally defective narrative.
Ultimately, “Nadaaniyan” is not only poor—it’s a total debacle that wastes its potential and leaves audiences at a loss for where it went astray.
The failure of the film to connect emotionally, combined with its fragmented storytelling, makes it a forgettable addition in the world of contemporary romantic drama. While it may get a cult following among those who appreciate campy, unintentional humor, to the rest of the world, it will be a bitter lesson in how not to make a movie with great potential. Ultimately, “Nadaaniyan” is a film that must be watched with caution.
Its attempt at reaching the Gen Z romance zeitgeist gets lost in a labyrinth of poor writing, poor acting, and technical mistakes. As such, this movie not only underperforms in comparison to what it had set out for itself but also sets the bar lower for subsequent projects within the genre. The anticipation of a new, contemporary love story is instead given the experience of a film that is as confusing as it is disappointing.
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