Movie Overview
Title: Nadaaniyan
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Streaming On: Netflix
Director: Shauna Gautam
Cast: Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhry, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza, Jugal Hansraj
Genre: Teen Romantic Comedy
Duration: 1h 59m
IMDb Rating: 3.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 13% (Critics) | 23% (Audience)
A Dream Launch That Lacks Soul
Netflix’s Nadaaniyan had the whole lot going for it on paper—famous person kids, a younger setup, and the signature Dharmatic gloss. With debutants Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor headlining and a pro assisting and forging backing for them, expectancies have been excessive. Unfortunately, the movie is a traditional case of “all style, no substance.”
What could’ve been a sparkling tackle of teenage love and identification appears like a determined try to recreate the allure of Student of the Year with none of its infectious strength or memorable moments.
Plot Summary: Pretend Love, Real Problems (But Not Really)
Set within the glitzy global of Delhi’s upper-crust teenagers, Nadaaniyan revolves around Pia Jaisingh (Khushi Kapoor), a pampered, however lonely, youngster whose recognition takes a successful turn after a scandalous fallout together along with her influencer buddy group. In a bid to regain social clout, she ropes in Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan), a diligent, grounded classmate from a modest history, to fake being her boyfriend.
As expected, the fake romance ends in actual feelings; however, the tale in no way dares to dive deeper than surface-stage drama. The magnificence of warfare is painted with huge strokes, with Arjun’s struggles slightly touched upon and Pia’s emotional arc left half-baked. The movie flirts with thoughts like peer validation, social media pressures, and identification crises; however, in no way surely commits to exploring any of them.
Background & Production Buzz
Directed by debutante Shauna Gautam, Nadaaniyan turned into an advanced beneath Dharmatic Entertainment’s youth-centered slate. The assignment generated buzz early on for launching distinguished famous person kids. Industry insiders stated that the movie underwent numerous rewrites, which can explain its inconsistent tone. Initial teasers generated curiosity; however, critics fast-talked about the dated sense upon release.
Interestingly, the movie was shot throughout Delhi, Mussoorie, and a set primarily based on an excessive college campus in Film City, Mumbai, with finances expected at ₹35–40 crore.
Performances: Star Power Without Spark
Ibrahim Ali Khan as Arjun Mehta
Despite his resemblance to his father, Saif Ali Khan, Ibrahim lacks the display screen presence and emotional adulthood wanted for a position that needs vulnerability. His stiff frame language and underwhelming speech transport make it tough to empathize with Arjun’s journey. He appears more centered on his appearance than on the emotional weight of his scenes.
Khushi Kapoor as Pia Jaisingh
Khushi fares barely higher together along with her expressive eyes and self-belief in glamorous frames. However, her overall performance falters in emotionally stressful moments. Pia’s inner conflict is hinted at, however, in no way completely realized, and Khushi’s appearance doesn’t raise the gaps in writing.
Veteran Actors Bring the Heart
Mahima Chaudhry, as Arjun’s supportive mother, brings much-wanted emotional grounding. Suniel Shetty performs the stereotypical strict father with conviction, whilst Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj, in smaller roles as teachers, provide warm temperature and comedian timing. Their quick appearances are the various few moments while the movie certainly connects.
Direction and Writing: A Lost Opportunity
Direction through Shauna Gautam
Gautam’s path leans closely into aesthetics and gloss; however, she struggles to extract significant performances or preserve a cohesive tone. The emotional beats feel forced, and key moments lack authenticity. For a debut, the movie suggests visible aptitude but little narrative vision.
Screenplay by Ishita Moitra & Team
The writing team, regarded for his or her paintings on Four More Shots Please! and Jugjugg Jeeyo, highly fails to deliver freshness to this style. The dialogue sense recycled, and the humor regularly falls flat. Attempts at relatability—like Pia posting emotional selfies with dramatic captions—come across as tone-deaf instead of satirical.
Technical Review: Gloss Without Grip
Music (through Sachin–Jigar)
The album is serviceable but uninspired. “Ishq Mein” and “Nadaaniyan (Reprise)” provide a short-term vibe, however, they fail to linger past the credits. The history rating attempts to be too tough to fabricate emotion, regularly intruding on the scene’s herbal rhythm.
Cinematography (Anuj Samtani)
The visible language mimics that of excessive-style young-adult series—assume Elite meets K3G. Delhi’s elite celebration scenes, college corridors, and rooftop cafes are superbly framed; however, there’s no innovative storytelling through the visuals.
Editing
The movie’s pacing is inconsistent. It drags on inside the 2nd act, especially at some stage in the will-they-won’t-they moments, after which it rushes closer to a hasty climax that feels unearned.
Audience & Critical Reaction: Roasted on Arrival
Nadaaniyan turned into a right-away troll upon release. Social media turned brutal.
Twitter/X trended hashtags like #NadaaniyanFlop and #NepoSaga2025.
YouTube critics have known it as "a love letter to mediocrity" and talked about the tone-deaf attempt to constitute Gen Z.
IMDb customers know it as “one of the most dead debuts in years.”
Rotten Tomatoes: Critics slammed it for being previous, whilst audiences felt cheated through the deceptive trailer, which promised a coming-of-age drama.
Comparison: How It Stacks Up
In comparison to different Indian young adult dramas like Class or Mismatched, Nadaaniyan feels sanitized and indifferent to reality. While the ones suggested embraced improper characters and complicated dynamics, Nadaaniyan sticks to clichés and gives no actual emotional intensity or commentary. Even within the style of debut films, it lacks the rawness visible in Student of the Year (2012), which at the very least had memorable songs and colorful storytelling.
Pros & Cons: Nadaaniyan in a Nutshell
Pros:
Veteran actors deliver moments of intensity.
High manufacturing values and sharp visuals.
Some humorous, light-hearted moments.
Cons:
Lead performances lack emotional connection.
Predictable, previous tale, and not using originality.
Fails to resonate with Gen Z audiences.
Over-reliance on glamour over substance.
The weak climax with abrupt resolution.
Final Verdict: Nadaaniyan Is All Style, No Substance
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Nadaaniyan is an empty strive at taking pictures of young adult angst and romance through a smooth filter. It banks an excessive amount on lineage and aesthetics and forgets to construct a global or characters well worth investing in. While it'd get clicks because of curiosity, it may not leave any lasting impression.
Should You Watch Nadaaniyan?
Watch if:
You're curious about approximately when Ibrahim or Khushi’s debut will be.
You experience guilty-pride young-adult dramas.
Skip if:
You assume significant storytelling or authentic chemistry.
You’re over the rich-girl-meets-poor-boy trope.
