Netflix & Karan Johar’s Nadaaniyan Movie Review Dharma Productions, attempts to establish a frivolous aura of a youth-centric Bollywood romantic comedy, achieving rather less on several counts. Starring debutants Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor in roles very much reminiscent of past instances, the film does not develop anything fresh to say on its own and emptily dribbles through.
Plot Overview
Nadaaniyan is the story of Pia Jaisingh (Khushi Kapoor), a privileged student at Falcon High school situated in Delhi, and Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan), a newcomer from a middle-class background in Greater Noida. After having a spat with her clique, Pia persuades Arjun to pose as her boyfriend to maintain her social status. While enacting this charade, real feelings emerge along predictable lines.
Performances
Ibrahim Ali Khan, the son of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, shows sincerity in his debut, but he hardly possesses enough elements to transcend the limitations of the script. The portrayal of Arjun lacks depth due to insufficient writing. Khushi Kapoor, the daughter of the late Sridevi and Boney Kapoor, shines as Pia, her exuberance brightening the film to an extent, but one that soon fades in an ill-defined tale of her character. Critics have marked Kapoor’s performance as flawed due to lack of character development and shallow treatment.
Direction and Writing
Directed by Shauna Gautam, Nadaaniyan suffers mostly because of its screenplay that is an obvious repetition of older Dharma Productions’ productions minus any save-the-day kind of charm. The storyline is cliché, with the film feeling more like a collage of every Karan Johar romcom ever made without his sparkle, as noted by the critics.
Critical Reception
The most part received an unfavorable critique. Firstpost has labeled it an “utterly immature dramedy” with a “absolutely dated storyline that doesn’t make any sense.” Hindustan Times called it a yawning fest-a total disappointment for the audience, due to lack of exciting screenplay and mediocre performances.
Conclusion
Netflix & Karan Johar’s Nadaaniyan Movie Review tries to mix the tropes from age-old Bollywood romance with present settings but ends up hoisting a bland, forgettable experience. Despite the star-studded parentage of both the lead actors, the film disappointingly fails to strike a chord; indeed, cinema goes on to prove that success shall always favour substance over everything else.
