Nadaaniyan (2025) — Hindi Romance

"Nadaaniyan" is a 2025 Hindi-language romantic comedy directed by Shauna Gautam, marking her directorial debut. The film features Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor in leading roles, supported by Mahima Chaudhry, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza, and Jugal Hansraj. Produced by Karan Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment, the story revolves around Pia Jaisingh, a privileged South Delhi teenager, who hires Arjun Mehta, a middle-class scholarship student, to pose as her boyfriend to maintain her social status. Their pretense becomes complicated when genuine feelings develop between them. The film delves into themes of identity, social status, and the complexities of modern relationships. It explores the lengths individuals go to maintain appearances and the blurred lines between reality and pretense in the age of social media. Despite its contemporary setting, "Nadaaniyan" has been criticized for its lackluster storytelling and underwhelming performances. Critics have described it as a "rambling love story that's too filtered to be true," with a screenplay that is "clumsy and lazy." Upon its release on March 7, 2025, "Nadaaniyan" received predominantly negative reviews. The film holds a 12% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics highlighting its shallow narrative and lack of depth. Anupama Chopra of The Hollywood Reporter noted that while the film is visually stunning, it lacks depth in its storytelling. Despite the critical reception, "Nadaaniyan" topped charts as one of the most-watched Indian films of the year, indicating its appeal to a segment of the audience.