PremiumNadaaniyan review: Khushi Kapoor-Ibrahim Ali Khan lead a fun, frothy love story that stays in its comfort zone
Nadaaniyan blends cliché with charm, following a fake-turned-real romance between Khushi Kapoor-Ibrahim Ali Khan. Fresh performances, vibrant visuals, and witty writing make it a breezy weekend watch.
Last Updated: 01.56 PM, Mar 07, 2025
Nadaaniyan story:
What begins as a seemingly innocuous arrangement quickly takes a turn that neither of them could have predicted. The film chronicles the passionate romance between Khushi Kapoor's Pia Jai Singh and Ibrahim Ali Khan's Arjun Mehta, two individuals from different realms who believe they have everything under control, until their emotions get the best of them. South Delhi diva Pia and middle-class overachiever Arjun are the protagonists of this film, which chronicles their unlikely romance as they both strive to write their ideal love tale. When Pia tricks Arjun into a transactional arrangement—acting as her lover to put on a convincing romantic front—their worlds clash. There are no strings attached; the goal is to keep everyone guessing. That's the goal. Real emotions start to surface, but misunderstandings swiftly dominate, leading the couple to question the scripted nature of love.
Nadaaniyan review:
When we watch romantic comedies from 20 years ago or even a decade ago, especially from Karan Johar, there's a certain buildup the filmmaker creates that makes you hooked on how the story turns out to be. Any movie needs that space for engagement right from the beginning, and in this genre, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is probably the one for me, which excels to the fullest. Now, after 25 years, the production house has brought the film to a similar space, that is, the latest Netflix release, Nadaaniyan.
The film, helmed by debutante Shauna Gautam, features Khushi Kapoor in her second OTT outing after The Archies and debutante Ibrahim Ali Khan. Well, it's a fresh pair and also a couple of newcomers who shoulder the entire film. But to get there, the makers jump into the story like time is running out. The film narrates the story of Pia Jai Singh (Khushi Kapoor), a spoilt brat from the same family as Shanaya (Alia Bhatt in her debut film, Student of the Year), who seeks attention from her friends because her parents don't give it to her. However, they are also upset with her for some reason; thus, to get back their friendship, she fakes that she has a "picture-perfect" boyfriend and her big reveal will take place on her birthday.
Thus, after a sheer white lie, the search begins for her boyfriend, and eventually Ibrahim Ali Khan gets a hero wali entry by flaunting his swimming skills, geeky looks and also chiselled abs, which hints that he knows to balance between his brain and brawn. But him entering the frame will instantly remind you of Sidharth Malhotra's grand entry in Student of the Year.
Now the film goes instantly forward and we see a hired-on-rent boyfriend who does everything that a real boyfriend does, and real feelings come in eventually. It has to, right? Otherwise, how will the story go forward?
Anyway, you might expect Nadaaniyan to be just another cliched romantic comedy, but it's far from it! But still, the film has its own charm; probably a female gaze helped it here. The film not just delves into the story of the lead characters, Pia and Arjun, but also the supporting characters, which get extended to their onscreen parents played by Suniel Shetty and Mahima Chaudhry as Khushi's parents and Jugal Hansraj and Dia Mirza as Ibrahim's parents.
The story gets to the point of showing how the trauma that a child leads to due to the parents is something that is talked about a lot nowadays but rarely shown on the screen. Nadaaniyan tries to get it right to some extent by not just limiting it to the lead characters. Probably that helped the movie become watchable, as it should be.
Engaging with the Gen-Z love story is, to be honest, a fitting approach from the new generation of filmmakers. The freshness remains intact, although the story will remind you of many other plotlines seen in the films and series over time in the same genre.
Certainly with drawbacks, where you have Gen-Z, delving into their lingo becomes such a necessity that everything gets divided into a green flag and a red flag. Moreover, there's also a scene where Ibrahim brings a bouquet of red flags only to prove that he is a green flag. The hypocrisy does get to its peak and makes you wonder where the lesson is going.
On the other hand, making even the elders part of this generation, which we have seen many of them aspire to be, there's Archana Puran Singh playing Mrs. Briganza-Malhotra, who got transferred to Delhi maybe after she got married to Anupam Kher's Mr. Malhotra in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
See, the KKHH references are so deliberate that it's even brought in the storyline to make it more relatable to the fans of the OG film. Maybe that's why I could tolerate Nadaaniyan, or maybe if I was a decade younger, I would have sung the song of praises like I still do for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
After two films, Khushi delivers a decent performance, a much-needed improvement. But that's mostly because she doesn't have to shoulder the sequences entirely. There are hardly any scenes where she is alone on the screen and some or the other catalysts help her out well. However, Khushi serves as the film's narrator, primarily presenting Ibrahim's character through her perspective.
It definitely works to magnify the debutant as a dashing hero. However, there's still that rawness for Ibrahim and rightfully so, given that this is his first appearance on screen. Gone are the days that the rawness was actually positive and seeing a fresh actor on screen was a treat. Probably the last one who left that impressive mark was Ranveer Singh in Band Baaja Baaraat, or more recently, it would be Ishaan Khatter in Dhadak.
But Ibrahim does have that charm that makes your head turn and it works for the actor well, for the way he has been presented. However, this is not the sole reason Nadaaniyan succeeds, even though it portrays a newcomer in a manner typical of Karan Johar's approach.
Three writers have contributed to the screenplay, namely Ishita Moitra, Riva Razdan Kapoor, and Jehan Handa. All new generations do get the right tune to the story they wove. Moreover, even the music of the film composed by Sachin-Jigar has that freshness that has been lacking for a long time. However, this does not guarantee that the songs will become your earworms anytime soon.
There is a distinct visual aesthetic that makes the film standout—lavish set designs, vibrant colours, and an upbeat tone that aligns well with the world of the characters. The film heavily borrows from the glossy, aspirational style of Karan Johar's earlier works; yet it also attempts to modernise the presentation with social media elements and contemporary dialogues that resonate with today's generation.
The storyline, while predictable, keeps the audience engaged through its fast pace and witty exchanges. The humour is light-hearted and never forced, allowing for an enjoyable experience without unnecessary melodrama. While some moments feel rushed, the film compensates with a breezy, feel-good charm that makes for an easy watch.
Nadaaniyan may not reinvent the romantic comedy genre, but it successfully delivers what it promises—a fun, youthful love story with a fresh pairing. It thrives on its charm, solid performances, and vibrant storytelling, making it a suitable weekend watch for those who enjoy classic rom-coms with a modern twist.
Nadaaniyan verdict:
Nadaaniyan tiptoes between cliché and charm, spinning a love story that’s as predictable as it is pleasant. It may not rewrite the rom-com rulebook, but it certainly plays by it with flair.