Tere Ishk Mein Movie Review | Strong acting of Dhanush, but weak base of ‘Tere Ishq Mein’, mixing action-thriller in love story.

The pairing of Dhanush and Kriti Sanon is truly a unique casting choice. But is that enough to sustain a very long film? The first half shows how Shankar (Dhanush), an angry young man from the slums of Delhi, falls in love with Mukti (Kriti Sanon), a girl from South Delhi, whose father is an IAS officer. My only request to filmmakers is to stop normalizing harassment and glorifying violence. At first glance, it seems to be a love story woven of emotions and thrills. But as the second half loses its rhythm, it becomes clear that strong casting and cinematic liberties only work when the story and direction are strong.

The film starts with Indian Air Force fighter aircraft flying in the sky and Dhanush, a dashing Indian Air Force pilot, who is facing disciplinary problems. He is one of the best officers, but his behavior is very problematic. He needs counseling because he refuses to follow orders from his superiors. But he knows his work well. Kriti Sanon, who plays Mukti, a psychologist, is all set to go to the war zone to counsel her. She is pregnant and has other health problems, including excessive drinking, but after reading Shankar’s (Dhanush) case, she insists that she will take the case and go to the war zone. It’s really weird, and these kinds of cinematic liberties shouldn’t be taken.

Dhanush is the strongest pillar of the film. Her performances have the same signature intensity for which she is loved: raw anger, passion, vulnerability. He elevates the film to the best of his ability, often single-handedly keeping it alive.

However, Kriti Sanon struggles to connect the emotional core of the film. Despite his efforts, weak writing and excessive cinematic liberties let his performance down. She never feels fully immersed in the character of a conflicted psychologist. There are some moments where she connects, but there are others where she seems lost in the film’s strange drama.

 

Prakash Raj, playing the role of Shankar’s father, has given a decent performance, but failed to bring emotional depth to the role. His character pales in comparison to the loud, dramatic tone of the film.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub’s cameo, though looks good on paper, doesn’t make much of an impact on the story.

Aanand L Rai, who is known for depicting the simplicity and difficulties of life, surprisingly misses the mark here. His direction seems too confident, which gives the film too much cinematic freedom and ultimately breaks its pace and realism.

 

The first half hints towards an emotional romantic drama, but the film soon turns into a chaotic mix of romance, action, thrill and melodrama. None of these elements are allowed to breathe properly or descend to the ground.

Rai’s usual emotional depth is missing. Instead, Tere Ishq Mein feels overly forceful and uneven, which constantly surprises the audience – but not in a good way. The anger and love between Shankar and Mukti never materialize into something real.

A.R. Rahman’s name obviously raises expectations, but the music disappoints. Barring the title track, ‘Tere Ishq Mein’, none of the songs or the background score leave much of an impact. Instead of elevating the story, the music weakens it further.

Despite good casting and strong performances, Tere Ishq Mein falls short because its foundation – story and direction – is weak. The film lacks depth, nuance and emotional connection. Excessive drama and unrealistic story choices destroy whatever potential the film had.

If you are a fan of Dhanush, then you may get some moments to enjoy. But if you are looking for a tight, emotionally strong film, then Tere Ishq Mein will probably disappoint.