When Dhadak hit the screens in 2018, it was not yet another love story; it felt like a reboot for the culture. As a remake of the Marathi blockbuster Sairat, it launched Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter onto the Bollywood scene and tackled the tough topic of love and caste in India. Some complained that Dhadak softened Sairat’s socio-political kick, but it still packed an emotional kick that resonated with many audiences. Now, Dhadak 2, with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, is on its way, and anticipation was definitely in the air. though, from what we’ve seen, it looks like Dhadak 2 has a tough time living up to the feels and depth of the first movie.
The Story’s a Bit Fuzzy
One big problem with Dhadak 2? The story is just scattered. It tries to make its mark as a heart-wrenching love story and social issue-driven film, yet it does neither well. There are whimsical jumps between the love story and social issues that do not foster enough emotional buildup when they should. The first movie felt real due to the local specifics and its simple take on depicting how pressing and risky things were. Dhadak 2, instead, overemotes, hence the detriment to its emotional moments.
Why the Tamil Original ‘Pariyerum Perumal’ Still Hits Hard
‘Pariyerum Perumal’ wasn’t just a romance; it was a punch to the gut. The movie showed how messed up caste violence and bias are in schools, so real that it rattled viewers. It didn’t shy from being disturbing. The main character wasn’t just dealing with feelings – it was a fight for his life. His identity clashed with everything around him, and the romance was just a piece of the bigger social message.
‘Dhadak 2,’ on the other hand, feels like it puts the romance first without really digging into the big, unfair systems behind it. You get drama, but not much of the political punch. It doesn’t have the deep impact that ‘Pariyerum Perumal’ nailed.
Why Doesn’t Dhadak 2 Quite Hit the Mark?
Dhadak 2 takes the basic story from Pariyerum Perumal but misses what made it special. Instead of showing the sharp edges of caste issues, it goes for softer clashes between social classes and families who don’t get along. The main point that gave the Tamil film its punch is toned down or avoided in the Hindi version, probably to appeal to a wider crowd. But in the process, the film loses what made the original one so great.
Also, Dhadak 2 is unable to make up its mind whether it is a love story or a social commentary. The transitions between romance, adversity, and discussing social problems are not as seamless as in the original. Siddhant and Triptii perform well as actors, but their characters are not as emotionally and ideologically rich as Pariyerum Perumal’s characters.
It Tries to Mimic the Original—But It’s Just Not the Same
Dhadak 2 attempts to score the same melodies as Dhadak—you know, star-crossed lovers from two different worlds, disapproving families, a love you can’t have, and an aching sense of sorrow that looms over everything. These are things that Dhadak kept you glued onto the characters and their problems. Still, the sequel appears to be more concerned with sheen and surface glitz rather than with being true to life. Yes, it is pretty, and the music hits you in the heart, but somehow the whole movie feels hollow. That punch-in-the-gut feeling you got at the end of the first film? Just absent this time around.
Wrapping it Up: Dhadak 2—More of the Same, Less Heart
Dhadak 2 is very pleasing to look at and easy to watch, but it remains totally safe. It simply tried to please everyone at the cost of shedding away the raw emotion that made the Tamil movie so unforgettable. Instead of trying to go for a daring interpretation, it feels more like a weak duplicate lacking the heft and truthfulness of the original. In the end, Dhadak 2 just gives glimmers of greatness but never really makes it.
Written by Nidhi Singh