Netflix & Karan Johar's 'Nadaaniyan' Movie Review: Ibrahim Ali Khan Struggles to Save a Dull, Lackluster Love Story; Khushi Kapoor Disappoints

Netflix & Karan Johar's 'Nadaaniyan' Movie Review: Ibrahim Ali Khan Struggles to Save a Dull, Lackluster Love Story; Khushi Kapoor Disappoints

Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhry, Dia Mirza, and Suniel Shetty deliver a formulaic performance in a film that ultimately fails to impress. The outdated storyline is confusing and lacks any real sense of depth.

Review of Netflix's 'Nadaaniyan'

Directed by Shauna Gautam
Cast: Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhry, Dia Mirza, Suniel Shetty

The premise of Netflix’s Nadaaniyan — featuring rich, glamorous young adults in elite schools falling in love — is one we've seen countless times before. Unfortunately, the story offers nothing new or engaging. This immature dramedy tries to depict the world of high schoolers but comes off as juvenile and embarrassingly shallow. There’s no depth or complexity, making it a struggle to stay interested.

Today's high school students aren’t the naive, frivolous characters portrayed here. They face real-world challenges and understand the importance of independence, unlike the characters in Nadaaniyan, who are obsessed with superficial desires like studying abroad. It feels like a cheap imitation of Karan Johar’s Student of the Year, but with none of the charm or depth. Nadaaniyan objectifies its young leads just like Student of the Year, but without the same flair or appeal. Today's generation is much sharper and more grounded — they don’t have time for the kind of mindless drama this movie offers.

The film follows Pia (Khushi Kapoor), a South Delhi girl determined to create her perfect love story, and Arjun (Ibrahim Ali Khan), an overachieving, middle-class boy from Noida. Their worlds collide when Pia recruits Arjun to pretend to be her boyfriend for a fake romance. However, as they spend time together, real feelings develop. The concept is as shallow as the characters themselves. Pia and Arjun live in a fantasy world, completely disconnected from reality.

There’s also a troubling attempt to normalize infidelity through Suniel Shetty's character, Pia’s father, and a backward portrayal of Pia’s mother (Mahima Chaudhry) desiring a son. These outdated ideas have no place in today’s world, making the film even harder to digest.

The cliché of a rich girl falling for a middle-class boy is predictable and dull. You can guess the outcome without even watching the entire film. It’s so formulaic that it’s almost insulting to the audience’s intelligence.

Launching Ibrahim Ali Khan with a project like this, especially under Shauna Gautam’s direction, was a huge gamble. While Ibrahim gives his best effort, the film’s flaws overshadow his performance. He clearly has potential and looks just like his father, Saif Ali Khan, but the lack of a strong director to guide him is evident. A good director could have turned this into a more engaging project. Unfortunately, Nadaaniyan lacks a compelling story, which is crucial for success on digital platforms.

We now live in an age where audiences expect high-quality storytelling, and Nadaaniyan fails miserably in this regard. The film feels outdated, as if it belongs to another era. It's a love story that lacks passion, depth, or any real substance. It’s lazy filmmaking at its finest, and it’s hard to understand how Netflix agreed to feature it on their platform, especially when they have a roster of far superior films and series.

As a fan of cinema on streaming platforms, Nadaaniyan was a disappointing and embarrassing experience for today’s evolved viewers. The film’s foolish, uninspired narrative feels out of touch with the world we live in, particularly in the highly competitive environment that today’s youth face.

It’s also clear that while being a star kid can open doors, talent is still essential. Unfortunately, Khushi Kapoor falls short with her expressionless performance and frozen smile. Acting is a craft that requires hard work, and it’s evident she hasn’t invested the effort needed. As for Ibrahim, he still has the potential to shine under the right guidance, but Nadaaniyan doesn’t showcase that. First love may burn bright, but this film quickly fades away.

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