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While it doesn’t surprise you, Nadaaniyan offers a lighthearted experience that can be enjoyable. Read our full review here.
A still from the film.
Nadaaniyan U/A
3/5
Starring: Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi KapoorDirector: Shauna GautamPlatform: Netflix
There’s something oddly charming about a film that fully embraces what it is – Nadaaniyan does just that. It doesn’t try to be deep, doesn’t get caught up in logic and certainly doesn’t pretend to have any grand message. Instead, it offers an unapologetic dose of lighthearted, over-the-top storytelling, packed with classic tropes and a script so unrestrained that it keeps you entertained. If you’re in the mood for carefree fun, Nadaaniyan delivers exactly that.
At the heart of the story is Pia Jai Singh (Khushi Kapoor), a South Delhi socialite who is forced to treat love like a business transaction. Enter Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan), a Noida boy with big dreams. Arjun wants to win a high school debate competition that, in this world, is the golden ticket to an Ivy League university. And how does he secure a spot in this prestigious event? By flashing his six-pack abs in front of a room full of students who suddenly decide that maybe he is, in fact, worthy of the challenge. If you’re looking for a moment that encapsulates Nadaaniyan, this is it.
The film thrives on excess—excessive privilege, excessive montages of rich kids and lavish parties and excessive scenes reminding us that rich people have unhappy marriages. It’s a world we’ve seen a hundred times before but still, we enjoy watching it again now with this Dharma film.
Performances are a mixed bag. Nadaaniyan marks Ibrahim Ali Khan’s movie debut, and while the film doesn’t give him much to work with, he shines in the film. There’s a particularly well-executed emotional scene where he breaks down in front of his father (played by the delightful Jugal Hansraj), and in that moment, his innocence and vulnerability feel genuinely moving. His debut is impressive and of course, worth watching.
Khushi Kapoor, too, has her moments, especially in a couple of emotional scenes where she tries to break through the limitations of the script. But for the most part, both leads are abundant — more a product of the film’s sheer mindlessness than their individual abilities.
The supporting cast, including Suniel Shetty and Mahima Chaudhry, have little to do beyond some well-rehearsed bickering, while Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj, though underutilised, remain effortlessly likable in their brief appearances.
But here’s the thing: for all its absurdity, Nadaaniyan never drags. It moves at a breakneck pace, throwing one illogical moment after another at you before you even have the time to process the previous one. It’s like watching a sugar rush unfold in real-time. Does it make you think? No. Does it make sense? No. But did it ever intend to? Probably, also no. And maybe, that’s what makes it likeable.
The thing that Nadaaniyan has going for it is that it never bores you. It just keeps going — scene after scene of glossy fluff that never slows down long enough for you to dwell on the story. There’s something good about the pacing, even as you question everything unfolding on screen, you’re still watching. And maybe, on a lazy afternoon when you have not much else to do, you might just find yourself mildly entertained.
While Nadaaniyan doesn’t surprise you, it offers a lighthearted experience that can be enjoyable. If you’re looking for a movie that puts style over substance — one that allows you to relax and just go with the flow — this could be the guilty pleasure you didn’t know you needed!
