Director Aanand L. Rai returns to the big screen with Tere Ishk Mein, a spiritual sequel to his 2013 hit Raanjhanaa. This film once again explores the intense and often destructive side of passion. The story revolves around Shankar, an Air Force pilot who has been grounded for not following orders. His life takes a turn when he is evaluated by a psychologist named Mukti, which brings back memories of their turbulent past as students at Delhi University. The film tries to show how modern life and social status clash with raw emotion, presenting a love story that is equal parts poison and cure.
Acting
The performances are the biggest strength of this movie. Dhanush is absolutely terrific as Shankar. He plays a character who is very aggressive and toxic—a “red flag” in modern terms—but his acting is so powerful that you cannot ignore his pain. He completely internalizes the character’s anger and heartbreak. Kriti Sanon is wonderful as Mukti. She looks beautiful on screen but also brings a lot of depth and dignity to a complicated role. The chemistry between the two leads works well. The supporting cast, including Prakash Raj and Tota Roy Chowdhury as the fathers, provides solid support. However, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub’s cameo feels unnecessary and doesn’t add much to the plot.
Directing and Writing
The writing by Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav creates a gripping start. The first half of the movie is very engaging and keeps the audience hooked. However, the film starts to lose its balance in the second half. The director tries to mix too many genres—college romance, family drama, and war—making the story feel confused and “messy.” A major criticism is how the film handles the theme of love. It seems to glorify toxic male behavior, stalking, and violence, similar to films like Animal or Kabir Singh. The narrative suggests that a man’s rage is justified by his difficult childhood or his intense love, which is a problematic message.
Technical Aspects
Technically, the film has some issues with its pacing. The story feels long and wanders a lot, especially as it moves towards the climax. The transition from the college flashbacks to the present-day Air Force setting is not very smooth. The film feels bloated, and the editing team should have trimmed several scenes to make the narrative tighter. The logic of the plot often fails, asking the audience to simply accept unrealistic situations, such as the unethical relationship between a doctor and her patient.
Music
The music by A.R. Rahman is excellent. As is often the case with Rahman’s work, the songs might take some time to grow on you, but eventually, they completely envelop the listener. The background score matches the story perfectly. There is a specific humming motif used in tense scenes that effectively makes the heart race. The music adds a necessary layer of emotion to the film.
Tere Ishk Mein is far from a perfect film. It suffers from a confused plot and a very controversial message about love and toxicity. However, when the movie hits its emotional high points, it hits like a storm. It is a film that “bleeds emotion.” If you can ignore the problematic logic and the glorification of anger, the stellar performances by Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, along with Rahman’s music, make it an intense experience. It is not a love story that asks for your approval; it demands your surrender.