Dhadak 2 review: Not a love story, but brutal commentary on social oppression

After Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara took over the big screens and the flavour of the season turned to romance, I walked into Dhadak 2, assuming it would be on similar lines, but I was wrong. Romance is a secondary element in this film, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri. Dhadak 2, directed by Shazia Iqbal, is a remake of the 2018 Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal. Unlike its predecessor, which revolved around honour killing, this one highlights the stigma around caste discrimination. 

What is Dhadak 2 about? 

The film opens with a quote by Thomas Jefferson: "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty." Siddhant plays a law student named Neelesh from a lower caste residing at Bhim Nagar, who falls in love with Triptii, his classmate, who belongs to an upper caste family. What follows isn’t a love story, but a brutal commentary on social oppression. From student protests for fellowship under reservation, to being urinated upon, it is one gut-wrenching scene after another that highlights the state of affairs when it comes to the marginalised community. 

A look at the performances 

Dhadak 2 doesn’t make Siddhant an overnight hero. His journey is internal - not being embarrassed by his identity, and the willingness to fight injustice with resistance. He finally breaks away from his Gully Boy image and comes out glorious as an actor. But the use of brownface to signify caste and poverty? That’s a hard no. Triptii, though overshadowed for most of the film, delivers a strong punch in the final act. And a big shoutout to Saurabh Sachdeva—this man is a shapeshifter, disrupting the tone of the film for good, and if you watch it, you’ll know why. His presence is menacing, with little to no dialogues, and yet he manages to command attention. 

Final verdict on Dhadak 2

The makers handle the sensitive subject of Dhadak 2 with care, issuing trigger warnings and avoiding unnecessary sensationalism. That being said, the pacing drags. And honestly, you could walk in post-interval and still follow the story. But if you do watch from the start, it might just shift something in you.