‘Dhadak 2’ Movie Review: Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri Impress in a Powerful Remake That Boldly Tackles Its Caste-Politics (LatestLY Exclusive)

Dhadak 2 Movie Review: "Main toh udna chahta tha. Aapne toh mera aasmaan cheen liya!" I didn’t expect Dhadak 2 - a film that turns caste politics into a franchise - to drop such a gut‑punch of a dialogue. I’m no fan of Bollywood’s remake obsession, but when it’s done right, I can’t help but be pleased. Mari Selvaraj’s Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal BA BL is one of the best explorations of caste discrimination in the past decade, alongside his own Karnan. The idea of turning it into a Bollywood product initially felt like a cultural calamity. ‘Dhadak 2’: Before Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri’s Remake, 9 Popular Bollywood Movies of 21st Century That Addressed Caste Discrimination.

But then Dhadak 2 turns out to be that rare aberration you don’t expect and yet are delighted to witness. Yes, Shazia Iqbal’s film isn’t as searingly poetic or layered in metaphor as Mari Selvaraj’s original, but for mainstream Hindi cinema - which usually tiptoes around caste - it’s a giant leap forward. Sadly, it may not get the same attention as the other romantic drama currently making audiences scream and swoon in theatres. You can’t win them all.

'Dhadak 2' Movie Review - The Plot

The story follows Neelesh Ahirwar (Siddhant Chaturvedi) and Vidisha Bharadwaj (Triptii Dimri), classmates at the same law college. They’re drawn to each other, but there’s a glaring divide - Vidisha hails from an ‘open‑minded’ Brahmin family that allows its daughters an education, while Neelesh belongs to a lower caste where education is still seen as a privilege. He faces constant jibes for making it through the ‘quota’ system.

Watch the Trailer of 'Dhadak 2':

Unaware - or perhaps wilfully ignoring - their social realities, they fall in love. But Neelesh gets a brutal reality check when he attends Vidisha’s sister’s wedding and is humiliated by her cousin and friends.

'Dhadak 2' Movie Review - How It Betters 'Dhadak'

Here’s why Dhadak 2 feels like an honest improvement over the first Dhadak. The Hindi remake of Sairaat stripped away the very element that made it powerful - its caste context - turning it into yet another class‑divided romance Bollywood has done countless times before. At least here, Dharma Productions acknowledges that misstep. Even without opting for a frame‑by‑frame remake (thankfully), it respects the message at the heart of the original, even if some of its raw edge is dulled by shifting the setting from rural Tamil Nadu to a small town in Madhya Pradesh. ‘Son of Sardaar 2’ Movie Review: Ajay Devgn Wants Us To Laugh but Where Are the Jokes.

Dhadak 2 is a faithful adaptation in spirit, retaining the core plot and pivotal moments, and reworking the rest to suit Bollywood sensibilities. Yes, certain scenes were more haunting in the original - like the humiliation of Neelesh’s father (Vipin Sharma) - but the remake doesn’t shy away from discomfort. The vicious beating Neelesh endures, followed by being urinated on by his attackers, is as harrowing here as it was in Pariyerum Perumal. His trauma manifests as withdrawal and simmering rebellion, baffling Vidisha at first.

One noticeable shift is the amplified love story. While I prefer the original’s ambiguity about the protagonist’s feelings, the romance here works, fuelled by a sense of defiance. The symbolic shot of milk tea and black tea in the original is replaced with an embrace that feels equally charged.

'Dhadak 2' Movie Review - A Stronger Female Lead

Perhaps the most significant improvement is in the female lead. In Pariyerum Perumal, Jothi is more of a plot device than a fully realised character. Here, Vidisha has agency. Triptii Dimri delivers a layered performance, portraying a woman privileged enough not to see caste discrimination - until she’s forced to - but sharp enough to recognise her family’s prejudice. The film even touches on patriarchy within upper‑caste households, as seen in a poignant moment when Vidisha’s married sister warns her not to take her freedom for granted, seconds before her husband demands she fetch puris. An advantage of having a female director at the helm with a voice.

The final act could have been tighter. A subplot involving a student leader - clearly inspired by a real‑life caste-based Hyderabad tragedy - lacks depth. The emotional connection between him and Neelesh isn’t fleshed out enough for his hurt to resonate fully and for the whole track to raise its impact on the narrative. The ending, too, opts for a dreamy optimism rather than the original’s stark realism, leaving me with mixed feelings.

'Dhadak 2' Movie Review - The Performances

Performance‑wise, Siddhant Chaturvedi is convincing once you set aside the irony of a Chaturvedi playing a lower‑caste hero. His restrained first‑half performance (which had strong shades of his own act from Inside Edge) blossoms into a more forceful presence when the film nears the climax. Triptii Dimri shines, especially in a monologue confronting her family’s regressive mindset. There's also a scene in the film - a dialogue exchange - that could well be a playful nod to her Animal fame.

Among the supporting cast, Saurabh Sachdeva is chilling as the caste‑pride assassin, and Saad Bilgrami is suitably loathsome as Vidisha’s cousin, though his sudden change of heart feels unearned. Zakir Khan impresses in his brief but pivotal scene with Neelesh, while Harish Khanna, Vipin Sharma, Anubha Fatehpura, and Priyank Tiwari all deliver solid turns.

The music doesn’t particularly stand out, and I missed the raw energy of the original’s rap interludes. The dialogues (screenplay by Rahul Badwelkar and Shazia Iqbal), while impactful, occasionally drift into preachiness, especially during a late‑climactic exchange between the lovers.

'Dhadak 2' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Dhadak 2 is not as uncompromising as Pariyerum Perumal, but it is a brave step for Bollywood. It refuses to erase caste from its narrative and gives its female lead a stronger voice, delivering a story that is heartfelt, politically aware, and emotionally resonant. Imperfect but important, it’s a rare Hindi remake that earns both its love story and its politics. In my review of Sarzameen, I wrote that Karan Johar's production house had been serving up only gham with their recent films. I’m happy to admit they’ve proved me wrong - no shame in being corrected when the film turns out to be this surprisingly good.

Rating:3.5

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2025 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).