Disappointing Sequel: Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba Falls Flat
The long-awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed Netflix film Haseen Dillruba, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, has finally arrived, and it’s a crushing disappointment. Despite its potential, the film fails to deliver a captivating storyline, engaging characters, and a coherent narrative. The sequel’s attempt to cash in on the original’s success falls flat, leaving viewers feeling underwhelmed and uninvested.
The film picks up where the original left off, with Rani (Taapsee Pannu) and Rishabh (Vikrant Massey) living a secretive life in Agra. The toxic lovebirds continue to exchange cryptic messages and engage in illicit meetings, all while trying to plan a new life abroad. However, their narrative is soon disrupted by the introduction of Abhimanyu, a medical compounder who becomes smitten with Rani. The character’s development feels rushed and underwritten, and his motivations are unclear.
The supporting cast, including Pannu and Massey, suffer from the same fate as Abhimanyu. The characters’ backstories and motivations are not fleshed out, leaving them feeling flat and unengaging. Even the usually reliable Jimmy Shergill, who plays a cop and the uncle of the victim, fails to leave a lasting impression.
The film’s greatest weakness lies in its irrationality. The plot relies heavily on convenience and luck, with characters meeting and getting married within days, and people experiencing only minor injuries after jumping off cliffs. These inconsistencies make it difficult to take the story seriously.
Despite these issues, the film does feature some clever visual metaphors and poetic cues. Rani’s hand-shaped phone stand is a fascinating symbol, and the inclusion of "Ek Haseena Thi" from Rishi Kapoor’s Karz (1980) adds a touch of playfulness.
Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’s greatest flaw is its inability to create the same kind of curiosity and tension that drove the original film. The storyline falls flat, and the characters’ actions lack emotional resonance. The film barely scratches the surface of its characters’ psyches, leaving viewers uninvested in their struggles.
Fans of the original film will be sorely disappointed by Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’s lack of depth and imagination. While the film may hold some brief moments of interest, they are too few and far between to save the movie from its overall mediocrity. The only motivation to continue watching is the hope that the original film’s charm will resurface, but even that is fleeting. If you’re new to the series, you might be able to look past its flaws, but for fans of the original, the disappointment will be too much to bear. Rating: 6/10.
