'Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba' On Netflix Movie Review: Vikrant Massey-Sunny Kaushal's Strong Performances Elevate A Predictable, Weak Narrative

When ‘Haseen Dillruba’ was released in 2021, the movie was loved by the fans for its stellar performances and its unconventional plotline. Almost three years after the release of this romantic thriller, the sequel of the film has become the talk of the town. After an arduous wait to know the next chapter in Rani’s life, the sequel – ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ – has finally hit Netflix. In case you are planning to add this pulpy thriller to your weekend binge list, then here’s all that you need to know about the Taapsee Pannu and Vikrant Massey starrer.

‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’: Story

The story picks up after the events of ‘Haseen Dillruba.’ Rani (played by Taapsee Pannu) and Rishu (played by Vikrant Massey) have moved to a new city and are planning to escape to Thailand. The couple decides to live separately but somehow, they manage to live close to each other. Rani, now, lives in a rented house with her landlady and runs a beauty parlour, while Rishu has started coaching students and resides in the same coaching center. But things take a turn when Abhimanyu (played by Sunny Kaushal) falls for Rani. Rani knows about it but she’s too obsessed with Rishu to look towards any other man. However, she decides to marry Abhimanyu when she realizes that Inspector Kishore Jamwal (played by Aditya Srivastava) and Mrityunjay Prasad (played by Jimmy Sheirgill) – Neel’s uncle – are investigating the missing case of Neel and the purported death of Rishu. Police suspect Rishu is still alive, and they set out a force to monitor Rani’s activities. Amidst this, Rani tells Abhimanyu about her past and seeks help from him. But Abhimanyu also hides secrets under his sleeve. With dark secrets and hidden truths, will Rani and Rishu leave the country, or does Rani choose Abhimanyu in the end? These questions form the crux of ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba.’

‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’: Performances 

Taapsee Pannu is undoubtedly the star of the movie. As Rani Kashyap, she continues to be the quintessential eccentric girl in a small town. Her odds and quirks come across as too modern in the conservative society. There isn’t any notable change that she has imbibed in her performance for the sequel. If you don’t compare her performance from the first film, she comes across as effervescent. However, you cannot help but notice certain instances when she falls out of her character and brings Taapsee to the forefront.

Vikrant Massey, on the other hand, continues to be as reliable as ever. His performance is nuanced, and he brings Rishu to life with utmost ease. The actor has gotten into the skin of his calculative character and imparts a certain coldness and maniac quality to his character that only comes from paying attention to the minute details. Vikrant has got the body language, the accent, and the personality just right. 

Coming to the supporting actors, Sunny Kaushal was a treat to watch. His character starts as an ardent lover but as the story progresses, his cold secrets start coming out of the closet. The actor, through his attractive screen presence, has managed to capture this shift in his personality through his solid performance and makes you like his character despite his flaws. Other than him, Jimmy Sheirgill, too, was a splendid addition to the sequel. The actor has delivered a remarkable performance which tends to stay with you even after the credits have rolled. He is beautifully complimented by Aditya Srivastava. As the small-town cop, the actor brings a certain rawness and edge which was needed from his commanding role.

‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

Written by Kanika Dhillon, ‘Phir Aayi Haaseen Dillruba’ has all the elements that make for a pulpy drama; it has a love triangle, murder, dark secrets, and obsession. Love and sex are sprinkled in measured quantities to make sure the movie continues to exude the essence of a B-grade crime film without coming across as raunchy. Keeping the problematic politics of the film aside, what works for the movie is how it never glorifies the characters; they are shown as flawed individuals and that helps the characters feel real and human. Despite these thrilling elements, the movie tends to fall short. Even if you have not watched the first film, the writing gets too predictable after a few minutes. The dialogues are just fine as they retain the essence, but the overall plot fails to do justice to it.

Talking about the visual aspect of the film, the camera work is good at best, but it is able to capture the essence of a small town in Uttar Pradesh. However, it lacks in terms of its pacing. While the first half of the film is paced well, the latter half takes too long to unravel. So much so that you start hitting the skip button or watching the movie at an increased pace. If the same slow-burn pace format was used for the entire duration of the film, it would have made a lot more sense. But this uneven pacing leaves you feeling agitated. Even musically, the movie doesn’t particularly stand out. The compositions aren’t that remarkable apart from the iconic Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle song – ‘Ek Hasina Thi’ – which is interspersed at regular intervals in the film. The tracks from the film can be skipped as you would not miss out on any important plot developments.

It is evident that the director, Jayprad Desai, relied on the actors’ screen time rather than plot development. There have been scenes when unnecessary emphasis on the characters’ reactions or facial expressions was given, rather than making the story more thrilling. Instead, the scenes take a long time to simmer and boil and delve into the action. Overall, the direction is earnest, at best.

‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’: Cast & Crew

Director: Jayprad Desai

Writer: Kanika Dhillon

Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Sunny Kaushal, Jimmy Sheirgill, Aditya Srivastava, Bhumika Dube, Sapana Paritosh Sand, Manoj Kumar Singh, Alok Kumar Pandey, Manwendra Kumar Tripathy

Available On: Netflix

Duration: 2 hours 12 minutes

Language: Hindi

‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’: Can Kids Watch It?

The movie is not suitable for viewers under the age of 16.  

Outlook’s Verdict

Despite its uneven pacing, predictability, and weak writing, it has just about enough entertaining elements to keep you hooked on it. ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ is a movie that makes for a great one-time watch, solely because of the incredible performances by the cast. At the end of the day, it also does feel like a movie that was robbed of its great potential to be punchy, hence, I am going with 2.5 stars.