In 2019, when De De Pyaar De hit the screens, the unapologetic take on unconventional love worked because of being emotionally honest without being melodramatic. Six years later, director Anshul Sharma returns with a cheeky sequel, in the middle of the wedding season, that is again bold in idea and joyful in spirit. Filled with a heavy dose of family chaos and generational clash, it follows Ashish Mehra (Ajay Devgn), the middle-aged divorcee in love with the much younger Ayesha (Rakul Preet Singh). Their spirited romance faces another litmus test as this time Ayesha takes Ashish home to introduce him to her self-proclaimed progressive Punjabi family.

Enters R. Madhavan as Ayesha’s ‘modern’ father, who turns out to be overprotective. As the liberal mask comes off, we see the same old father who sees Ashish as an intruder, threatening family honour and cultural norms. Soon, age no longer remains just a number but becomes a symbol of perversion.

If in the original, Tabu was the charming bone of contention, here we have Madhavan playing the part with elan. He never allows the father figure to become a caricature in this tug of war, bringing grace and believability to even the high-pitched parts. Though it is a Devgn film, it is Madhavan who drives the show and provides some genuine laughs as he portrays moments of fatherly anxiety and angst.

To his credit, Devgn, in a stylish turn, surrenders to the writing and plays along when Rakul gets the best lines. Not Rakul, it is his chemistry with Jaaved Jaaferi that supplies sharp humour this time. Anshul uses references to Shaitan and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge to drive home the conflict, and the presence of Meezan Jaaferi as the third angle in the triangle provides an extra dose of humour, as father Jaaved is there to tickle the off-screen connection.

A still from ‘De De Pyaar De 2’
| Photo Credit:
T-Series

It is the Luv Ranjan universe, and he has written the script from the perspective of a girl who stands by her choice. She wants to take the plunge with a man who is close to her father’s age and doesn’t want to be judged by her family. More importantly, she doesn’t wish Ashish to keep a door open for her to exit the ‘odd’ relationship just because of the age gap. It is an interesting take that empowers girls to stand by their decision, right or wrong. Rakul once again owns the part. She looks ravishing but is not reduced to just an object of desire. It is a meaty part, and she seasons it well.

On the other hand, the surprise factor is not as high this time because we are familiar with the narrative structure, and in an attempt to replicate the fun, the tone tends to become overly high-pitched. In terms of storytelling, the middle part becomes a little bloated, feels sappy and repetitive, but it signs off strong.

De De Pyaar De 2 is currently running in theatres

In 2019, when De De Pyaar De hit the screens, the unapologetic take on unconventional love worked because of being emotionally honest without being melodramatic. Six years later, director Anshul Sharma returns with a cheeky sequel, in the middle of the wedding season, that is again bold in idea and joyful in spirit. Filled with a heavy dose of family chaos and generational clash, it follows Ashish Mehra (Ajay Devgn), the middle-aged divorcee in love with the much younger Ayesha (Rakul Preet Singh). Their spirited romance faces another litmus test as this time Ayesha takes Ashish home to introduce him to her self-proclaimed progressive Punjabi family.

Enters R. Madhavan as Ayesha’s ‘modern’ father, who turns out to be overprotective. As the liberal mask comes off, we see the same old father who sees Ashish as an intruder, threatening family honour and cultural norms. Soon, age no longer remains just a number but becomes a symbol of perversion.

If in the original, Tabu was the charming bone of contention, here we have Madhavan playing the part with elan. He never allows the father figure to become a caricature in this tug of war, bringing grace and believability to even the high-pitched parts. Though it is a Devgn film, it is Madhavan who drives the show and provides some genuine laughs as he portrays moments of fatherly anxiety and angst.

To his credit, Devgn, in a stylish turn, surrenders to the writing and plays along when Rakul gets the best lines. Not Rakul, it is his chemistry with Jaaved Jaaferi that supplies sharp humour this time. Anshul uses references to Shaitan and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge to drive home the conflict, and the presence of Meezan Jaaferi as the third angle in the triangle provides an extra dose of humour, as father Jaaved is there to tickle the off-screen connection.

A still from ‘De De Pyaar De 2’
| Photo Credit:
T-Series

It is the Luv Ranjan universe, and he has written the script from the perspective of a girl who stands by her choice. She wants to take the plunge with a man who is close to her father’s age and doesn’t want to be judged by her family. More importantly, she doesn’t wish Ashish to keep a door open for her to exit the ‘odd’ relationship just because of the age gap. It is an interesting take that empowers girls to stand by their decision, right or wrong. Rakul once again owns the part. She looks ravishing but is not reduced to just an object of desire. It is a meaty part, and she seasons it well.

On the other hand, the surprise factor is not as high this time because we are familiar with the narrative structure, and in an attempt to replicate the fun, the tone tends to become overly high-pitched. In terms of storytelling, the middle part becomes a little bloated, feels sappy and repetitive, but it signs off strong.

De De Pyaar De 2 is currently running in theatres