TERE ISHQ MEIN (2025) gross collected 71cr up to 2nd DEC 2025

"Tere Ishq Mein" Review: The Love Story with Storm

Aanand L. Rai's cinema has always found its soul in the chaotic, consuming, and often contradictory nature of Indian romance. With "Tere Ishq Mein," the director returns to the emotional terrain he explored with the cult classic Raanjhanaa (2013), delivering what is being touted as its spiritual successor. Starring the powerhouse duo of Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, this romantic drama doesn't just promise intensity—it bleeds it onto the screen. It is a turbulent, uneven, and ultimately deeply affecting exploration of love that doesn't ask for your approval; it demands your surrender.

The Plot: When Love Becomes an Inferno

In the movie "Tere Ishq Mein," narrative introduces us to Shankar (Dhanush), an Air Force pilot grounded for his abrasive, aggressive nature, and Mukti (Kriti Sanon), the clinical psychologist assigned to assess and clear him for duty during an ongoing conflict. This present-day, high-tension setup serves as the perfect frame for a deep-dive into their shared, deeply volatile past.

The film traces their college romance, an intense and all-consuming bond in the backdrop of Banaras. Shankar is an angry young man, his love a passionate fire, while Mukti attempts to channel his aggression into something constructive, initially viewing him as a fascinating case study for her thesis on eliminating violence through emotional intervention. The complication arises when Shankar falls hopelessly in love, but Mukti—clear from the start that this was work for her—rejects him, choosing to marry another man. This heartbreak and betrayal is the forge that shapes the troubled, self-destructive man Shankar has become, and the film navigates the consequences of their unfulfilled, passionate love.

The screenplay, penned by Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav, shines in the first half, engaging the audience with a swift, charming, and emotionally charged build-up to the romance. However, as the film moves towards the interval and into the second half, the plot becomes somewhat convoluted and fragmented. Side quests, including a class divide subplot and a bizarre bet with Mukti’s father, temporarily weaken the film's grip. The narrative's pacing becomes uneven, and at a little under three hours, a tighter edit could have certainly sharpened the focus. Yet, despite these structural inconsistencies, the core emotional current—the all-consuming nature of Shankar and Mukti’s love—is so potent that it eventually pulls the film back into its powerful orbit, culminating in a climax that echoes the devastating emotional force of Raanjhanaa.

Stellar Performances: The Soul of the Film

If the film is a tumultuous storm, the performances of its lead pair are the thunder and lightning that make it unforgettable.

Dhanush as Shankar is simply terrific. He is not a mere reprise of Kundan from Raanjhanaa, but a different, more volatile entity. His portrayal of Shankar, from the earnest, passionate young college student to the rebellious, aggressive pilot consumed by pain, is a masterclass in internalising conflict. He navigates Shankar's emotional swings—anger, vulnerability, and unfiltered love—with an earnestness that makes his presence impossible to ignore. His self-destructive intensity is the film's beating heart.

Kriti Sanon delivers arguably her career-best performance as Mukti. She matches Dhanush's high-voltage act with a nuanced and restrained portrayal. Her character is complex—a PhD-level psychologist who is, at times, surprisingly manipulative and ill-equipped to handle the very emotions she studies. Sanon expertly conveys this internal contradiction, shining brightest in the latter half as her character battles her own suppressed turmoil and alcohol addiction. Her on-screen chemistry with Dhanush is palpable, creating the electrifying tension that is the film’s major asset.

The supporting cast, featuring stalwarts like Prakash Raj as Shankar’s father and a crucial cameo by Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, further cements the film's emotional landscape and its connection to the Raanjhanaa universe.

Music & Technical Craft: The Emotional Canvas

Aanand L. Rai's films are incomplete without a soulful, evocative soundtrack, and A.R. Rahman's music for "Tere Ishq Mein" is one of the film’s major strengths. The score is not just background; it is an active participant in the story. Tracks like the titular "Tere Ishk Mein" and the Sufi-infused "Deewana Deewana" are particularly striking, elevating the emotional highs and lows with their powerful melodies.

Tushar Kanti Ray's cinematography captures the emotional and geographic shifts of the story with finesse. The lighter, more romantic stretches of the college life are bathed in a pleasant glow, contrasting sharply with the heightened intensity and the psychological darkness of the later sequences. The visual language, particularly the symbolic weaving of Lord Shiva and fire references (Shankar’s namesake), adds a thematic depth that enriches the viewing experience.

The Final Verdict: Surrender to the Emotion

"Tere Ishq Mein" is a film that takes a significant risk. In a post-Raanjhanaa world, and in the wake of other controversial intense love stories, Rai tackles the concept of obsessive, flawed love with a greater, more mature intensity. While the film is far from flawless—plagued by an overlong runtime and an inconsistent, sometimes convoluted second act—its emotional highs land with a devastating, powerful force.

This is a film that will resonate deeply with audiences who appreciate emotionally charged love dramas and the cinema of sincere, painful longing. It is a story of surrender, not just for the characters, but for the viewer, who is swept along by the sheer force of the lead performances and A.R. Rahman’s score. By the time the final moments arrive, you realize that despite its flaws, "Tere Ishq Mein" is a potent, memorable, and deeply felt addition to the library of intense romantic dramas in Indian cinema.

Rating: ★★★

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