Eighteen years since Life in a Metro, Anurag Basu returns with Metro… In Dino, a spiritual sequel that captures the emotional mayhem of city relationships. Here, Anurag Basu goes deeper into the complexities of love, loss, and rediscovery, offering a musical tapestry that’s both ambitious and intimate.
The movie isn’t shot from a traditional script. It’s very much like Basu’s films of the past—the story unfolds naturally, fueled by feeling and not structure. Music isn’t merely atmospheric—it’s the essence of the film. Pritam’s scores, sung live by the likes of Papon and Raghav Chaitanya, raise the narrative to the level of theatre.
Metro... In Dino Story: Four Couples, One City, Infinite Emotions
The Metro… In Dino saga takes place in four connected love stories across India’s largest metros—Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. There’s a couple for each phase of life and love, giving a complete picture of contemporary relationships.
The film beautifully explores four different love stories, each unique and touching. Parth, a carefree theatre artist, and Chumki, a confused corporate worker, meet in a quirky way and slowly fall in love, learning about commitment and self-growth. Shruti and Akash, a married couple, struggle with their careers, pregnancy, and a growing emotional gap, showing how love can fade without communication. Kajol and Monty, a middle-aged couple, deal with cheating and lost passion, but their story has both humor and heart, thanks to Monty’s funny and emotional side. Lastly, Shibani and Parimal, two elderly people, meet again at a reunion and experience the joy of falling in love in their later years. Together, these stories paint a warm and emotional picture of love at every stage of life.
Each of the stories is woven together through common themes of longing, self-discovery, and striving to be connected. The lives of the characters collide quietly, weaving an overall emotional tapestry.
Metro... In Dino Review: Performances That Resonate
The cast of the film gives performance. Each performer is sincere and effective in their role. All actors add distinct depth to their character, which does not feel artificial or made-up. Pankaj Tripathi shines as Monty, adding both humor and emotion to his role. His scenes with Konkona Sen Sharma are among the most memorable in the film. Sara Ali Khan leaves behind her usual glamour to play Chumki with honesty and freshness, while Aditya Roy Kapur perfectly shows the confusion of a man caught between love and freedom. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Ali Fazal share strong chemistry, gently portraying the ups and downs of a troubled marriage. Neena Gupta and Anupam Kher bring grace and depth to their characters, showing that love doesn’t fade with age—it grows stronger. The chemistry of actors adds to the emotional depth of the film, making every story intimate and real.
The Music of Metro In Dino: A Story in Melody
Pritam’s music is the pulse of Metro In Dino. Unlike other Bollywood films where songs are grafted for entertainment purposes, they function here as a narrative tool. Lyrics take the place of dialogue, and melodies convey emotions that words cannot.
Numbers like Zamaana Lage, Dil Ka Kya, and Mann Ye Mera are integrated into the narrative in such an organic way that the film feels like a concert of emotions. The live performances of Pritam and his band imbue it with a theatricality that makes it feel like an emotional concert.
The lyrics, written by a pool of talented wordsmen like Sandeep Srivastava and Neelesh Mishra, get to the heart of every character’s journey. The music doesn’t follow the story—it narrates it.
Direction & Screenplay: Metro In Dino Review Anurag Basu's Signature Style
Anurag Basu’s direction is effortless and organic. He lets the stories run their course, without any stifling, and gives room for characters to breathe and grow. The screenplay with Sandeep Shrivastava and Samrat Chakravarthy is full of detail and feeling.
Basu’s casual narrative method—characters break into song with their thoughts and stride through chaos with humor—seems easy and intimate. He addresses weighty topics such as abortion, adultery, and identity with aplomb, allowing the viewer to interpret meaning without judging.
The pacing of the film is slow. While the first half is all about establishing characters and their problems, the second half is about resolution and emotional return. Subplots sometimes feel repetitive but through the earnestness of the storytelling, you are hooked.
Visuals & Vibes: A Monsoon of Feelings
The cinematography is a capture of every city’s soul. Wet streets, shaded cafes, and packed metros turn into metaphors for the inner worlds of the characters. The visuals are poetic and look more like paintings than frames.
There’s a nostalgic overtone all along, particularly for viewers who have been loving Life in a. Metro. Cameos by Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Basu himself, followed by subtle references to the original movie, make it a cinephile’s treat.
The urban centers—Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bengaluru—are not mere backdrops. They are protagonists themselves, influencing the lives and decisions of the central characters.
Metro In Dino Movie Review – Final Verdict
Metro In Dino is an emotional journey of love in all its hues—young, old, broken, remade. It’s messy, musical, and human. The movie never strived to be perfect; it strived for truth.
If you’re willing to surrender to Basu’s whimsical vision, you’ll walk out with a heart full of music and a renewed belief in love’s resilience. It’s a film that lingers, not because everything is resolved, but because hope endures.
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