"Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba" on Netflix Review: Vikrant Massey and Sunny Kaushal's Stellar Performances in a Predictable Plot

‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ – It is a much-awaited and looked-up-to sequel of the 2021 steamer ‘Haseen Dillruba.’ With Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, and Sunny Kaushal playing main roles, this romantic thriller has been in the most talked-about movie. But does it live up to the expectations which its predecessor created? Let’s find out.

Between Love and Danger: Will Rani's Past Destroy Her Future?

Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, The story picks up after the events of ‘Haseen Dillruba.’ Rani has shifted to a new city with Rishu and is planning an escape to Thailand. Even though they had decided to live separately, they end up staying close to each other. Rani rents a house and runs a beauty parlour while Rishu starts coaching students at a nearby center. Things turn grave when Abhimanyu happens to fall in love with Rani. While Rani is obsessed with the memory of Rishu, she agrees to the marriage with Abhimanyu because she comes to know that Inspector Kishore Jamwal and Mrityunjay Prasad have taken up the job of tracing the whereabouts of Neel, who has vanished, and the body of Rishu, who is presumably dead. The police believe Rishu is alive and starts following Rani’s activities. Amidst all this confusion, Rani shares her past with Abhimanyu and asks for his help. But Abhimanyu has secrets too. So, the question remains: will Rani and Rishu make an escape or will Rani chooses Abhimanyu?

"Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba" : Performances

Taapsee Pannu as Rani Kashyap

Taapsee Pannu played the role of Rani Kashyap with great aplomb as she got into the skin of the eccentric girl from a small town. She looks vibrant and energetic, but somehow, the subtle nuanced act of the first film was missing. Many a time, Taapsee’s act seems more herself than the character, but she charms nonetheless.

Vikrant Massey as Rishu Saxena

Vikrant Massey puts in a dependable and subtle performance as Rishu. He brings a cold, calculating quality to his character, attending to minute details into Rishu’s character to make him believable. Massey’s body language, accent, and overall demeanor are spot on, making this one of the highlights of the film.

Sunny Kaushal as Abhimanyu

Sunny Kaushal does impress as Abhimanyu, who starts off as an ardent lover whose dark secrets unravel gradually. His good screen presence and performance make his character likable despite his flaws. He effectively captures the shift in Abhimanyu’s personality, thus enriching the role.

Supporting Cast

Jimmy Sheirgill and Aditya Srivastava excel in their respective acts of Mrityunjay Prasad and Inspector Kishore Jamwal. Sheirgill’s act stays with you even when the credits roll; Srivastava brings a raw edge to his commanding act as a cop operating in a small town.

Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

By Kanika Dhillon, ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ holds all that comprises a pulpy drama: love triangle, murder, dark secrets, obsession. Love and sex are balanced without crossing into raunchiness, retaining the feel of a B-grade crime film. The character holds them as flawed individuals; hence they come across as real and human. Then the writing becomes predictable, and the dialogues, even as they retain their essence, fail to raise the overall plot.

Visually, it does bring out the spirit of a small town in Uttar Pradesh. However, its uneven pace is a major sore point. The first half is engrossing; the latter half is wandering and tests the patience of viewers. The musical score is unremarkable; the iconic Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle song ‘Ek Hasina Thi’ is effectively used all through.

Director Jayprad Desai relies too much on the actors’ screen time rather than developing the plot. A few scenes are unnecessarily focussed on the characters’ reactions, which make the narrative crawl. The direction, at totality, seems genuine but lacks the punch that would make the story more thrilling.

Though ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ is engaging and has a couple of really entertaining moments, it misses out on the much-needed originality and dosage of suspense to really grip audiences. With tighter writing and a sharper storyline, this could have been the memorable sequel. If you are an ardent fan of the first film, then this sequel will more or less entertain you, but it won’t stay in your mind.

Final Words ????

Despite the uneven pace, predictability, and poor writing, there is enough in ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ to make it entertaining. Fantastic acts by the lead cast make it a one-time watch. It felt, though, as if the film was robbed of being truly punchy. So all said and done, the rating shall be 2.5 stars.