In Dhadak 2, director Shazia Iqbal brings a bold, politically aware narrative rooted in caste, class, and social oppression, wrapped in the guise of a mainstream love story. But despite its weighty themes, the film often pulls back just when it should push forward.
Set in a law college in a city resembling Bhopal, the story follows Neelesh Ahirwar (Siddhant Chaturvedi), a lower-caste student battling constant humiliation, and Vidhi (Triptii Dimri), his upper-caste Brahmin classmate. Their romance unfolds amid brutal caste divides, yet lacks the raw, uncomfortable energy that should accompany such a narrative. A powerful line—“Agar Dalit hota toh bach jaata”—lands like a whisper when it should thunder.
The film borrows its soul from Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumal and echoes Sairat, but Dhadak 2 keeps its discomforts at arm’s length. Scenes set in slums or involving caste-based abuse feel sanitized, framed more as aesthetic mood than lived horror. There’s even a troubling hint of brownface in how Neelesh is presented.
Still, Chaturvedi and Dimri deliver watchable performances, especially in the quieter, in-between moments. Supporting actors like Anubha Fatehpura and Zakir Hussain lend emotional heft, and a subplot referencing Rohith Vemula’s suicide adds chilling relevance.
While vigilante villains and patriarchal figures add narrative bulk, they crowd the film’s emotional arc. Yet, through all its contradictions, Dhadak 2 remains one of the few mainstream Hindi films to directly address caste injustice. Even if it flinches at times, it dares to look—and that matters.