Tere Ishk Mein

Tere Ishk Mein is a romantic-drama film directed by Aanand L. Rai, with story & screenplay by Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav. Wikipedia+2India Today+2

The leads are Dhanush (as Shankar) and Kriti Sanon (as Mukti). Wikipedia+1

The film was released theatrically on 28 November 2025. Wikipedia+2The Times of India+2

As per trade reports, the movie was made on a budget of ~ ₹85 crore. FilmiBeat

The expectation: To avoid being labeled a flop, the film needs to gross ~₹90 crore; ₹100 crore would put it in “average/plus” zone; crossing ₹115–130 crore would push it toward “hit/superhit” territory.

Performances & Emotional Intensity

• Dhanush: He brings rawness, anger, pain and vulnerability to Shankar’s character — often his intensity lifts scenes that otherwise feel heavy or shaky. His emotional struggles are believable, layered, and sometimes heartbreaking. Many critics agree his performance is the movie’s strongest asset. India Today+2Moneycontrol+2
• Kriti Sanon: She does well in quieter, subtle moments. When there’s pain, longing, internal conflict — she manages to convey it convincingly. For someone who’s often done lighter roles, this film offers her range, and she uses it. Moneycontrol+2The Times of India+2
• Supporting cast: There are glimpses of strong moments from others (though some feel underused). Some scenes — especially emotionally heavy ones — make you sit up, care about what’s happening.

Bold Attempt at Dark, Realistic Lovehttps://sagarmanuja.in/

Unlike many safe, “feel-good” romances, this film doesn’t shy away. It tries to show love that’s messy — with obsession, pain, trauma, scars. It tries to peel back the sparkly-sunglass facade of romance and show something deeper (and darker). If you are okay with stories that don’t end with neat happily-ever-afters, this rawness can hit hard.

Music & Mood (at its moments)

The background score and songs (by A. R. Rahman) add emotional weight. There are sequences where sound, silence, acting and mood converge — giving chills or heartache. When the film syncs — it really syncs. The Times of India+2Moneycontrol+2

• Audience Interest & Hype — Early Buzz

Even before release the film had good advance bookings. As per reports, ticket sales picked up strongly — signaling that many of us are curious, hopeful. That energy makes a difference: a packed theatre can make even a flawed film feel intense.https://sagarmanuja.in/

Story and Writing: Weaknesses in Plot & Logic

• The narrative tries to mix many themes — love, violence, redemption, obsession, trauma — but ends up not handling most with enough depth. Some big issues like class difference, psychological trauma, grief are just “skimmed over,” not explored meaningfully. India Today+1
• Character motivations often seem shaky or unrealistic. For example: a psychology-student turning passionate counsellor to “fix” a violent guy from college, then sticking around even after signs of obsession — feels more like a trope than a believable path. India Today+1
• Some plot points strain credulity — like age and eligibility vs. Air Force recruitment rules, quick-paced education & career shifts for the heroine, security-checks that magically appear / disappear based on convenience. India Today
• The film is quite long (close to 3 hours in many versions) — with many scenes that feel repetitive, emotionally over-played, or unnecessarily stretched. Because of that, pacing suffers; the emotional impact gets diluted sometimes
• Romance vs. Obsession — Dark Love Doesn’t Always Feel Earned
• The relationship shown between the leads drifts dangerously close to being toxic — even characterizes “obsession” as love. For many, that might feel problematic. The film doesn’t always clearly draw the line between romantic love and destructive obsession. India Today+2The Economic Times+2
• The heroine’s arc — trying to “heal” the hero — follows a familiar, often-criticized trope: “let me love you till you become good.” It’s a risky message: it can romanticize unhealthy behavior under the banner of “broken love.” For viewers sensitive to gender dynamics, that could be a turn-off. India Today
• As a viewer, you may often find yourself uncomfortable — wanting to hate certain decisions, or feel frustrated seeing where love is heading. If you expect a feel-good romantic movie — this is not it.
• Uneven Tone & Emotional Whiplash
• The film oscillates between heavy emotional drama, psychological trauma, romance, violence, and melodrama. Sometimes, it just seems like too much at once. This unevenness — tonal shifts — means the movie never becomes what it intends to be, fully. For some, it might feel like being jerked between extremes. India Today+2Moneycontrol+2
• • Dependent More on Performances Than Storytelling
• At many instances, the film seems to lean heavily on Dhanush and Kriti’s acting to carry it forward. When they are good — the film works (somewhat). But when script & logic falter, their performance isn’t enough to cover for structural weaknesses. That imbalance leaves a sense of “what if?” — what if the film had stronger writing, better character arcs?
• You might enjoy it if:
• You are okay with raw, imperfect love stories — not the dreamy, fairytale kind. You’re open to messy relationships, internal struggles, emotional turbulence.
• You appreciate strong acting and don’t mind shaky story-logic if the emotions are real and intense.
• You are curious about darker human emotions — obsession, guilt, trauma — and don’t expect neat endings.
• You go to theatre to feel something — pain, heartbreak, longing, intensity — rather than just entertainment or escapism.
• You might feel frustrated / disappointed if:
• You dislike toxic or obsessive relationships being romanticized. You prefer love with mutual respect, healthy boundaries.
• You expect tight storytelling, realistic character arcs, or consistent pacing.
• You want a light, comforting romance or a “feel-good” movie.
• You dislike melodrama, extreme emotions, or stories that make you question characters’ decisions.
• Yes — but with a caveat. I think Tere Ishk Mein is a bold attempt at a love story that doesn’t settle for glossy songs and safe endings. It tries to show love as messy, destructive, complicated — sometimes dark. That in itself is a brave, risky choice. When it works (thanks to performances, mood, certain scenes), it really hits.
• But the film is also flawed — structurally and thematically. Weak writing, logical holes, sometimes problematic romantic arcs — these make it hard for me to wholeheartedly recommend it as a “good” movie. It’s not about “date-night romance”; it’s intense, and emotionally demanding.
• If I were you — I’d watch it once, not expecting perfection — but hoping to feel, reflect, and maybe question. Because that’s what this film tries to do: make you feel, make you uncomfortable, make you think.
• For me personally — I think it’s a “watch it with caution and open mind” film.
• I feel Tere Ishk Mein arrives at a time when Bollywood is exploring darker shades of love — love that hurts, love that’s not safe, love that breaks instead of mending. That’s good: because not every story needs to end in sunshine. Real life isn’t always neat.
• But there’s also a responsibility. When you depict obsession as love, when you show trauma as part of romance — it needs nuance. The filmmaker must ask: are we romanticizing dangerous behaviour? Are we glorifying pain and toxicity as passion?
• Sometimes Tere Ishk Mein deals with that — but often it seems to fall into old tropes. That’s what disappointed me.
• Still — it’s brave in parts. It doesn’t offer easy comfort. It breaks some rules. And for that, I respect it. Whether it becomes a “good movie” depends a lot on you — what you expect, what you bring to it, and how you feel watching it.
• There are some movies we watch for entertainment… and then there are movies we watch because they make us feel. Tere Ishk Mein falls into the second category — the kind of film that walks into your heart quietly, shakes a few things inside you, and leaves you with thoughts you didn’t know you needed to think about.
• When I walked into this movie, honestly, I expected a typical Bollywood romance — songs, drama, a little heartbreak, some cute banter, and a happy ending. But this movie? No. It isn’t your typical “boy meets girl” kind of story. It’s deeper, darker, more emotional, and definitely more unpredictable.
• Let’s talk about it — like we’re both sitting with a cup of coffee, trying to understand why this film made us think so much.
• A Love Story That Isn’t Black and White
• Most romantic films show love as sweet, soft, and beautiful. But in Tere Ishk Mein, love feels intense, restless, and sometimes even dangerous.
• The movie follows the story of Shankar (played by Dhanush) and Mukti (played by Kriti Sanon). Their connection isn’t instant attraction — it feels more like two storms colliding. Both are broken, both are searching for something, and both are fighting their own battles. When they meet, their worlds crash together — not gently, but loudly.
• And that’s what makes this story different.
• Real love isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s messy, confusing, painful — and this film isn’t afraid to show that side.
• As someone who has lived through complicated relationships, I felt that. We often forget that love can be flawed… and yet still feel real.

Mukti is a character that many of us will relate to — especially if you’ve ever tried to “fix” someone while you were breaking yourself.https://sagarmanuja.in/

Kriti Sanon brings a mix of gentleness and determination to the character. She listens, she cares, she worries, and she loves — deeply and completely. But what I liked most is that her character isn’t just a “healing angel” for the hero. She has her own wounds… her own journey… her own battles.

There are scenes where her eyes speak more than her dialogues. You feel her confusion, her fear, her attraction, her guilt. Kriti doesn’t play Mukti — she becomes her.

A heartfelt, human-written article

Some movies entertain us.
Some movies distract us.
And then there are movies like Tere Ishequ Men, which sit quietly in your heart and make you think about the kind of love we rarely talk about — the kind that changes you, hurts you, teaches you, and stays with you even after the credits roll.

When I watched this film, I didn’t walk out smiling.
I walked out thinking.
Thinking about how love can be beautiful… and frightening… and unbelievably intense.

Let me share that feeling with you.

The First Thing You Notice: This Isn’t Ordinary Love

From the very first scene, you realize this story doesn’t follow the usual “cute meeting + songs + misunderstanding + happy ending” format.

The love in Tere Ishequ Men feels like fire — warm when you touch it gently, but capable of burning you if you get too close.

Shankar (played by Dhanush) and Mukti (played by Kriti Sanon) are not typical lovers. They don’t fall in love; they crash into it. Their connection feels inevitable, like two broken souls recognizing each other in a crowded world.

And that kind of love?
It’s rare, it’s passionate, and yes — it’s dangerous.

🎭 Dhanush: The Kind of Acting That Leaves Marks on Your Mind

There’s something about Dhanush — he doesn’t act, he becomes the person.
In this film, he plays a character full of anger, confusion, longing, and vulnerability.

Sometimes he speaks loudly.
Sometimes he doesn’t speak at all.
But his silence… is louder than his words.

There are scenes where his eyes look like they’ve lived a whole lifetime of pain.
As a viewer, you don’t watch him — you feel him.

I found myself thinking:
“How many people do we meet in life who feel like this? How many people carry storms inside them without showing it?”

Shankar is one of those stormy souls — and Dhanush plays him so convincingly that it hits you deep.

🌼 Kriti Sanon: Soft, Emotional, And Unexpectedly Strong

Kriti’s character, Mukti, is the calm to Shankar’s chaos — but not in a typical Bollywood way where the girl just “heals” the boy. No.

Mukti has her own heartbreaks, her own fears, and her own dreams.
She is gentle, but not weak.
She is emotional, but not fragile.

She reminds us of the kind of people who love wholeheartedly — the kind who give, support, and stand by someone even when it hurts.

There’s a moment where she breaks down, quietly, without any dramatic music — and believe me, that scene stays with you.

❤️ The Love Story: Beautiful, But Not Easy

What makes Tere Ishequ Men different is how honestly it portrays love.

It shows that:

• love is not always soft
• love is not always balanced
• love is not always healthy
• love is not always returned in the same way
• love can heal, but love can also break

Shankar and Mukti feel like two people who were meant to meet — but not necessarily meant to have an easy journey.

Their relationship goes through phases we all know too well:
The excitement.
The confusion.
The fear.
The attachment.
The arguments.
The longing.
The pain of wanting someone who doesn’t know how to love properly.

While watching them, I felt like I was watching a reflection of so many real relationships — imperfect, emotional, messy, and human.

🎶 The Music: Your Heart Will Remember It

Even if someone forgets the dialogues of the film, they won’t forget the music.

The songs and background score don’t feel like “songs” — they feel like feelings put into sound.

There are tracks that feel like rain.
There are tracks that feel like waiting.
There are tracks that feel like heartbreak.
And there are tracks that feel like hope.

Music in this film doesn’t decorate the scenes — it completes them.

🎥 Cinematography: Poetry in Every Frame

One thing I loved about this movie is how it looks.
The visuals aren’t loud or overly edited. They feel raw, warm, almost like old memories kept in a box.

There are shots where the camera stays still — letting the characters breathe.
There are moments where the silence around them looks more beautiful than any dialogue.
It feels like the movie is telling you:
“Sit. Watch. Feel. Don’t rush this moment.”

💬 What Makes The Story Hit So Hard

The film doesn’t say “love is perfect.”
It says, “love is real.”

It shows:

• how two broken people try to hold each other
• how the world misunderstands intense love
• how fear and love often live together
• how sometimes loving someone means losing a part of yourself
• and sometimes it means finding a part of yourself too

There are lines in the film that feel like they were written for every person who has ever loved too deeply.

🌧️ This Movie Isn’t For Everyone — And That’s Okay

Let me be honest.
Not everyone will enjoy Tere Ishequ Men.

If you want a simple love story, this might feel heavy.
If you want a “clean,” perfectly balanced romance, this might feel messy.
If you want a happy ending, well… this movie isn’t trying to make you comfortable.

But if you’re someone who:

• has ever loved someone complicated
• has ever tried to save someone from their own demons
• has ever stayed awake thinking about someone
• has ever broken your own heart for love

…then this movie will feel painfully relatable.

⭐ Should You Watch It?

Here’s my honest answer:

👉 Watch it if you love emotional cinema.
👉 Watch it if you enjoy deep characters.
👉 Watch it if you want a story that stays with you.
👉 Watch it if you’re okay with a bit of heartbreak.

But don’t watch it expecting a cute, happy love story.
Watch it for the truth it shows.

❤️ Final Thoughtshttps://sagarmanuja.in/

Tere Ishequ Men is not a film you “watch.”
It’s a film you experience.
It sits with you long after it’s over, reminding you of the kind of love we all dream of…
and the kind of love we’re scared of.

It’s a reminder that love is not just about happiness.
Love is about intensity.
Love is about healing.
Love is about pain.
Love is about choices.
Love is about courage.

And above all — love is about being human.

This film makes you feel that.

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