Comedy is one of the toughest genres to pull off because what makes one person laugh can leave another completely unmoved. Unfortunately, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai falls into the latter category. Despite going into the film with almost no expectations, the experience ends up being surprisingly exhausting rather than entertaining.
Marketed as a fun filled family entertainer packed with romance, confusion, and comedy, the film tries desperately to recreate the charm of classic Bollywood comedies. Instead, it delivers a collection of overused gags, double meaning jokes, and chaotic situations that rarely come together as a genuinely engaging story.
From the very beginning, the screenplay relies heavily on loud humor and awkward misunderstandings rather than clever writing. Almost every major comic sequence feels stretched beyond necessity, and several jokes seem designed only to generate cheap laughs. If you enjoy adult humor and double-meaning comedy, your experience may differ. But for viewers looking for smart situational comedy, the film offers very little.
The story itself is wafer-thin.
Rather than building memorable characters and allowing humor to emerge naturally from their situations, the film constantly forces comedy into every scene. As a result, even moments that should have been funny feel predictable and repetitive.
The narrative moves from one misunderstanding to another without creating any meaningful emotional investment. By the time the film reaches its climax, it feels less like a story and more like a collection of comedy skits stitched together.
One of the biggest disappointments is Varun Dhawan.
There is no questioning his energy or commitment. The actor throws himself fully into the role and remains enthusiastic throughout. However, the material simply doesn’t support him.
Over the last few years, Varun has repeatedly demonstrated that he can perform exceptionally well in emotionally driven characters and more grounded roles. Films that allow him to showcase vulnerability and dramatic depth often bring out the best in him as an actor.
Here, however, he is stuck playing another exaggerated comic character surrounded by situations that rarely feel believable. Instead of elevating the film, the performance becomes trapped within its limitations.
There are moments where you genuinely wish the actor had been given something more substantial to work with.
The film also ends up wasting Mrunal Thakur;
Mrunal has consistently proven herself to be one of the strongest performers of her generation, but Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai gives her very little opportunity to leave an impact. Her character lacks proper development and spends most of the runtime reacting to the chaos happening around her.
The supporting cast doesn’t fare much better, Several characters are written with the sole purpose of generating comic confusion, but very few leave any lasting impression. The performances are often loud and exaggerated, which further amplifies the film’s biggest weakness.
Among them, Chunky Pandey’s character becomes particularly difficult to connect with. Instead of adding humor, several scenes simply add noise.
Another aspect that feels problematic is the presentation of Mouni Roy’s character.
The film repeatedly leans into stereotypes while portraying her as a gold digger, and many of the jokes surrounding her character feel outdated. The entire subplot involving family confusion and fake identities is supposed to generate comedy but largely ends up feeling forced.
The film’s biggest challenge is that it constantly mistakes loudness for humor.
Comedy works best when audiences connect with characters and situations. Here, the film is so busy trying to be funny that it forgets to be entertaining.
One pleasant surprise is the cameo appearance by Kriti Sanon.
Though brief, her presence injects some freshness into the proceedings. The cameo will likely generate excitement among fans, especially because it subtly taps into the nostalgia associated with the Bhediya universe.
However, even this sequence feels more like fan service than an organic part of the narrative.
The film also makes some creative choices that leave viewers puzzled.
One such example is the use of AI assisted for de aging effects for a younger version of Varun Dhawan. While technology continues to evolve within filmmaking, the implementation here feels unnecessary and occasionally distracting.
Instead of enhancing the scene, it draws attention to itself. The visuals are colorful enough to maintain a festive atmosphere.
However, technical polish alone cannot compensate for weak writing.
The biggest problem remains the screenplay, At nearly every stage, the film chooses the easiest joke available rather than searching for something genuinely clever or memorable. The result is a comedy that feels outdated despite its contemporary packaging.
The audience response will likely depend heavily on individual taste.
Viewers who enjoy broad commercial comedy, exaggerated characters, and double-meaning humor may find moments to enjoy. But for those expecting witty writing, sharp humor, or emotionally engaging storytelling, the film may prove disappointing.
The title promises youthful energy and romance, but the final product feels surprisingly old fashioned in its approach to comedy.
The film occasionally generates a smile, but genuine laugh out loud moments are few and far between.
And that’s ultimately where Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai struggles the most.
A comedy doesn’t necessarily need a groundbreaking story to succeed. It simply needs to make people laugh.
Unfortunately, this film spends so much time trying to be funny that it forgets the most important part: actually being funny.
Mrunal Thakur is wasted, the supporting cast struggles with uneven writing, and most of the jokes fail to create the impact they are aiming for.
If you’re a fan of old school slapstick comedies, you may find some entertainment value here.
A noisy comedy that mistakes chaos for humor and never quite finds its punchline.
REVIEW LINK https://x.com/KshitizCritic/status/2062778989786313081?s=20
