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Chand Mera Dil belongs to Ananya Panday and Lakshya’s palpable chemistry and the maturity they bring to the screenplay. Sachin-Jigar’s tunes form the beating heart of the story.
Chand Mera Dil is running in cinemas now.
Chand Mera DilU/A
3.5/5
Starring: Ananya Panday, Lakshya and Paresh PahujaDirector: Vivek SoniMusic: Sachin-Jigar
Chand Mera Dil Movie Review: Bollywood’s affair with love stories is no secret. Boy meets girl. Sparks fly. Sometimes families oppose. These days, the hero’s aggression becomes the villain. Ultimately, the lovers reunite. What happens after that risks puncturing the fantasy. Hence, Hindi cinema has largely stayed away from charting the territory of marriage.
And this is precisely why Chand Mera Dil stands out. It understands that life after the ‘happily ever after’ can be infinitely messier. Films about marriage often require quieter observations instead of dramatic payoffs, and this Vivek Soni directorial leans into that space beautifully. It talks about timing, ego, fatigue, apologies, tenderness, tiny hurts and big agony without romanticising any of it.
Set in Hyderabad, the film revolves around engineering students Chandni and Aarav. Aarav is instantly smitten with Chandni when he first sees her performing a fusion classical dance piece on stage. Shy and afraid of coming on too strong, he begins wearing colour-coordinated outfits to class just to feel closer to her.
Just when he gives up on the possibility of her liking him back, he realises he had never gone unnoticed by Chandni. The next few weeks unfold like a classic Bollywood romance. There are long bike rides, stolen glances, passionate lovemaking in a hostel room, carnal WhatsApp exchanges, heartfelt conversations about childhood trauma and even an arrest for public display of affection in the middle of a busy street.
And then, one day, Chandni abruptly cancels a date. What unfolds that day changes the course of their relationship forever. Families get involved. Placement opportunities are lost. Pillow talk is replaced by growing distance until the two eventually drift apart. Multiple apologies and heartfelt confessions stop working. Self-respect becomes more than love, at least for Chandni.
In one of the earlier scenes, Aarav tells Chandni, ‘Pyaar mein thoda pagal toh hona hi padhta hai.’ And that pretty much sums the film up. But no, don’t mistake this madness to the toxic masculinity and aggressive romance that are increasingly being told onscreen as Chand Mera Dil quietly subverts the narrative. Here, rage is not projected as an assertive expression of masculinity.
Instead, it becomes the reason things fall apart. And when Aarav does lose control, the film treats it not as heroic swagger but as a moment of profound regret. So consumed is he by remorse that he becomes willing to dismantle the life he has built in the hope of being forgiven.
And then there’s the music. Sachin-Jigar’s compositions form the beating heart of this relationship drama, elevating the screenplay and adding texture to moments of intimacy and heartbreak alike. Nuance remains the screenplay’s biggest strength. Vivek captures the raw tenderness of a man-woman relationship with remarkable sensitivity.
Much like marriages and relationships themselves, the film thrives on chaos and contradiction. Watch out for the final stretch between the protagonists. The lighting feels turbulent, the backdrop restless and several shots intentionally drift out of focus, creating a visual texture that mirrors the emotional instability of the characters.
The film embraces the exhausting and intricate back-and-forth that defines intimate relationships. The protagonists repeatedly break down before each other – crying, screaming and emotionally unravelling – in sequences that feel messy, chaotic and deeply heartbreaking. What makes these moments land is that the actors appear completely unconcerned with looking aesthetically perfect on screen. They shed vanity and inhibition, surrendering fully to the vulnerability of the moment.
No, this isn’t Noah Bambauch’s Marriage Story. But in its own distinctly Bollywood, emotionally messy way, the film understands something deeply truthful about relationships. At the risk of raising expectations too high, Chand Mera Dil may even remind you of Saathiya at times. Because much like the latter, beneath the romance lies the portrait of two people worn down by love, ego, misunderstandings and the relentless push and pull of being together.
Yet emotional violence is never romanticised here. Tenderness, regret and vulnerability take centre stage instead. That said, despite getting so much right, the film does begin to drag in portions of the second half. At 2 hours and 26 minutes, it occasionally feels too long and meandering. Even then, it remains difficult to look away, thanks to the solid performances by the cast.
Ananya Panday delivers one of the strongest performances of her career as Chandni. She embodies a modern Indian woman with striking authenticity. Her Chandni is scarred but never fearful, emotionally guarded yet deeply vulnerable. She wants control over her life while quietly struggling with the fear of exposing her emotional wounds.
Strong and fragile, confused and self-aware, Ananya navigates these contradictions with surprising maturity. There are moments when you entirely forget you are watching a performance. She is complemented beautifully by Lakshya, who brings brooding vulnerability to Aarav. Even when his own actions lead to emotional collapse, he retains a wounded charm that keeps you invested.
In several emotional scenes, his voice modulation and demeanour faintly make you think of Ranbir Kapoor. Importantly, his breakdowns emerge not from entitlement, but from helplessness, guilt and longing and Lakshya portrays them without tipping into melodrama. There’s Paresh Pahuja too in a cameo appearance and his gentleness lights up the frame.
Ultimately, Chand Mera Dil belongs entirely to Ananya and Lakshya, to their palpable chemistry and to the emotional honesty they bring to the screenplay. Watch the film for its refreshing intent and earnest storytelling. It’s a love story for those who once won in love and then lost some. Suhani and Aditya would be proud of Chandni and Aarav.
