05 June,2026 12:40 PM IST | Mumbai | Aakruti Bagla
Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai movie review (Pic/Instagram)
For over three decades, David Dhawan has been synonymous with loud, unabashed entertainers packed with slapstick humour. Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai marks his fourth outing with Varun Dhawan, once again placing the actor at the centre of a chaotic romantic predicament. Does it manage to raise laughs or fail in its endeavour? Let's analyse.
Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai follows the complicated romantic journey of Jaswinder "Jass" (Varun Dhawan), a passionate wedding photographer whose life takes an unexpected turn after meeting Bani (Mrunal Thakur) during a wedding assignment. After getting inebriated, they confess their love for each other and get married.
Five years into their marriage, however, cracks begin to appear. While Jass dreams of starting a family, Bani has no desire to become a parent. Their conflicting views prompt Bani to seek a divorce.
Heartbroken by the separation, Jass (Varun Dhawan) moves to London, where he meets Preet (Pooja Hegde), and they fall in love. Just when everything seems to be falling into place, Jass receives an unexpected shock. Bani suddenly re-enters his life and reveals that she is pregnant with his child. To make matters even more complicated, Preet also discovers that she is expecting. What ensues forms the rest of the story in the film.
Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai will inevitably remind viewers of Biwi No 1. Once again, the director serves old wine in a new bottle, sticking to his tried-and-tested formula of chaotic comedy where logic takes a backseat. Unfortunately, this time, even the humour struggles to keep pace.
Despite boasting an impressive ensemble cast and a dependable supporting lineup, the film is let down by shoddy writing, a weak screenplay, and rushed editing. To be fair, the film doesn't take itself too seriously and expects the audience to do the same. However, that approach can only work when the comedy consistently lands.
Jass and Bani's journey - from their first meeting and whirlwind romance to marriage, separation, and eventually parenthood - unfolds in the blink of an eye. The narrative jumps around more unpredictably than a cricket ball on a cracked pitch. Scenes appear and disappear without any organic flow, making the storytelling feel disjointed and directionless. Emotional moments come across as forced, lengthy monologues test the viewer's patience, and the overly convenient resolution leaves little impact.
Most one-liners don't land. The actors try too hard to bring out a cackle, sometimes by resorting to hamming and sometimes through physical comedy. There are a couple of gags that make you laugh, but they are only as many as you can count on your fingers.
A surprise cameo is thrown into the mix to spice things up, but it ends up being another missed opportunity in a film already struggling to find its footing.
Talking about the music, it turns out to be a major letdown. The songs vanish from your memory the moment you leave the theatre.
There is no denying that Varun Dhawan possesses excellent comic timing and a natural flair for commercial entertainers. However, in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, he appears to be trying a little too hard, often channelling the mannerisms and energy of Govinda and Salman Khan. The performance frequently veers into over-the-top territory, making the character feel more exhausting than entertaining at times.
The girls, Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur, are merely reduced to arm candy. Mouni Roy, Maniesh Paul, Chunky Panday, Rakesh Bedi, and Rajpal Yadav try their best to salvage this comic caper, but the script doesn't support them.
Overall, what could have been a breezy entertainer ultimately turns into a loud, exhausting affair that struggles to justify its runtime.
