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Aarav (Lakshya) and Chandni (Ananya Panday) fall in love while in college. Both have goals in life, but they are thwarted when Chandni becomes pregnant. Aarav reasons that they are too young to be parents, an abortion is practical, but Chandni would have none of it: she wants to keep the child, and does not think that Aarav need bear the responsibility.
But Aarav does, and decides to marry her. His parents disapprove of a girl who they think has inveigled their son for money, and Aarav takes a job, sacrificing his dreams of doing post-graduation abroad. Chandni has a single mother (Charu Shankar), who has had a bad (now deserter) husband who would thrash her, and she too prefers that Chandni go ahead and abort. But the stubborn couple decide to stay together in a house arranged by Aarav’s friend.
Though they are undergrads, the college principal offers moral support, ditto the students. But gradually, especially after the baby is born, frustration, mainly of time management and also a bit of financial struggles, begins to mount. Accusations flow, and in a moment of pique, Aarav’s frustration turns physical. He does something that he immediately regrets and apologizes for, but Chandni, who has been through the trauma of a father who beats her mother, indifferent to the emotions of a child, walks out of his home—and life. Her baby cannot be allowed to be in a similar atmosphere as she was as a kid!
As Aarav tries his best to make amends, Chandni files for divorce. All three parents now come around and try to mollify the couple, who are living separately and advise them on reuniting. Aarav’s best friends and Chandni’s bestie Jyotsna (Aastha Singh) try their bit. But the hard-headed and determined Chandni will not be assuaged. Finally, Aarav comes to congratulate his ex-wife (the divorce has been done) on her engagement to friend-turned-beau Kevin (Paresh Pahuja), with whom she feels ‘safe’ and apologizes one final time.
The romance here is complex, more than a shade physical (buzz is that the censors cut 96 seconds of kissing scenes!!) and mixed with relatable realities like young adults embracing parenthood and sacrificing bigger ambitions for love.
At a simple level, it’s a 2026 revisit to the Mills & Boon kind of mushy stories of turbulent love. At another, Vivek Soni, the director of Meenakshi Sundareshwar and Aap Jaisa Koi again revisits misunderstandings that organically come up in love between simple human beings. The parents’ roles again are less significant than in those films, but nevertheless, also reminds us in part of Aap Jaisa Koi as well as Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahanii in part. Again, as with Aap…, there is no human villain.
Lakshya (Aarav) makes for a relatable young man with a genuine issue and makes a rock-solid impression. One can ignore a fleeting facial similarity with Ranbir Kapoor, but his performance all through is very natural and likeable. His anguish is never overdone and feels genuine. After Kill and The Ba***ds of Bollywood, this is another super performance. The man is set to go places.
For once, Ananya Panday is not as brilliant as she was in recent outings like Call Me Bae and Kesari 2. She is sincere, earnest and scores well in the romantic scenes but as the determined spouse, she is very good only in parts. Her solo sequence with her mother also does not really score.
Chand Mera Dil gets a boost from the performances of the couple’s friends Akhil Kaimal, Manik Papneja and Aastha Singh as Jyotsna. But the principal (Atul Kumar), the parents (Manish Chaudhary and Irawati Harshe) and even Aarav’s sister (Vidushi Kaul) are shortchanged as the director could have ensured better footage or, alternatively, better depth.
Soni also lets us down in the first sequence featuring the couple with his parents. Based on a line said by Aarav’s mother that we hear later, which was not revealed then maybe for the dramatic effect, the scenes still feel as if they were chopped anyway. Also, the last 30 minutes if the film could have been edited to a crisp 10!
Sachin-Jigar’s music and Amitabh Bhattacharya’s lyrics are a mixed bag. The title song is a mellifluous steal but quite reminiscent of Dil kehta hai from Akele Hum Akele Tum (Anu Malik / 1995), a story also about a couple separated but still in love. Ishq nibhaavan de has needless Punjabi words, but Aitbaar has meaningful lyrics. The background score is nice.
Just like the film: nice!
Rating: ***
Dharma Productions’ Chand Mera Dil Produced by: Karan Johar, Adar Poonawala, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Marijke DeSouza & Somen Mishra Directed by: Vivek Soni Written by: Vivek Soni, Akshat Ghildial and Tushar Paranjape Music: Sachin-Jigar Starring: Lakshya, Ananya Panday, Manish Chaudhary, Irawati Harshe, Irawati Harshe, Charu Shankar, Atul Kumar, Akhil Kaimal, Manik Papneja, Aastha Singh, Vidushi Kaul, Paresh Pahuja, Pratham Umesh Rathod & others
