Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba Review: Taapsee and Vikrant's world is not 'haseen' anymore

In Rani and Rishu's torrid love story, there is always a third wheel, who will become the victim of their passionate affair. To find out who that person is, you will need to watch Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba.

In 2021, the audience was introduced to the world of Rani and Rishu and their tangled world. Three years later, the makers are back with the second part of this whodunit drama, and the follow-up of the couple's love saga. 

Set along the lines of fictional author Dinesh Pandit's pulp fiction novels and his thrilling world of two lovers tangled in crime and passion, the first part did end up impressing the audience, but what about the second part?

Will it be able to live up to the hype? Or it's just merely another addition with a spoonful of lust, seduction and murder? Let's dig in! 

Phir Aayi Haseen Dilruba - The Plot

After successfully escaping from the accusation of a full-fledged murder, Rani (Taapsee Pannu)  and Rishu (Vikrant Massy) – who is presumed dead – are now hiding in the north Indian city of Agra.

In the eyes of the world, Rani is a widow running a beauty parlour, while Rishu, with his prosthetic hand, is living a low-key life as a teacher at his coaching institute. The couple is planning to flee from India to Thailand to build a new life.

In the meantime, a new addition to Rani and Rishu's love story is a compounder named Abhimanyu (Sunny Kaushal), a shy and lonely boy who is deeply in love with Rani's aura and charm.

How he gets enmeshed in Rani and Rishu's life makes the rest of the story. 

As this new chapter of their love story unfolds, Rishu and Rani are not entirely free from their past. They are very much on cop Kishore Jamwal’s (Aditya Srivastava) radar, who has invited Mrityunjay Prasad (Jimmy Sheirgill) aka Rishu’s Montu Chacha to solve this murder case. Will Rani and Rishu be able to flee again? What role will Abhimanyu play in their lives? Or, is this the end of Rishu and Rani's complex love story? All these questions are answered in the movie.

The World of Dilruba is Not Haseen Anymore!

Directed by Jayprad Desai and written by Kanika Dhillon, the second part of the movie delves into the wild world of Hindi pulp fiction novels about passionate lovers, and to what lengths they can go for their love. On this basis, the first part was convincing, with charming characters entangled in a life of lust, love, crime and drama. Although the story was predictable, the dark and mysterious tone of the movie and the engaging narration made it a gripping watch.

In the second part, what was lacking was the vibe established by its predecessor. More than a thrilling whodunit drama, this movie felt more like a cat-and-mouse game. 

What Works And What Not?

With well-sketched characters and a linear plot, Phir Aayi Haseen Dilruba is neither outstanding nor bad. The movie is well-written, with dialogues inspired by the pulp-fiction world, which will make you giggle throughout. However, the bar for mystery, thriller, and romance is low, and it would presumably disappoint the audience who will watch the movie expecting the thrills and chills of the first part.

The first half of the movie is engrossing, while the second part falls short in many areas. Like many mystery thrillers, you might find yourself thinking about the climax more, but I would suggest it's better to enjoy the movie rather than sitting and guessing the plot. As of now, you've got a bunch of hints that the movie didn't end on a satisfying note.

Instead of focusing on the characters' dynamics, the writers should have spent more time improving the story. With predictable events occurring, there is no wow or shock factor anywhere in the two-hour film.

What Works?

Despite the sluggish plot, the movie is presented well in a comic way. The addition of poetic rhymes and references to Dinesh Pandit's novels makes the movie an entertaining and humorous watch. The characters are well-sketched, with the actors delivering their parts with the utmost perfection.

Pannu brings the same charisma to Rani as she did in the first movie. Meanwhile, Vikrant portrays the rough side of his character Rishu effectively. However, the writing holds back his performance. I had high hopes with Sunny Kaushal's character Abhimanyu, but this cast addition didn't make any impactful contribution to the plot. Nevertheless, Sunny's performance in the movie is impressive. Jimmy Shergil's character was only there to create terror for Rani and Rishu, nothing more. However, his performance was decent. 

Initially, I expected the movie to be a nail-biting watch, but it turned out to be another slow mystery thriller. 

Watch or Skip?

Irrespective of many flaws, the movie is a decent watch and all credit goes to impressive performances from the cast. If you loved the first part, then watch this movie with no high hopes. 

Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is streaming on Netflix.