De De Pyaar De 2 has been one of the most highly anticipated movies of this year. Directed by Anshul Sharma and written by Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain, the sequel features a diverse cast. It is a continuation of Ashish Mehra (Ajay Devgn), a London-based NRI, and his much younger girlfriend, Ayesha Khurana’s (Rakulpreet Singh) love story. Both of them decide to marry, and the first part focuses on Ashish introducing Ayesha to his family. The sequel is all about the couple getting the approval of Ayesha’s family. And that doesn’t come without its own kalesh and syaapas, of course. The cast features R Madhavan, Gautami Kapoor, Ishita Dutta, Jaaved Jaaferi, Meezan Jaaferi, Tarun Gehlot, and Suhasini Mulay in lead roles. But there was something about the movie that left me shocked. Read our De De Pyaar De 2 review to find out more.

I kept waiting for the sexist humour, but it just never came…

If you’ve grown up watching Luv Ranjan’s movies, you’d expect at least one misogynist monologue, manipulative female leads, and sexist humour to be the backbone of the story. But it looks like 2025 has been a progressive year for Bollywood because ek dum hi clean movie bana di yaar! De De Pyaar De 2 is the continuation of Ashish and Ayesha’s struggle to get approved by their families despite their glaring age gap. And while Ayesha promises there won’t be any kalesh, there is a strict process that must be followed at all costs. Cue her educated, self-proclaimed progressive, and modern parents, Rakesh (R Madhavan) and Anju (Gautami Kapoor), aka the Raajis.

Ayesha is not just their daughter but their dearest friend. They promise to be open-minded about her choice of groom. Enter Ashish, who is just a year younger than Ayesha’s parents, is divorced, and has children, which makes both of their ‘modern’ natures go up in flames. From background checks to lying about his relationship to the family, plotting a younger man’s entry in Ayesha’s life, and sending Ashish back to London, the Khuranas have their game on.

The twists and turns make for a clean, witty, and entertaining story

After Shaitaan, watching Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan share screen space was a delight. Rakesh plays a protective father who will go to any extent to keep his daughter safe. All he wants is for her to find an appropriate partner who will keep her happy for the next 30-40 years. On the other hand, while Ashish loves Ayesha, he agrees with her father. He promises not to come in her way if she decides to walk away. But what does Ayesha actually want? The story, through its witty humour and twists, makes both men realise that she is not a child and doesn’t need the men in her life to decide for her.

The casting makes it a fun watch

R Madhavan effortlessly steals the spotlight as a protective, emotional, funny, and clever dad. It might be a little awkward to see him playing a dad on screen, especially for 90s kids, but his acting makes him shine bright. Gautami Kapoor as Anju is equally engaging, funny, and melodramatic. The two make for an unexpectedly good pair on screen. Ajay Devgn, as Ashish, balances his subtle charm and comic timing, and the references from his old movies are comedy gold. Rakulpreet’s Ayesha is portrayed as a fierce young woman who knows her boundaries and gets everyone to follow them. Jaaved Jafri plays Ronak, Ashish’s charming best friend, and delivers a fine performance. Meezan Jafri plays the young and dashing Adi. The casting of father and son is quite entertaining, and the newcomer looks like a natural on screen.

The supporting cast includes Ishita Dutta, Tarun Gehlot, and Suhasini Mulay. Each character makes their presence felt and nails their respective roles. Watch out for a brutal roast by Suhasini Mulay when Ashish challenges her memory.

Can you watch De De Pyaar De 2 with your family?: Yes. Apart from a couple of kissing scenes, De De Pyaar De 2 is a clean, humorous family entertainer.

De De Pyaar De 2 is now running in cinemas near you.

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