Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai stands as the absolute lowest point in Varun Dhawan's career. It is a film that actively undoes years of careful image building and artistic growth.
The most glaring issue is the severe regression in the lead performance. Over the past decade, Dhawan proved his mettle with grounded and intense roles in projects like Badlapur, October, and Sardar Udham. This movie violently drags him back to the most grating elements of his early career. His attempt to mimic the physical comedy of the nineties feels entirely forced. Instead of capturing the effortless charm of his predecessors, he resorts to frantic jumping, exaggerated facial expressions, and loud rhyming dialogues that come across as deeply embarrassing rather than entertaining.
The screenplay relies on humor that is not just outdated but actively regressive. In an era where audiences expect sharper and more evolved comedy, this film leans heavily on cheap gags, body shaming, and tired tropes. The jokes do not land because they feel like a relic from a bygone era. It is painful to watch a leading man of this stature participate in a script that treats its audience with such disregard.
A comedy can survive on sheer absurdity, but it needs a protagonist the audience can root for. The central character is neither charming nor relatable. He is portrayed as a selfish and irresponsible individual who lies to both his estranged wife and his new girlfriend. Because the emotional core is completely missing and the main character lacks basic decency, the entire narrative collapses under its own weight.
The poor choices extend to how the rest of the cast is utilized. The female leads are reduced to mere decorative props who exist only to react to the leading man and perform in song sequences. Even seasoned actors are given nothing to do but shout and deliver flat punchlines. The film squanders a talented ensemble on a script that offers them absolutely no depth.
Finally, the movie serves as a glaring testament to the fact that the classic directorial formula of mistaken identities and slamming doors is completely exhausted. The previous attempt to revive this style was a massive misfire, and this project doubles down on that failure. It proves that without sharp writing or a modern sensibility, the signature style is just a hollow shell.
Ultimately, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is the worst film in the actor's filmography because it represents a total surrender of artistic integrity. It is a loud, chaotic, and deeply unfunny misstep that leaves audiences wondering why a capable star would choose to be part of such a profound creative failure.
Rating: 1/5
