Audience's Hypocrisy Or Uninteresting Trailer & Songs - Why Dhadak 2 Failed Despite Acclaim?

When Shah Rukh Khan made his blockbuster comeback with Pathaan, it sparked a rush among producers to churn out mass action entertainers. Soon after, Bollywood delivered hits like Jawan, Gadar 2, Jaat and more in the same high-octane genre.

Similarly, when Saiyaara became a surprise box office blockbuster, I expected it would trigger a revival of intense love stories in Bollywood as the film was followed by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri’s Dhadak 2.

Naturally, I assumed Dhadak 2 would ride on Saiyaara’s success wave and find its audience. But, unfortunately, the film couldn't even recover half of its budget.

The Box Office Verdict of Dhadak 2

Made on a reported budget of ₹50–60 crore, Dhadak 2 has so far managed to collect just over ₹17 crore, putting it on course to be declared a flop.

© Dharma Productions

But Was Dhadak 2 A Bad Film?

Absolutely not. Dhadak 2 received positive feedback from both critics and audiences. Personally, I liked the film a lot. Despite being a remake of the acclaimed Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal, director Shazia Iqbal did a commendable job of adapting it for a commercial Hindi audience while preserving its core themes of caste oppression and social injustice.

However, good reviews alone couldn’t save Dhadak 2 at the box office. But why did it fail commercially? Did we fail as audiences?

Many people have been criticising Triptii Dimri for taking up only ‘glamorous roles’ post-Animal, urging her to return to more performance-driven characters like the ones she portrayed in Bulbbul, Qala and Laila Majnu, which truly showcased her acting calibre and the actress did the same.

Despite that, the film failed.

Why Did Dhadak 2 Underperform?

One of the biggest reasons was the lack of strong promotional material. Where Saiyaara had a chartbuster soundtrack and created a frenzy on social media, Dhadak 2 couldn’t replicate that buzz. Neither its songs nor its marketing campaign generated enough hype to pull audiences into theatres.

Additionally, Dhadak 2 tackled sensitive and mature topics like caste discrimination and class divide, which limited its appeal to mainstream audiences, especially younger viewers who gravitate more towards light-hearted, commercial entertainers like Son of Sardaar 2.

© Dharma Productions

The fact that it was a remake also worked against it. Unlike before, Indian audiences today are more critical of remakes, largely due to the widespread information available on social media. Many viewers already knew it was an adaptation, which reduced the curiosity factor.

I even spoke to a few friends, and most of them said they would prefer to watch Dhadak 2 when it comes out on OTT rather than spending on a theatre ticket. This sentiment seems to reflect the larger audience's mindset towards such films today.

While there are low chances for the film to redeem itself in the upcoming days, I sincerely hope that it at least finds an audience on the OTT.