The 2019 sleeper hit De De Pyaar De presented a surprisingly witty take on age-gap relationships. Six years later, director Anshul Sharma (stepping in for Akiv Ali) and writer Luv Ranjan return to continue the story in De De Pyaar De 2. This time, the challenge flips: Ashish (Ajay Devgn) must win over the parents of his much younger girlfriend, Ayesha (Rakul Preet Singh).
The sequel successfully retains the breezy, self-aware charm of the original, but ultimately stumbles by trading intelligent situational comedy for predictable, "Housefull-level stupidity" in its final act.
The Plot: Reverse the Roles, Double the Tension
The film immediately establishes itself as a true continuation. Ashish (Ajay Devgn, playing his age with trademark self-deprecating humour) and Ayesha (Rakul Preet Singh) are still a devoted couple, but now they face their toughest test: Ayesha’s parents, Rakesh (R. Madhavan) and Anju (Gautami Kapoor).
The sharpest humour in the first half comes from the parents' hypocrisy. They proclaim themselves "educated, progressive, modern log" who believe "age is just a number," yet they are instantly judgmental and uncomfortable when faced with a prospective son-in-law who is actually older than they are. The resulting generational and ego clashes provide genuine, giggle-worthy moments, particularly the witty lines penned by Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain.
Performance: Madhavan Steals the Show
The biggest and most welcome addition is R. Madhavan as Rakesh Khurana.
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R. Madhavan: He is the undisputed scene-stealer. Madhavan nails the role of the protective, secretly insecure, and subtly egotistical father. His understated yet warm performance, especially in his comedic face-offs with Ashish, brings emotional grounding and infectious energy to the film. Many critics have noted that Madhavan is the actor you remember most after the credits roll.
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Ajay Devgn: Devgn is effortlessly cool and self-aware, embracing the jokes about his age with humility. However, critics point out that he feels like a supporting actor in his own sequel, often simply reacting to the chaos around him.
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Rakul Preet Singh: Rakul gets a strong, better-written part and delivers a spirited, confident performance, carrying the emotional heavy lifting.
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Supporting Cast: Jaaved Jaaferi returns as Ashish’s therapist and confidant, Ronak, and delivers impeccable comic timing. Meezaan Jafri’s cameo as Ayesha’s father's "ideal match" candidate also adds an enjoyable, self-referential layer of humour.
The Downfall: Slipping into the Cliché Zone
While the film starts with promise, exploring the age-gap issue from a new, parental angle, the screenplay takes a baffling detour in the second half. The plot, instead of maintaining the witty, situational humour of the original, descends into a clumsy, over-the-top scheme where Ayesha’s father attempts to sabotage the relationship with increasingly ludicrous and unconvincing tactics.
This switch from sitcom fun to cinematic stupidity causes the narrative and emotional logic to collapse, leaving the audience confused about character motivations, particularly Ayesha’s.
Final Verdict
De De Pyaar De 2 is a fitfully entertaining sequel that works best when it focuses on the uncomfortable, yet truthful, generational clashes in the first half. It successfully uses its impressive cast, particularly R. Madhavan, to generate genuine laughs and moments of warmth.
However, the final act’s reliance on bizarre, forced melodrama prevents the film from matching the freshness and emotional maturity of its predecessor. It is a breezy, one-time watch for family audiences looking for a mild romantic comedy, but it fails to push the envelope on the social commentary it began so promisingly.
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