The Dhadak 2 (Hindi/2025) Movie failed spectacularly at the box office in India recently. And this is shocking entertainment news, especially in the context of the Hindi movie industry, indeed. Notably, the Dhadhak 2 movie comes from the Dharma Production. And presently this successful company is led by Karan Johar.
In fact, Dharma Production has given quite a few superhit Hindi movies in the last few decades. Hopefully, you all have seen and heard about their Hindi films: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, My Name Is Khan, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Raazi, Shershaah, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, etc. In other words, their past box office records clearly prove that the Dharma Production team led by Karan Johar has almost perfected the art of achieving box office success for their movies. But then, why did their “Dhadak 2” (meaning heartbeat 2) remain unsuccessful at the box office and fail to win hearts?
Why Did “धड़क २” Flop At Box Office Flop?
At the onset, we really applaud the effort of the writer and director Shazia Iqbal for making a socially relevant Hindi movie. Moreover, we also appreciate Dharma Production led by Karan Johar to boldly go where no one has gone before in the Hindi movie industry. A Dalit Hero in a Hindi movie is rare and unimaginable. Although this statement is true for most movie industries in different Indian languages. From a commercial business point of view, it is a very risky proposition in India as well as the overseas markets dominated by NRIs. Perhaps, the box office fate of another Hindi film, “Phule“, proves the point.
So, what could be the reasons behind the box office failure of Dhadak 2?
Well, let us try to find out the underlying reasons in an honest and detailed manner. Please note that the following reasons are purely our viewpoints, and you have the right to disagree with our points of view. Think carefully, whether our reasoning is right or wrong. Kindly do let us know on our social media pages.
Perhaps, Indian society in 2025 still follows the 1000+ years old caste hierarchy system?
More than 75 years have gone by since the Constituent Assembly adopted the Indian Constitution (chief architect: Dr B.R. Ambedkar) on November 26, 1949. Now, in a couple of months, the twenty-first century will complete its 25th year. Mind you, the 21st century is a modern digital age, the age of the internet.
But the harsh reality bites. So, even in this age of information Technology, the majority of Indian society has been completely invested in an ironclad caste based structure. Both inter-caste love affairs and inter-caste marriages are a big no-no in Indian society. If you do not believe me, then just check some of the popular matrimonial sites on the internet. They are still going strong with casteism. Most of them are still perpetuating the myth of caste-purity. And the “Dhadak 2” honestly depicted it. There are more than enough people (like Shankar in this film) who are willing to kill to maintain the so-called purity of the caste system.
And please take note of the caste hierarchy-based social system in India.
Also, check out the occupations and social status gaps of all 5 varnas in Indian society.
We hope that you all have checked the existing social structure in India, as vividly described in the above image. If not, then please take a closer look again.
Maybe, the powerful people do not want to see a Dalit issues in Indian movies?
Given the social reality of India, it is unimaginable that a “Dalit” hero will begin to rule the mainstream cinema in India. To be honest, large sections of Indian society are conservative when it comes to matters of caste. Specifically, if one is born in one of the top 4 varnas, then why would they wish to give up their feeling of honorary caste-superiority? And, why should they give up their caste privileges and social entitlement so easily? Just a gentle reminder, these top 4 varnas have managed to maintain the caste status quo for thousands of years. And of course, they fiercely enforced the social segregation and social hierarchy systems.
Even the dominant Mughal Empire and the domineering British Empire could not remove the stains of the rigid caste systems in India. And after the adoption of the brilliant Indian Constitution by independent and democratic India, many Indian dreamers thought that the exploitative caste system would be gone.
But we all know the social reality in India.
The people belonging to the influential Upper Caste really holds almost all the levers of powers in India.
Not surprisingly, according to various news reports, the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) censored the hard-hitting content (mostly about casteism in India) of not only the “Phule” but also that of the “Dhadak 2“. The CBFC even went ahead and blocked the internationally acclaimed film “Santosh” in India.
Perhaps, the CBFC does not want the heartbreaking social status of the Dalits to be shown in the movies. Meanwhile, why they allow the agenda-driven propoganda movies?
Baba Saheb also highlighted the potential for conflict between political equality and the persistent social and economic inequalities, stressing the need for constitutional morality and a shift from political to social democracy to ensure the constitution's true effectiveness.
Possibly, the fairy tale romance of a Dalit Hero & Brahmin Heroine is indigestible?
This once-upon-a-time modern fairy tale is now set in contemporary India. The “Dalit Hero Neelesh” belongs to an underprivileged and poverty-stricken family, somehow surviving in an urban slum area. In complete contrast, the “Brahmin Heroine Vidhi” belongs to an economically well-off family, who live in a middle-class locality with a decent home. Both Neelesh and Vidhi are classmates in a law college, as they pursue LLB degrees. The real problems start when both of them fall head over heels in love with each other.
| 2 Movies | Spot the caste and content differences |
|---|---|
| Pariyerum Perumal | A law student from a lower caste begins a friendship with his classmate, a girl who belongs to a higher caste, and the men in her family start giving him trouble over this. |
| Dhadak 2 | A law student from a Dalit caste begins a friendship with his classmate, a girl who belongs to a Brahmin caste, and the men in her family start giving him trouble over this. |
But the members of these two Castes should never meet. So, the caste-conscious Brahmin family (& society) members intervene. And as expected, they use violence against the Dalit Hero and his family to oppress and humiliate them. It is not a new thing. For thousands of years, they have used the same playbook.
How could a Brahmin girl fall in love with a Dalit boy? So, is this thought an impure one? Do the upper caste men (like Ronnie & other Bharadwaj in the film) treat young girls/women of their families as their caste property? And, as a consequence, do these upper caste men put many restrictions on young girls/women?
Given the context, when Vidhi boldly revolts against the deeply exploitative casteist and patriarchal systems, her love story becomes unpalatable for many.
Conceivably, did the CBFC kill this movie’s content by using the censor scissors mercilessly?
So, featuring Triptii Dimri (Bhardwaj) and Siddhant Chaturvedi (Ahirwal), “Dhadak 2” Hindi movie is a remake of the original Tamil anti-caste film “Pariyerum Perumal”, which came out in 2018 with four cuts, unlike the sixteen changes that Dhadak 2 has had to face. Besides, “Dhadak 2” has been rated ‘U/A 16+’, the second-highest maturity rating below ‘A’. The film was initially set to be released in November 2024, but its release was later rescheduled to March, a date it also missed. Because of the obvious reasons mentioned herein. We have shared the details of the censorship of “Dhadak 2” in the paragraphs below.
We learnt from the numerous news reports that India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approved Dhadak 2 after 16 cuts were made. These censored portions included the modification or removal of caste-specific slurs and violent scenes, such as the deletion of a shot where a character urinates on the protagonist, Neelesh Ahirwar (Siddhant Chaturvedi). The movie dialogues were adjusted to reduce anti-caste references, a dog’s blue tint in a dream sequence was removed, and a scene depicting humiliation was trimmed. Additionally, the film was required to include a longer, read-aloud disclaimer.
Dialogues change in this movie
Movie dialogues
| Phrases regarding age-old discrimination were altered. |
| A dialogue referencing the Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshiram was changed. |
| Caste slurs like “bhangi” and “chamar” were muted and replaced with “junglee” (wild). |
| A line saying, “Dharam ka kaam hai” (“this is religious work”), was replaced with “Punya ka kaam hai” (“this is [work toward] a good deed”). |
| “3,000 years of backlog will not be cleared in just 70 years.” – was changed to, “The backlog of age-old discrimination will not be cleared in just 70 years.” |
| The dialogue in the film, “Nilesh ye kalam dekh rahe ho…., Raaj kar rahe hain” (the CBFC did not reproduce the full dialogue, which translates to, “Nilesh [the protagonist], you see this pen … [they] are ruling.”), was replaced with, “Yeh chota sa dhakkan puri qalam ka thoda sa hissa hai aur baki ke hai hum phir bhi hamare sir per baithe hua hai kyu.” |
| One more dialogue, reproduced only partially by the CBFC as “Savarnon ke sadak … humein jala dete the.” (“The savarana’s street(s) … they would burn us [alive]”), was replaced with “Na Sadke hamari thin a zameen hamari thin a paani hamar tha yaha tak ki zindagi bhi hamari nahi thi marne ki naubat aayi to shaher aagaya,” translating to “Neither were the streets ours, nor was the land, nor the water, nor even the life; I was on the verge of death, so I came to the city.” |
Visual cuts in this movie
Movie scenes:
| Siddhanth’s skin was darkened for him to play a Dalit. [We (at FM) are unsure about this claim] |
| The blue tint on a dog during a dream sequence was removed. The original film features a mystical sequence where a brutally killed dog’s blue-coloured spirit rescues the protagonist. |
| A scene showing Nilesh’s father being humiliated was trimmed. the sixteen seconds of a three-minute scene featuring the “humiliation of Nilesh’s father” were cut. |
| A scene depicting violence against a woman was replaced with a black screen. |
| A shot of a character urinating on Nilesh (played by Siddhant Chaturvedi) was censored. |
Disclaimers and other changes in the movie
More censorings:
| In one song, a doha by Tulsidas was replaced. Was this Tulsidas doha replaced? {“पूजहि विप्र सकल गुण हीना। शुद्र न पूजहु वेद प्रवीणा ॥”} Its translation in English: {“Even if a Brahmin is devoid of all virtues, he must still be worshipped; A Shudra, though full of virtues and knowledge, should never be worshipped.”} |
| The film’s opening 20-second disclaimer was replaced with a longer, 1-minute and 51-second version that is read aloud. |
| CBFC asked the makers to censor the recitation of the poem “Thakur Ka Kuan” (the Thakur’s well), written by Om Prakash Valmiki. Broadly, the poem explores upper caste control of resources and lower caste alienation from them. |
The hero's name, "Neelesh", means the god of blue colour. Moreover, the blue suit of Dr B.R. Ambedkar is one of the principal reasons that led to the Dalits adopting the blue flag. In addition, blue is associated with the sky, which represents non-discrimination, affirming that everyone is perceived as equal under the sky. The Dalits were considered untouchable in Indian society. Furthermore, in this movie, there are many more references to the objects and slogans (like Jai Bhim!) associated with the identity of the Dalit community in India. Dr Ambedkar considered the Indian Constitution to be a crucial instrument for the establishment of a social democracy grounded in liberty, equality, and fraternity. Baba Saheb did, however, caution that its success was dependent on the actions of the people and the institutions that enforce it.
To conclude, our brief review of the movie with 16 cuts
This movie got most of the ingredients (story, setting, music, direction, cast members, acting performances, etc.) right. However, the makers could have gone for a different lead actor to portray the Dalit protagonist, Neelesh Ahirwar. In the past, we have appreciated actor Siddhant Chaturvedi’s performances in other movies. But we have learnt that he was darkened to play this character, we wonder why? Moreover, somehow, he could not find the Dalit rage within himself. And, this certainly does not seem right. Maybe it could be one of the reasons why Dalits did not embrace this film, like one of their own.
Among the ensemble cast members, we liked the performances of Vipin Sharma (Ahirwar/Neelesh’s father), Anubha Fatehpuria (Beena Ahirwar/Neelesh’s mother), Zakir Hussain (Principal Haider Ansari), Saad Bilgrami (Ronnie Bharadwaj), and Saurabh Sachdeva (Shankar) in the film. This brave film also touches upon the tragic real-life case of Rohith Chakravarthi Vemula. Moreover, there are so many appreciable references to the Dalit (and even Muslim) identity in the film. It is a decent film for at least viewing it once. And to conclude, Dhadak 2 is an important milestone in establishing the Dalit identity marker in the mainstream Hindi cinema. So, kudos to the entire team, notably Shazia Iqbal.
Trailer & Synopsis: Dhadak 2 (2025/Hindi) Movie
A searing romantic drama about identity, power, and the cost of love in the world we live in.
Also, check out this lovely song, Preet Re | Dhadak 2 | Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri | Darshan R, Jonita G, Rochak K, Gurpreet S | YouTube.
Key Details: Dhadak 2 (2025/Hindi) Movie
| Genre | Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller |
| Original Language | Hindi |
| Duration | 2 Hours 22 Minutes |
| Based on | Pariyerum Perumal (2018/Tamil) Movie by Mari Selvaraj |
| Writers (adapted screenplay) | Rahul Badwelkar & Shazia Iqbal |
| Director | Shazia Iqbal |
| Music Composers | Tanishk Bagchi, Javed-Mohsin, Rochak Kohli, Tanuj Tiku & Shreyas Puranik |
| Cinematographer | Sylvester Fonseca |
| Editors | Charu Shree Roy, Omkar Uttam Sakpal & Sangeeth Varghese |
| Main Cast | Triptii Dimri (Vidhi Bharadwaj), Siddhant Chaturvedi (Neelesh Ahirwar), Vipin Sharma (Ahirwar/Neelesh’s father), Anubha Fatehpuria (Beena Ahirwar/Neelesh’s mother), Zakir Hussain (Principal Haider Ansari), Harish Khanna (Arvind Bharadwaj/Vidhi’s father), Saad Bilgrami (Ronnie Bharadwaj), Deeksha Joshi (Nimisha), Priyank Tiwari (Shekhar), Shantanu Pandey (Bala), Amit Jaat (Ravi), Aditya Thakare (Vasu), Manjiri Pupala (Richa), Saurabh Sachdeva (Shankar), etc. |
| Production Co. | Dharma Production, Cloud 9 Pictures, Intromagine Pictures, Zee Studios |
| Distribution Co. | Zee Studios & Netflix India |
Bonus Poems: Censored – Thakur Ka Kuan | Thakur’s Well
Original Hindi poem “Thakur Ka Kuan”, which was removed from this film
ठाकुर का कुआँ ~ ओमप्रकाश वाल्मीकि
चूल्हा मिट्टी का
मिट्टी तालाब की
तालाब ठाकुर का।
भूख रोटी की
रोटी बाजरे की
बाजरा खेत का
खेत ठाकुर का।
बैल ठाकुर का
हल ठाकुर का
हल की मूठ पर हथेली अपनी
फ़सल ठाकुर की।
कुआँ ठाकुर का
पानी ठाकुर का
खेत-खलिहान ठाकुर के
गली-मुहल्ले ठाकुर के
फिर अपना क्या?
गाँव?
शहर?
देश?
English translation of the poem, “Thakur’s well”
Thakur’s well ~ Omprakash Valmiki
The stove is made of clay
The clay is from the pond
The pond belongs to Thakur.
Hunger for bread
Bread of millet
Millet belongs to the farmland
The farmland belongs to Thakur.
The bull is Thakur's
The plough is Thakur's
The palm on the handle of the plough is mine
The crop is Thakur's.
The well is Thakur's
The water is Thakur's
The fields and barns are Thakur's
The streets and neighbourhoods are Thakur's
Then what is ours?
The village?
The city?
The country?
The Netflix platform will release the Dhadak 2 movie soon. So, let us wait and see what the fate of the film on the OTT platform holds.
Featured Images & Poster Credit: Dharma Productions. | Caste System Image Credit: BBC & Alarmy.
