De De Pyaar De 2 Rating: 2.5/5 ⭐️

Bollywood loves a sequel, and De De Pyaar De 2 shows up like the friend who’s still fun but just a bit out of step. Anshul Sharma steps in as director, picking up where the 2019 hit left off. Ajay Devgn slips back into Ashish Mehra’s shoes still trying to prove he’s got more than a dad-bod and a midlife crisis. Rakul Preet Singh returns as Ayesha, still sparky, and this time R. Madhavan barges in & cranking up the mayhem. With Jaaved and Meezaan Jaaferi thrown in for extra family drama, you’d think you’re in for a wild ride. But by the time those 147 minutes are up, it feels like the magic’s faded a bit.

This time, the movie digs deeper into the whole love-versus-family mess. Ashish wades right into Ayesha’s household, cue culture clashes, awkward dinner scenes, and enough punchlines to fill a comedy club. No spoilers, but it leans hard on situational humor. Ajay Devgn, as always, holds it all together with that perfect mix of charm and “everyman” vulnerability. Rakul keeps things grounded, bringing real warmth when the script starts to wobble. Madhavan? He lights up every scene he’s in, stealing laughs with barely any effort.

For all the laughs and heart, though, De De Pyaar De 2 just never hits the highs of its predecessor. The first half zips along, funny, self-aware, poking fun at modern romance without getting preachy. But after the interval, it loses steam. Suddenly, the romance subplot feels forced and the story drags for a good 15-20 minutes. Even the songs, including a try-hard Yo Yo Honey Singh number, fade fast from memory. There’s a twist near the end, but you’ll probably see it coming if you’ve watched enough rom-coms. It’s not a train wreck, just safe, predictable, and comfortable. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably enjoy it well enough. But with so many bold comedies and big films jostling for attention, this one just blends into the crowd. Basically, it’s comfort food. Satisfying, but not something you’ll gush about for days.

Now, let’s talk box office. The original De De Pyaar De made around ₹140 crore worldwide, mostly by word of mouth. The sequel? It’s got a steeper hill to climb. Advance bookings hit approx ₹2.5 crore, with about 28,000 tickets snapped up across big chains. Projections put the opening at ₹7-8 crore nett, miles behind Ajay’s big hits like Singham or Drishyam. With family audiences now pickier and streaming platforms offering stiff competition, the movie’s got its work cut out just to stay afloat through the week. Crossing ₹2 crore in advance sales is a small win for a rom-com these days, but keeping that momentum? That’s a whole different story.

So, if you’re after a light, low-stakes date night or a family flick you don’t have to think too much about, De De Pyaar De 2 does the trick. Ajay and the crew remind us why we liked these characters to begin with, they’re flawed, familiar, and full of that easygoing Bollywood charm. But as sequels go, this one’s more a gentle nudge than a bold move forward. It’s worth a watch, sure. Just don’t expect it to rewrite the rules. Love might save the day, but at the box office, it’s going to need a little extra help.