Tere Ishk Mein 2025 Movie Review: Love, War, And Wounds That Do Not Heal
Tere Ishk Mein (2025) is a Hindi romance-musical from director Aanand L. Rai, with Dhanush and Kriti Sanon in the lead. Set against a war backdrop, it blends obsessive love, Air Force action, and psychological drama. The film was released in theaters on November 28, 2025, and comes packed with heavy emotions and big cinematic moments.
This review is spoiler-light, so big twists and the ending stay safe. The focus here is on whether the movie delivers on its promise of intense romance and drama, and if it is worth your time and ticket price.
There is a clear answer hiding inside all the chaos, and it might surprise you a bit.
Story and Characters: Does Tere Ishk Mein Make You Feel the Love?
Tere Ishk Mein tells the story of Shankar, a troubled Air Force flight lieutenant, and Mukti, a psychologist who once loved him and now has to judge his mental fitness. The movie jumps between their fiery past in Benaras and a tense present during wartime.
In the flashbacks, young Shankar and Mukti fall into a stormy college romance. He comes from a modest background, full of anger and pride. She belongs to a richer family, is sharp, curious, and drawn to his raw energy. Class differences, family pressure, and Shankar’s growing obsession put cracks in their love. What starts as dreamy college passion slowly turns dark, with violence and self-harm not far from the surface.
Years later, Shankar works as a flight lieutenant, grounded after a reckless act in combat. To return to the skies, he must pass a psychological evaluation. The twist is that Mukti, now a behavioral psychologist and married, is the expert assigned to him. Their sessions open old wounds. We see how love, guilt, and trauma sit between them like a third person in the room.
The film tries to mix three tracks at once: intense romance, the stress of war, and mental health. Dhanush carries the weight as Shankar, a man torn between duty and broken love. Kriti Sanon’s Mukti has to be both the healer and the cause of his pain. Together, they give the story its beating heart, even when the script wanders.
Side characters, played by actors like Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Tota Roy Chowdhury, and Prakash Raj drift in and out. Sometimes they add flavor and context. Other times, they feel like extra noise in a story that already has more pain than it can handle.
Plot highs and lows: Intense romance, but is the story too crowded?
When Tere Ishk Mein works, it hits hard. The Benaras portions are full of passion, sharp arguments, and stolen, tender moments by the river and in crowded streets. The idea that love can heal deep scars, yet also cause them, comes through in some very strong scenes between Shankar and Mukti.
The problem is that the film keeps adding more. Family fights, hints of a love triangle, army politics, and courtroom-style questioning around Shankar’s mental state all fight for space. Tone shifts from poetic romance to loud melodrama in a single reel. Some scenes feel too convenient or over the top, which breaks the spell.
Critics have fairly called the film “charged but fragmented.” You feel the power of certain scenes, yet the whole story can feel messy and tiring.
Performances that stand out: Dhanush and Kriti Sanon in Tere Ishk Mein
Dhanush is the anchor of this film. His Shankar is not a standard Bollywood lover boy. He is bruised, angry, and often unlikable, but Dhanush makes you understand where every outburst comes from. In the Air Force portions, his quiet breakdowns say more than his fights.
Kriti Sanon gets one of her meatiest roles so far. As Mukti, she switches between warmth, sharp honesty, and controlled distance. You can see the conflict in her eyes when she sits across from Hankarr in therapy, torn between her job and her old feelings. Together, their chemistry feels lived-in and complicated, not sugary or fake.
IMDb users praise the emotional range both bring to the screen, and that feels fair. Among the supporting cast, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub gets a few good moments as a friend who calls out Shankar’s behavior. Others, like Prakash Raj and Tota Roy Chowdhury, sometimes feel underused, present more to push the plot than to leave a strong mark.
Music, Visuals, and Pacing: Is Tere Ishk Mein Worth the Big Screen?
In a romance-musical like this, sound and visuals matter almost as much as the story. Tere Ishk Mein tries to create a full sensory experience, from A. R. Rahman’s music to the crowded lanes of Benaras and roaring fighter jets.
A.R. Rahman’s music and sound: Does the album match the emotion?
A. R. Rahman’s soundtrack is one of the film’s big strengths. The songs wrap around key moments, from early college romance to late heartbreak, and help you feel what the characters cannot say out loud. Soft love ballads sit next to darker, more haunting tracks, and the background score keeps the tension alive in the therapy sessions and war scenes.
Many fans praise how the music deepens their feelings, even when they do not remember every song title. A strong score can sometimes make viewers forgive weak story turns, and that happens here. When the plot stumbles, Rahman’s themes still pull you in and keep you emotionally hooked.
Visual style, pacing, and overall vibe of the film
Visually, Tere Ishk Mein is rich and expressive. Benaras is shown with warm, crowded frames, full of color, smoke, and chaos. In contrast, the Air Force bases and war zones feel sharp, gray, and cold. The camera often stays close to Dhanush and Kriti’s faces, catching small shifts in their eyes and breath, which fits the psychological angle.
The pacing, however, can test your patience. The film runs long, with many side tracks and repeated emotional peaks. Some sequences in the middle stretch feel like they could have been shorter or cut entirely. On the other hand, a few romance and war scenes are so tense that you forget the time.
Overall, the vibe is intense, dramatic, and heavy. Some viewers will enjoy being pulled into that storm of feelings. Others may walk out feeling drained by the constant emotional high pitch.
Final Verdict: Should You Watch Tere Ishk Mein in 2025?
Tere Ishk Mein is not a light weekend watch. It is a big, messy, emotional film that swings for the fences with its love story and war backdrop.
Who will enjoy this film (and who might not)
If you love intense Bollywood love stories, with big feelings, complex characters, and loud drama, this film is aimed at you. Fans of Dhanush and Kriti Sanon will find plenty to enjoy in their layered performances and raw chemistry. Strong music and a bold visual style add to the appeal.
If you prefer a tight, logical plot or get annoyed by melodrama, you may struggle. The fragmented story, sudden tone shifts, and a few over-the-top scenes can break your connection. The IMDb score sits in the mid-7s, around 7.6 out of 10, which shows many viewers are positive, even if critics are mixed.
Short rating and recommendation for Tere Ishk Mein
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
In simple terms, watch Tere Ishk Mein for the performances and music, not for a flawless story. If you enjoy big-screen experiences, the sound design, songs, and visuals of Benaras and the war sequences make a theatrical viewing worth it. If you are unsure about heavy drama, waiting for streaming might be the safer choice.
Conclusion
Tere Ishk Mein stands on three strong pillars: intense acting by Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, powerful music by A. R. Rahman, and a visual style that makes love, pain, and duty feel larger than life. At the same time, its bold story is uneven, with side plots, sudden shifts in tone, and a long runtime that can pull you out of the moment.
This film is best for viewers who enjoy high-stakes romance, tragic twists, and characters who break and rebuild themselves on screen. If that sounds like you, the mix of love, war, and healing will stay with you long after the credits roll.
If you do watch Tere Ishk Mein, share your own take: did the love story break your heart, or just wear you out?