Mumbai, May 21, 2026
Actors: Ananya Panday, Lakshya Director: Vivek Soni Genre: Romance, drams Production House: Dharma Productions Release Date: 22 May Rating: 4/5
Some love stories are designed to make you smile. Some are written to make you believe in forever. And then there are films like Chand Mera Dil, an intense and real love story. Directed by Vivek Soni, and starring Ananya Panday & Lakshya, the film captures the beauty, intensity and eventual emotional exhaustion of young love with striking honesty. What begins with stolen glances, youthful madness and innocent romance slowly transforms into something far more layered and devastating. The film never tries to glamorise love; instead, it shows how love can heal you, consume you and sometimes completely destroy you.
Synopsis
Chand Mera Dil follows Aarav and Chandni, two young lovers whose passionate romance is struck by adulthood far too soon. As they navigate dreams, ambitions, family pressures and unexpected responsibilities, what begins as an innocent love story slowly transforms into a raw and emotional journey of sacrifice, heartbreak and self-discovery – forcing them to understand the evolved meaning of love.
Performances
Ananya Panday delivers what is undoubtedly one of the strongest performances of her career as Chandni. There’s rawness and vulnerability she brings to the character that feels incredibly authentic. Whether it’s the quiet emotional breakdowns, the moments of hope, or the internal conflict, Chandni feels real – flawed, emotional and deeply human.
Lakshya is phenomenal as Aarav and proves yet again why he is one of the most exciting young actors to watch out for. He captures the madness of first love, the passion, frustration, helplessness and emotional downfall of his character. There’s an innocence in the way he falls in love and a painful heaviness in the way life slowly changes him. Lakshya especially shines in the emotionally intense portions of the film, delivering a performance that feels raw and haunting long after the film ends.
Together, Ananya and Lakshya share a fresh chemistry that becomes the soul of the film. Their romance feels lived-in and organic, from the awkward sweetness of college love to the emotionally exhausting phases of a relationship struggling under pressure. Their silences speak as loudly as their confrontations. You root for them, feel frustrated with them and ultimately ache for them.
Director’s vision
Director Vivek Soni handles the story with sensitivity and emotional depth, avoiding melodrama and instead leaning into realism. The film beautifully captures how young love evolves when life, responsibilities and emotional baggage enter the picture. Vivek’s direction ensures the film never feels superficial despite dealing with highly emotional themes. There’s a lingering sadness throughout the narrative that stays consistent till the very end. His storytelling has always focused on human emotions, flawed relationships and the quieter moments between characters rather than loud cinematic drama, as seen in Meenakshi Sundareshwar and Aap Jaisa Koi.
Dialogues and Music
The dialogues by Akshat Ghildial, Tushar Paranjape and Vivek Soni feel conversational yet deeply impactful. Several lines stay with you because they come from genuine emotional spaces instead of sounding overly dramatic. The film beautifully captures the language of young love, emotional frustration and heartbreak in a way that feels natural and relatable.
The music album becomes an emotional backbone for the film. From the title track to the heart anthem Aitbaar and the beautiful love song Khasiyat, every song adds emotional weight to the narrative instead of merely existing for commercial value. The music elevates both the romance and the heartbreak, making several moments hit even harder emotionally. And special mention to Shreya Ghoshal whose voice brings an aching emptiness to the soundtrack that perfectly complements the film’s emotional tone.
What doesn’t work?
What doesn’t entirely work for the film is that a few scenes feel slightly stretched, especially in the middle portions where the narrative lingers a little longer than needed. At certain points, the emotional heaviness becomes repetitive. A tighter edit in some portions could have made the impact even sharper and more hard-hitting.
Final Verdict
Produced by Hiroo Johar, Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra and Marijke de Souza, Chand Mera Dil is not your conventional fairytale romance. It is messy, emotional, painful and intense, the kind of film that leaves you emotionally drained in the best possible way.(Agency)
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