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Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
2016 Hindi film directed by Karan Johar From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (transl. O Heart, It Is Difficult) is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language musical romantic drama film written, directed, and produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner.[2] The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai in lead roles. Set across London, Paris, Vienna, and Lucknow, the narrative explores themes of unrequited love, friendship, heartbreak, and emotional intimacy through the intersecting lives of Ayan, Alizeh, and Saba.
The film marked Johar's return to direction after Student of the Year (2012), and was noted for its emotionally charged narrative and polished visual aesthetic. Principal photography was conducted across multiple international locations with Anil Mehta serving as cinematographer. The soundtrack was composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya, and featured several chart-topping songs—most notably "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", "Bulleya", and "Channa Mereya"—primarily rendered by Arijit Singh.
Released theatrically on 28 October 2016 during the Diwali weekend, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil opened to mixed reviews from critics.[3] While the performances of the principal cast, direction, music, and cinematography received widespread acclaim, the screenplay and plot garnered a more divided response. Despite its box-office clash with Shivaay, the film proved to be a major commercial success, grossing ₹2.38 billion (US$28 million) worldwide, and ranked as the third highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.[4][5]
At the 62nd Filmfare Awards, the film earned nine nominations—including Best Director (Johar), Best Actor (Kapoor), and Best Actress (Sharma)—and won four, including Best Music Director (Pritam), Best Lyricist (Bhattacharya for "Channa Mereya"), and Best Male Playback Singer (Singh for "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil").
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Plot
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Ayan Sanger, a popular singer known for his non-commercial music, recounts his story of love during a televised interview. Years earlier in London, he met Alizeh Khan, a free-spirited woman, at a nightclub. They quickly bonded over their mutual incompatibility with their current partners—Ayan with Lisa D'Souza and Alizeh with Dr. Faisal Khan—and soon became close friends. After discovering their respective partners' infidelity, they broke off their relationships and traveled to Paris together. During the trip, Ayan developed romantic feelings for Alizeh, but she continued to view him only as a friend.
Their relationship changed when Alizeh unexpectedly reconnected with her ex-boyfriend, Ali, and decided to marry him. She invited Ayan to her wedding in Lucknow, which he reluctantly attended. There, Ayan confessed his love, but Alizeh rejected him, leading to a painful fallout. At the airport, Ayan encountered Saba Taliyar Khan, a poet traveling to Vienna. Saba offered him emotional solace, and months later, Ayan contacted her and the two began a relationship. Though Saba developed feelings for Ayan, she sensed that he remained emotionally attached to Alizeh and eventually ended the relationship to protect herself from further heartbreak.
Encouraged by Saba's poetry, Ayan reconnected with Alizeh, and they resumed their friendship. However, Ayan continued to struggle with his unresolved feelings. When Alizeh visited Vienna, Ayan tried to make her jealous by introducing her to Saba, but this only deepened the emotional complexity. After a confrontation, Alizeh reiterated that she loved him only as a friend. Their argument led to another separation.
Years later, Ayan became a successful musician. He met Ali and learned that Alizeh had left him and disappeared from public view. Ayan eventually found her at one of her favorite spots, where she revealed she was suffering from stage-four cancer. Though devastated, Ayan chose to stay by her side, hoping she would eventually reciprocate his romantic feelings. Alizeh, however, remained emotionally honest and rejected the idea of faking love, leading to another brief estrangement. As her health declined, Ayan fulfilled her final wish by accompanying her to the airport.
The narrative returns to the present, where Ayan concludes his interview by performing "Channa Mereya," a song inspired by his one-sided love for Alizeh, underscoring the emotional journey that shaped his music and life.
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Cast
- Ranbir Kapoor as Ayan Sanger
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Saba Tahir Taliyar Khan
- Anushka Sharma as Alizeh Khan
- Fawad Khan as DJ Ali Ahmed
- Lisa Haydon as Lisa D'Souza
- Imran Abbas as Dr. Faisal Khan
- Shah Rukh Khan as Tahir Taliyar Khan(Cameo)
- Alia Bhatt as DJ (Cameo Appearance)
- Neha Dhupia as Ayan's interviewer (voiceover)
Production
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"...it is not a conventional love story or love triangle. It's a film that dwells deeply on relationships, heartbreaks and how love completes you, defines you and yet leaves you wanting for more. I have never had, in my entire career, a film that has come to me so fast, so organically and so from within."
Development
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was officially announced in November 2014. Writer-director Karan Johar, who had last directed Student of the Year (2012), revealed that he had been developing a separate story for over a year when, during a visit to New York City, the idea for Ae Dil Hai Mushkil came to him. The film, titled after a song from the 1956 film C.I.D., was written in 30 days. Upon returning to India, Johar approached the lead actors, all of whom signed on immediately.
Casting
Johar cast Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma after working with them as co-actors in Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet (2015). He later stated that while he had multiple options for the roles of Ayan and Alizeh, the role of Saba was specifically written for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and that the film would not have been made had she declined the part.[6]
Fawad Khan, who had recently appeared in Johar’s Kapoor & Sons (2016), was cast as DJ Ali. His character, while limited in screen time, was described by Johar as “not exactly a cameo” but “a backbone for a certain conflict of a character.”[7] Lisa Haydon confirmed her appearance in the film in a supporting role.[8] At the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, Johar also confirmed that Shah Rukh Khan would make a brief appearance.[9]
In February 2016, at the India Conference at Harvard University, Johar revealed that Kapoor plays a Hindu man named Ayan and Sharma a Muslim woman named Alizeh.[10]
Filming
Principal photography began in September 2015 in London with Kapoor and Sharma. Later that month, the team shot portions in Paris.[11] In October 2015, filming continued in Vienna, Austria, where Rai joined the crew following the release of her film Jazbaa (2015).[12] In March 2016, filming took place in Mandawa, Rajasthan, featuring Kapoor, Sharma, and Khan. The final schedule was completed in July 2016 in Mumbai.[13]
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Soundtrack
Release
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Screening issue
On 8 October 2016, the Indian political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) announced that it would oppose the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil due to the presence of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in the cast. The statement followed heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the 18 September 2016 Uri attack, and coincided with the Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India’s decision to refrain from releasing films featuring Pakistani artists in four states: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Goa.
The MNS threatened cinema owners with vandalism if they proceeded to screen the film. In response, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that theaters would receive adequate police protection and warned that anyone taking the law into their own hands would be dealt with "firmly." On 19 October, twelve MNS workers were taken into judicial custody after staging a protest and entering a Mumbai cinema unlawfully.[14]
Addressing the controversy, director Karan Johar issued a video statement emphasizing that the film was shot in 2015 under different circumstances. He added, "Going forward, I will not engage with talent from the neighbouring country, given the circumstance. But with that same energy, I beseech you to know one thing – that over 300 people in my Indian crew have put their blood, sweat, and tears into making Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. I don't think it's fair for them to face any kind of turbulence on account of other fellow Indians." Johar's remarks received mixed responses, with some criticizing him for capitulating to political pressure, while others from the film industry, including Mukesh Bhatt and Shyam Benegal, voiced support for the film’s release.[15]
On 20 October 2016, Mukesh Bhatt announced that, following discussions with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the film would be released as scheduled without disruption. He also stated that producers had resolved not to collaborate with Pakistani actors in future projects.[16]
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Reception
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Box office
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was produced on a budget of over ₹500 million, including marketing and distribution costs. Prior to its theatrical release, the film had already recovered ₹750 million (US$11.2 million) through the sale of its music, satellite, and digital rights, leaving a target of approximately ₹250 million (US$3.7 million) in box office revenue for break-even.[1]
The film was released on 28 October 2016, coinciding with the Diwali weekend, and faced strong competition from Shivaay.[17] On its opening day, the film collected ₹133 million, marking the third-highest opening for both Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma and the sixth-highest for a Hindi film that year.[18] Over its debut weekend, it earned ₹356 million net (₹498 million gross) from 3,200 screens in India, becoming the ninth-biggest opener of 2016 and the best-ever opening for Karan Johar as a director, surpassing My Name Is Khan (2010).[19][20]
Due to the holiday period, the film saw an increase in collections on the following Monday, earning ₹177.5 million. It concluded its first week in India with ₹802 million (US$12 million) and continued its successful run into the second weekend, earning a further ₹320 million from 2,000 screens.[21] By the end of its ten-day run, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil had amassed ₹971.7 million (US$14.6 million) domestically, becoming the sixth-highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year in India and the top grosser of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s career, surpassing Dhoom 2 (2006).[22]
Internationally, the film performed well, debuting at eighth place at the UK box office with ₹48.8 million (US$773,000), the highest Bollywood opening in the UK that year (excluding previews).[23][24] In North America, it earned ₹140 million (US$2.13 million) from 302 screens during its opening weekend.[25][26]
According to Comscore, the film earned an estimated US$12.8 million across 14 international markets during its opening weekend.[23][27] By the end of its theatrical run, the film had grossed ₹1.61 billion (US$20 million) in India and ₹2.38 billion (US$28 million) worldwide, ranking as the third highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.[5]
Critical response
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil received mixed reviews from critics. While its direction, music, cinematography, and performances—particularly those of Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan—were praised, the film's story and screenplay received criticism.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 53% approval rating based on 17 reviews, with an average score of 5.6/10.[28] Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 40 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews" based on four critics.[29]
Bollywood Hungama rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a contemporary and progressive take on relationships from the master storyteller Karan Johar."[30] Raja Sen of Rediff.com awarded 4 stars, stating that "Johar has improved massively as a storyteller," while Sukanya Verma rated it 3.5 stars, calling it "splendidly romantic and richly satisfying."[31][32] The Times of India’s Nihit Bhave gave it 3.5 stars and described it as "a beautiful-looking film that isn't bereft of logic."[33] Rajeev Masand of CNN-News18 also gave it 3.5 stars, praising Kapoor’s performance and noting Johar’s continued ability to evoke emotion.[34]
More critical assessments came from Deccan Chronicle’s Subhash K. Jha and Hindustan Times’ Sweta Kaushal, both rating it 2.5 stars. Jha described the film as "good-looking" but emotionally lacking, while Kaushal found it difficult to empathize with the characters.[35][36] The Indian Express’s Shubhra Gupta rated it 2 stars, citing the film's inability to move beyond familiar tropes,[37] and The Guardian’s Mike McCahill gave it 2 stars, stating that the film lacked depth in its treatment of Hindu-Muslim relations.[38]
In a more nuanced take, The Hindu wrote that the film "is not so much plot-driven as it is focused on characters, relationships, and interactions,"[39] while Reuters remarked that the film "has neither gravitas nor the charm to be worth remembering."[40]
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References
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