If you thought love stories were supposed to be cute, think again. Aanand L Rai just dropped the Tere Ishk Mein trailer and it is not your typical boy meets girl romance. This is boy meets girl, boy falls dangerously in love, boy threatens to literally set an entire city on fire, boy crashes weddings covered in blood, boy becomes a Flight Lieutenant while still being obsessed kind of love. And honestly? The internet is here for every unhinged second of it.
Dhanush and Kriti Sanon are back with a love story that feels equal parts Raanjhanaa nostalgia and brand new chaos. The trailer, which dropped on November 13, has already racked up millions of views and sparked countless debates. Is Shiv, Dhanush’s character, a romantic hero or a walking red flag? Is this passionate love or problematic obsession? Is burning down Delhi an acceptable response to heartbreak?
Aanand L Rai, the master of emotionally complex romances, is not giving easy answers. He has crafted a trailer that grabs you by the collar, shakes you violently and leaves you desperate to know what happens next. The visuals are stunning. The music by AR Rahman is hauntingly beautiful. And Dhanush? He is delivering a performance that looks like it will be talked about for years.
Mark your calendars for November 28, 2025 because Tere Ishk Mein is hitting theaters in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. And based on this trailer, it is going to be the most intense, controversial and talked about romance of the year.
Share this with every Dhanush fan you know because this man just raised the bar for Bollywood intensity.
The Raanjhanaa Team Reunites and Nostalgia Hits Hard
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Tere Ishk Mein is not officially a sequel to Raanjhanaa. But it might as well be. The creative team behind the 2013 cult classic has reunited for what feels like a spiritual successor. Aanand L Rai directs. Himanshu Sharma writes the screenplay. AR Rahman composes the music. Irshad Kamil pens the lyrics. And of course, Dhanush anchors the film as the emotionally volatile lover.
Raanjhanaa, for those who need a refresher, was a polarizing masterpiece. It told the story of Kundan, a Hindu boy hopelessly in love with Zoya, a Muslim girl who never reciprocated his feelings. The film explored obsession, one sided love, communal tensions and ultimately sacrifice. Kundan died for Zoya even though she never loved him back. It was tragic. It was beautiful. It sparked debates about whether the film romanticized toxic behavior or portrayed a complex character study.
Twelve years later, that same team is back with Tere Ishk Mein. And based on the trailer, they are not shying away from controversial territory. Shiv, Dhanush’s character, exhibits similar traits to Kundan. He is passionate to the point of destruction. He loves so intensely it becomes dangerous. He refuses to let go. He burns, both metaphorically and literally.
But there are differences. Shiv is not just a small town boy chasing an impossible love. He is a Flight Lieutenant, suggesting discipline, training and a level of sophistication Kundan never had. His love interest Mukti, played by Kriti Sanon, is not running away from him the entire film. The trailer shows genuine chemistry, mutual attraction and moments where it seems like they could actually work.
And then it all falls apart. Spectacularly. Violently. In ways that make you question everything you thought you knew about their relationship.
Tag someone who is still not over Raanjhanaa because this film is about to put them through emotional hell all over again.
Dhanush and Aanand L Rai: The Third Time Charm
This is the third collaboration between Dhanush and Aanand L Rai. After Raanjhanaa became a sleeper hit and established Dhanush as a legitimate Bollywood star despite being a South Indian actor, the duo reunited for Atrangi Re in 2021. That film, released on Disney Plus Hotstar, paired Dhanush with Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar in a love triangle with a psychological twist.
Atrangi Re was divisive. Some praised its ambition and performances. Others found it messy and tonally confused. But nobody questioned Dhanush’s commitment. The man threw himself into the role with such intensity that even critics who disliked the film praised his performance.
Now comes Tere Ishk Mein, a film both Dhanush and Rai are calling their most personal collaboration. At the trailer launch event in Mumbai on November 14, Dhanush spoke about working with Rai feeling like home turf. He said collaborating with the same director multiple times allows for a creative shorthand, a trust that lets actors take risks they might not take with someone new.
Rai, known for films like Tanu Weds Manu, Zero and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, has a signature style. He tells stories rooted in small town India but with universal emotional themes. His male protagonists are often flawed, sometimes problematically so, but always deeply human. His female characters are not passive. They have agency, even when trapped in difficult circumstances.
Tere Ishk Mein appears to continue that tradition. Kriti Sanon’s Mukti is not a damsel in distress. She confronts Shiv. She challenges him. She makes her own choices, even if those choices lead to chaos. The trailer shows her in her wedding dress saying she knows guys like him run when things get real. But Shiv does not run. He crashes the wedding. Covered in blood. On fire. Literally and figuratively.
This partnership between Dhanush and Rai has produced two memorable films already. The third might be the one that defines both their careers.
Kriti Sanon Steps Into Intense Territory
Kriti Sanon is having a phenomenal few years. After winning the National Film Award for Best Actress for Mimi, she proved she is more than just a pretty face. She followed it up with strong performances in Bhediya, Adipurush (despite the film’s failure), Crew and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. She has range. She can do comedy, drama, action and now, intense romance.
Tere Ishk Mein is her first collaboration with both Dhanush and Aanand L Rai. And based on the trailer, she is holding her own against one of the most intense actors working today. Her character Mukti, which literally means liberation or salvation, is central to the story. She is not just the object of Shiv’s obsession. She is an active participant in this relationship, making choices that drive the narrative forward.
The trailer shows her transformation. In college, she is idealistic, believing she can change Shiv into a non violent person. She thinks love can fix him. But as the story progresses, reality sets in. She realizes some people cannot be fixed. Some love is too consuming. Some relationships are doomed from the start.
Her line Girls dream of finding their Prince Charming, they are used to being logical speaks to a universal experience. Women are socialized to approach relationships pragmatically, to weigh pros and cons, to protect themselves emotionally. But love does not work that way. Love is irrational. And when logic meets obsession, someone gets hurt.
Kriti’s performance in the trailer is layered. She is not playing a one note character. She goes from playful to terrified, from in love to desperate, from hopeful to resigned. The scene where she says she knows guys like him leave when they see a wedding dress is heartbreaking because you can see she wants to be wrong. She wants him to prove her fears unfounded.
And he does. But not in a romantic way. In a chaotic, destructive, this is not okay kind of way.
Comment below if you think Kriti Sanon is about to deliver a career defining performance because this role looks intense.
The Music That Has Already Conquered Hearts
Before the trailer dropped, Tere Ishk Mein had already made waves with its music. AR Rahman, reuniting with Aanand L Rai after Raanjhanaa and Atrangi Re, has composed what early listeners are calling one of his best soundtracks in years. The title track, sung by Arijit Singh with lyrics by Irshad Kamil, dropped weeks ago and has been topping charts ever since.
The song is pure Rahman magic. Haunting melody. Poetic lyrics. Arijit’s voice conveying longing and pain in equal measure. It has that quality Rahman is famous for, where the music feels timeless even on first listen. You hear it once and it stays with you, playing on loop in your head for days.
At the Mumbai promotional event, Dhanush and Rahman created a moment that has since gone viral. Dhanush sang an unreleased track from the film live, accompanied by Rahman on the keyboard. The audience was mesmerized. Videos of the performance flooded social media. Fans who were already excited for the film became obsessed after witnessing the musical chemistry between actor and composer.
Rahman’s involvement is significant. He does not score films casually. He chooses projects that resonate with him emotionally. His work on Raanjhanaa elevated that film from a good romance to an unforgettable one. Songs like Tum Tak, Piya Milenge and Raanjhanaa became anthems. Tere Ishk Mein has the potential to repeat that success.
The trailer uses the background score masterfully. Every emotional beat is enhanced by Rahman’s music. The college romance scenes have a lightness, a playful energy. The violent confrontation scenes are accompanied by intense, almost aggressive instrumentation. The moments of heartbreak are underscored by melancholic strings. It is a full sensory experience.
Music is often the soul of Indian cinema. And with AR Rahman providing the soundtrack, Tere Ishk Mein has a massive advantage. Even if the film is divisive, the music will endure.
The Trailer That Asks More Questions Than It Answers
Aanand L Rai is a smart filmmaker. He knows how to market a movie. The Tere Ishk Mein trailer gives you just enough to be hooked but withholds crucial information. Who is Shiv really? Why does he become so violent? What happens between the college romance and the wedding crashing? Why is he a Flight Lieutenant and how does that fit into the story? Why does Kriti say he will leave when he sees her in a wedding dress?
The structure is deliberately confusing. It jumps between timelines without clear markers. One moment they are in college, the next he is in uniform, then suddenly there is a wedding, then he is declaring love will lead to death not salvation. It is chaotic. It mirrors the emotional chaos of the relationship itself.
The dialogue is poetic and menacing. If I fall in love, I will burn down the city of Delhi is not your typical romantic declaration. It is a threat. A promise. A warning. And when Shiv follows through, setting fire to what appears to be a wedding venue, you realize he was not being metaphorical.
His monologue about love and mukti is particularly chilling. You will die, Pandit. Love will only lead you to death, not salvation. Don’t chase mukti, burn in your love so fiercely that she falls at your feet and begs, please accept me. That is not romance. That is possession. It is obsession bordering on madness.
And yet, Dhanush delivers these lines with such conviction, such raw emotion, that you almost understand Shiv even as you question his sanity. That is the mark of a great actor. Making you empathize with characters whose actions you would never condone.
The trailer ends with Shiv yelling I am done with this bloody love, I just want to fight now, followed by quick cuts of him in military uniform. The implication is that he channels his emotional turmoil into his career, becoming a soldier to escape the pain of love. But the trailer suggests that even that transformation cannot save him.
The Box Office Battle Ahead
Tere Ishk Mein releases on November 28, 2025, just two weeks before the end of the year. It is a strategic release date. The film avoids major holiday clashes while capitalizing on the pre December audience looking for quality content. It releases in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, ensuring pan India reach.
Trade analysts are predicting Tere Ishk Mein could be Dhanush’s biggest Bollywood opener, surpassing his 11 year old record. Raanjhanaa opened to modest numbers but grew through word of mouth to become a solid hit. Atrangi Re went straight to streaming so box office comparison is irrelevant. This film has the advantage of massive pre release buzz, a trailer generating millions of views and a music album already popular.
The competition is relatively light. No major releases are scheduled for the same weekend, giving Tere Ishk Mein a clear path to dominate. However, the film’s success will depend on word of mouth. If audiences embrace the intense, morally ambiguous romance, it could have long legs at the box office. If they find it too dark or problematic, it could fizzle after a strong opening.
Kriti Sanon’s star power adds commercial viability. She has a strong fan following among younger audiences. Dhanush brings credibility and a loyal base that spans North and South India. Aanand L Rai’s name ensures a certain level of quality and emotional depth. AR Rahman’s music is already a hit.
All the ingredients are there. The question is whether audiences in 2025 are ready for a love story this intense, this uncompromising, this willing to explore the darker side of passion.
The Final Act
Tere Ishk Mein is not asking for your approval. It is not trying to be politically correct. It is a film about love as destruction, about passion that consumes, about characters who make terrible choices in the name of emotion. It is bold. It is risky. It is exactly the kind of film Bollywood needs more of.
Safe, predictable romances have their place. But cinema is at its best when it takes risks, when it explores uncomfortable truths, when it forces audiences to confront their own beliefs about love, morality and human behavior. Tere Ishk Mein, based on its trailer, is doing all of that.
November 28 cannot come fast enough. Whether Shiv’s love story ends in tragedy, redemption or something in between remains to be seen. But one thing is certain. This film will be talked about. It will spark debates. It will divide audiences. And it will remind everyone why Dhanush is one of the finest actors working in Indian cinema today.
The city of Delhi might want to invest in fire insurance. Because Shiv is coming. And he is bringing the flames.
Comment below whether you think Tere Ishk Mein will be a hit or miss. Share this article with your movie loving crew because this is the most anticipated romance of the year. Follow for updates because between now and November 28, the hype is only going to build. Pesh-e-khidmat hai Tere Ishk Mein. The passion, the chaos, the love. Get ready. Bollywood is about to burn.
