Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai Reviews: Critics and Audiences Deliver First Verdict

I walked out of the theatre last night with a strange feeling. Confused. Slightly amused. A little embarrassed for everyone on screen. The usher asked me "acha laga?" I shrugged. That sums up the Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai reviews I have been reading all morning. David Dhawan is back.

Varun Dhawan is jumping around. Two women are pregnant. Chaos follows. The film released on June 5, 2026 . And within 24 hours, the verdict is split right down the middle.

Critics are sharpening their knives. Audiences are laughing. Someone is wrong. Or maybe everyone is right. Let me break down what is actually happening.

Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai Release Date and Box Office Opening

The film hit 3,166 screens across India on June 5. Day one numbers are still coming in. Early estimates show Rs 0.97 crore net in India. That is not a blockbuster. But against Bobby Deol's Bandar (which opened at Rs 0.01 crore), it is a clear winner.

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The occupancy is around 10% right now. Morning shows were slow. Evening picked up. Word of mouth will decide the weekend.

One detail matters here. This is reportedly David Dhawan's final directorial film. That nostalgia factor is pulling in the older crowd. The ones who grew up on Coolie No. 1 and Hero No. 1. They are showing up. Not for the story. For the memories.

Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai Remake of Which Movie? The Confusion Explained

Before we talk reviews, let me clear this up. Social media has been screaming "remake!" for weeks. The Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai remake of which movie question keeps popping up.

The most common guess? Govinda's 2006 film Sandwich . Same setup. One man. Two women. Two pregnancies. The makers actually issued a clarification. They called it an "original story and screenplay" with "no resemblance to any other film" .

I have seen both. They are lying. Not legally. But spiritually? It is the same skeleton. Different clothes.

Does that matter? Depends on who you ask. Some call it unoriginal. Others say "who cares, it is funny." I land somewhere in the middle.

The Cast: Who Is in This Thing?

Let me list the names so you know what we are working with.

Lead:

• Varun Dhawan as Jas (the confused husband-to-be)

• Mrunal Thakur as Baani (the wife who wants a career first)

• Pooja Hegde as Preet (the other woman)

Supporting:

• Maniesh Paul as the best friend

• Jimmy Sheirgill as Preet's strict brother

• Mouni Roy in a dance number

• Chunky Panday, Rakesh Bedi, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav 

That supporting cast is a David Dhawan greatest hits reunion. Johnny Lever is still doing the same expressions from 1994. Some people love that. Some people are tired.

What Critics Are Saying: The Harsh Truth

The Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai reviews from critics are brutal. Let me give you the headlines.

India Today (Rating: Not given, but harsh): David Dhawan's formula finally expires. The problem is that the audience no longer lives in that universe.

The Indian Express (Rating: 1.5 stars): What worked for a flagrantly politically incorrect time comes off as plain cringe now.

The common complaints across every negative review:

1. The comedy feels dated

Body-shaming jokes. Gender politics from 1998. Scenes built on assumptions that are not funny anymore. One critic wrote: "You can almost see the director standing behind the camera asking for 'more Salman from the 90s' every few minutes." 

2. The women have no agency

Mrunal and Pooja spend most of the film looking glamorous while reacting to Varun's chaos. They do not drive the story. They respond to it. For a film about two pregnant women, they have surprisingly little to say.

3. The first half is a struggle

Multiple reviews mention this. The first hour is desperate. Forced jokes. Weak timing. You sit there wondering why you bought the ticket.

4. Varun is trying too hard

He is energetic. That is his thing. But here, the energy feels rehearsed. One critic compared him to Johny Bravo. Then said: "Nobody actually liked Johny Bravo that much. Ouch.

What Audiences Are Saying: The Other Side?

Now here is where it gets interesting. Walk out of the theatre and ask a random person. You will hear something completely different.

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Outlook India collected Twitter reactions: One user called it a "perfect family entertainer." Another said "full paisa vasool." Some praised David Dhawan for "not normalising the cheating trope" like his older films (Biwi No. 1 comparisons were inevitable).

News18 gave it 3.5 stars and said: The film is not groundbreaking, but thoroughly entertaining. The second half saves it. David Dhawan's expertise shines.

What audiences actually liked:

1. The second half works.
Everyone agrees. The first half is weak. The second half finds its rhythm. The jokes start landing. The chaos becomes funny instead of annoying.

2. The nostalgic songs save the mood

Chunari Chunari, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, the title track. These old hits play at key moments. The theatre starts clapping. Nostalgia is a drug. It works.

3. The supporting cast delivers

Johnny Lever. Rajpal Yadav. Manoj Pahwa. These guys know the assignment. They provide the few moments where the comic rhythm actually clicks.

4. It is exactly what you expect

And for some people, that is a good thing. You do not walk into a David Dhawan film looking for Ship of Theseus. You want loud colors, mistaken identities, and a man running between two women. That is what you get.

The Honest Middle Ground: Who Is This Film For?

I have read twenty reviews. I have talked to five people who actually watched it. Here is my honest take.

This film is for you if:

• You grew up on 90s David Dhawan comedies and miss that energy

• You want to switch off your brain for 2 hours and 16 minutes 

• You enjoy watching Varun Dhawan do physical comedy (he is genuinely good at it)

• You do not overthink gender politics in your Friday night entertainment

This film is NOT for you if:

• You expect modern comedy writing (think TVF or Amazon originals)

• Cringe humor makes you uncomfortable

• You cannot overlook outdated jokes about bodies or relationships

• You need your female characters to have clear motivations and choices

The budget is Rs 55 crore. That is modest by today's standards. The film does not need to be a monster hit to recover. It needs a decent weekend and good word of mouth in smaller cities.

What Actually Works (Without the Hype)?

Let me give you three specific things that work.

1. Varun Dhawan's physical comedy

The man knows how to fall. He knows how to make a confused face. He knows how to run in circles. That is not nothing. In the second half, when the screenplay stops fighting him, he becomes genuinely funny.

2. Maniesh Paul as the sidekick

Their chemistry from Jug Jugg Jeeyo carries over. The banter feels natural. Some of the best laughs come from their exchanges.

3. The London setting

The film looks expensive. Cinematographer Ayananka Bose keeps everything polished and bright . When the jokes fail, at least the frames look good.

What Fails (And Why It Matters)?

Three things fail. And they fail hard.

1. The first hour

I sat through it. You will too. But you will check your phone. The film takes too long to set up a simple premise. A man wants a baby. His wife wants to wait. He meets someone else. That is a 15-minute setup. They stretch it to 60.

2. The women's roles

Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde are talented. You would not know it from this film. They exist to look worried, then forgiving, then happy. No arc. No conflict that is actually theirs. The film gives them "remarkably little agency".

3. The central message

What is this film actually saying? That a man wanting children so badly he is willing to end a marriage is romantic? That fatherhood only matters if the child is biological? The film does not ask these questions. It assumes you will not either. But you might. And then the comedy feels weird.

Should You Spend Money on This?

Here is my straight answer.

If you are going with family (parents, cousins, no one under 15): Yes. The chaos plays well in a group. The old songs will get everyone singing. No one is expecting a masterpiece.

If you are going on a date: No. Pick something else. The gender politics will create an awkward conversation afterward.

If you are a David Dhawan fan: Yes. This is his last film. See it for that reason alone. The man made Judwaa, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Partner. He earned a farewell watch.

If you are under 25 and grew up on modern comedy: Skip it. You will cringe. You will not understand why your parents are laughing. Save your money.

The Final Thoughts

The Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai reviews are not going to unite anyone. Critics say it is expired. Audiences say it is fun. Both are telling the truth.

David Dhawan built an empire on a specific kind of comedy. Loud. Chaotic. Politically incorrect. That empire is crumbling. But the rubble is still entertaining if you stand at the right angle.

I laughed three times. I cringed five times. I checked my watch twice. That is a mixed bag. For a Friday night with no better options? It will do. 

For David Dhawan's last dance? It is not his best. But it is his. And that counts for something.