There are men who love, men who are broken by love, and then there are special men who are completely consumed with the feeling, and Dhanush is the latter.  Few performers in Indian cinema can convincingly depict all-consuming love, the anguish of being destroyed by it, and the feeling of being a waste because love ruined him. Dhanush has always claimed that his authenticity, honestly bare vulnerability is his calling card, and the trailer for Tere Ishq Mein, once again demonstrates what makes him a class apart.  The movie definitely looks to be a haunting emotional ride with toxic layers of companionship, and of course, the intense emotional component is all there even as he exchanges with Kriti Sanon.

STORYLINE

Tere Ishq Mein, which is directed by Aanand L Rai, seems to focus on a love story that is badly damaged: that between the lovers who come together through passion but are impacted by the toxic poison that stems from a traumatic past and obsession. Dhanush seems to be cast as the long-suffering lover whose love and heartbreak a slow transformation into anger and self-destruction. Kriti Sanon’s character is equally complicated, a flawed charm and magnetic force who is the safety rope, and also the tempest in Dhanush's character's life. The trailer communicates a story in which love, which should heal, eats alive.

POSITIVE POINTS

The trailer clearly highlights Dhanush’s performance—the rage was not glamorous, but painfully real, and obsession was tantalizing, albeit disturbing. Kriti Sanon is a perfect foil, displaying a rawness that was integral to the emotional feel of the film. Aanand L Rai dives back into spaces that are very much messy, imperfect, and bruised relationships, the ground he occupies with ease. AR Rahman's music also weighs the film down with a melancholic essence, layered with soaring emotive lines. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub's narrative also steals the show at engagement points of philosophy that perfectly established the film's convergence on love as both a place of salvation and destruction.  

Also Read: The Girlfriend Movie Review: Rashmika Mandanna Shines In Powerful Tale of Love, Toxicity, and Empowerment

WEAKNESS

The obsessive detailing towards toxicity is always at risk for being romanticized and healthy dynamics and relationships are ultimately fighting for or perhaps iconically continue with unhealthy are norms in a meteorized side of tragic love stories. The Focus, whilst intense, ran he risk of feeling too enthralling for audiences who expect narrative balance emotional/story arcs or for lighter moments to ease the heaviness. Narratively I saw familiar themes with Dhanush – Aanand L Rai's earlier explored issues. 

Overall: Tere Ishq Mein looks like it is going to create meaningful, tragic, atmospheric drama fuelled by, but not solely through, the heavyweight performances, the narrative layers that will provide for meaningful storytelling and bittersweet the music weaved into the experience. If it delivers as suggested, the film will be a worthy re-engagement into painful, passionate ugly cinema on screen. When November 28th rolls around, it will be especially appreciated.