Rating: 3.2/5
Genre: Romantic Comedy/ Drama
Year: 2026
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Director: Homi Adajania
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Rashmika Mandanna
Kid rating: PG
Kunal (Shahid Kapoor) and Diya (Rashmika Mandanna) have been in a relationship for six years and live together. Vacationing in Sicily during the wedding season, to get away from nosy relatives, they unexpectedly runs into Diya’s old friend, Ally (Sanon). The two haven’t seen each other in ten years, but are delighted to reconnect. Ally invites the couple to stay with her and offers to show them around Sicily for the remainder of their vacation.
During a heart-to-heart conversation between the two women, Diya confesses that she loves Kunal but is unsure of his feelings. Wanting clarity, she asks Ally for help. Together they hatch a plan. Neither of them has any idea that the plan is about to backfire in spectacular fashion.
I have to admit that I went into this film with some misgivings. While it is directed by Homi Adjania, the same filmmaker who directed the original Cocktail, I was concerned because Luv Ranjan is writer/producer here, and I find his films misogynistic (Pyar ka Punchnama etc.).
But, I was pleasantly surprised.
Cocktail 2 works reasonably well as a Friday-night entertainer. The first half is somewhat over-the-top and a little forced, because it is trying very hard to recapture the charm and magic of the original cast —Deepika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan, and Diana Penty – which it doesn’t by the way. It also “wants” to be “cool” – like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (that whole wedding song, a la Badmateez Dil, with the gender reversed), and like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (European road trip via swanky convertible, anyone?).
But here’s the biggest problem with this film – it’s very surface level. It does get a little deeper towards the end, although by then I’m not too invested. Also un-likeable characters are kind of a no-no – and this film has one of them in the lead.
Of the three leads, Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna are excellent performers. Shahid, in particular, is wonderful in a mature and restrained role after all the recent tomfoolery – e.g. O’Romeo, which I thought was dreadful.
Kriti Sanon looks absolutely stunning in this film. Her character is a little too unbelievably bronzed, auburn-haired, perpetually bikini-clad and fancy-footsie-ing her way through Europe. But, she is gorgeous—arguably one of the most beautiful actresses of present day Bollywood – and suits her role. The rub is she isn’t on par with the other two acting-wise – there are several emotionally demanding scenes which a more accomplished actress could have driven home.
The film has an excellent soundtrack and impressive cinematography. Sicily itself looks breathtaking on screen, with lots of stunning shots of the coastline. One particularly memorable sequence features Ali and Kunal fooling around in the water. It is beautifully filmed against the sunlight and blue skies, with the vivid blue sea providing a spectacular backdrop.
So yes, Cocktail 2 is a decent film. The first half is peppy but ordinary—slightly messy, somewhat loud, over-the-top, and very much like a typical commercial entertainer with nothing particularly special to offer. Fortunately, the second half turns it around. The screenplay becomes focused, the emotional beats land more effectively, and the story develops in some surprising ways. By the end, the film turns into an enjoyable watch.
You will be entertained. The premise is intriguing, the leads attractive, the music works, and the gorgeous Sicilian backdrop adds plenty of visual appeal. While it will not quite reach the heights of the original Cocktail, it works on its own terms.
Kidwise: Adult themes and sparsely clad (beautiful!) women. This has received an “A” rating from the Indian Censor Board. Not quite sure why – this film is far cleaner than a lot of Hindi “family” dramas.
