Film

Dilwale

Name: Dilwale
Genre: Crime, Action, Comedy
Released: 2015
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Boman Irani

Other titles called Dilwale: the 1994 film.

Dilwale is a Bollywood romance-action-comedy built on a classic premise: star-crossed lovers from rival crime families reunite when their younger siblings fall for each other. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol are effortlessly charming, the action sequences are stylish, and it's the kind of film that doesn't ask much of you except to enjoy the movie stars being movie stars. Perfect for a night when you want spectacle, romance, and not to think too hard.

TMDb rating

3.3

If you liked this

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani2013

Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone spark with the same kind of easy chemistry as Khan and Kajol here, paired with gorgeous cinematography and a romance that feels genuinely lived-in across different life stages.

But It's longer than it needs to be, and the second half loses momentum as it becomes more sentimental than exciting.

Bang Bang!2014

Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif do a slicker, more globe-trotting version of this same playful romance-meets-action formula, with better stunts and higher production values. Pure escapism.

But The plot is threadbare even by these standards, and it's essentially an excuse to show off expensive locations.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan2012

Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif in another romantic epic with action, intrigue, and the kind of sweeping sentiment that Dilwale is going for. Directed by Yash Chopra at his most romantic.

But It's overwrought and three hours long, and the melodrama can feel exhausting if you're not in the mood for it.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Dilwale

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Luck by Chance2009

Both are love stories set within the glamorous but corrupt worlds of their characters—crime here, cinema there—but where Dilwale leans into the fantasy, this deconstructs it.

Directed by Zoya Akhtar, this is a behind-the-scenes Bollywood film where Farhan Akhtar and Konkona Sen Sharma navigate the industry's absurdity and cruelty. It's witty, self-aware, and loves cinema itself—the opposite of Dilwale's earnestness.

But It's a satire that requires some affection for Bollywood to land, and it's far quieter and less spectacular than you're expecting.

Dhoom 32013

Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif lead a stylish heist-action film with a genuine twist, better pacing than Dilwale, and sequences that actually make you hold your breath.

But It's more committed to the heist plot than to romance, so if you're here for the love story it will feel secondary.

Happy Bhag Jayegi2016

A lighter, fresher take on the cross-border romantic comedy with Diana Penty and Ali Fazal. It's got similar energy to Dilwale but tighter, funnier, and without the melodrama.

But It's smaller in scale and star power, which some will find less satisfying as spectacle.

Race 22013

John Abraham and Deepika Padukone in a globe-trotting crime caper with more propulsive action and twists than Dilwale, if you want the crime-and-romance angle with higher stakes.

But The plot is genuinely hard to follow, and it cares more about set pieces than character.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania2017

Varun Dhawan (who appears in Dilwale) and Alia Bhatt in a modern romantic comedy with charm, humor, and enough heart to work even when the story gets silly.

But It's unapologetically fluffy, and the second half descends into Bollywood convention in ways that might feel too familiar.

Gunday2014

Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor in a crime romance with genuine grit underneath the entertainment, if you want something that takes its underworld setting more seriously than Dilwale does.

But It's grittier and less fun; if you wanted escapist romance, this goes darker than expected.

Jism2003

Both are crime-romance hybrids, but where Dilwale plays it safe with stars and sentiment, this commits to noir seduction and moral ambiguity.

Emraan Hashmi and Bipasha Basu in an erotic thriller that uses the same crime-world-plus-romance template but with genuine danger and sensuality. It's pulpy, confident, and unlike anything in mainstream Bollywood.

But It's intentionally trashy in ways that might feel uncomfortable or dated now, with explicit content and a cynical tone about love and desire.

Rang De Basanti2006

Both dramatize beautiful young people confronting corruption in powerful institutions, but Rang De Basanti asks whether romance is enough, or whether something more is demanded of you.

Aamir Khan leads an ensemble film that looks like a fun college-friendship romance but becomes something urgent and political about corruption and resistance. Visually gorgeous, morally serious, unforgettable.

But The tonal shift from comedy to tragedy will blindside you if you go in expecting light entertainment; it's emotionally grueling in the second half.