To grasp the characters’ motivations and circumstances in the sequel, it’s crucial to have seen the first film, as the new story unfolds years later. Fortunately, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba provides a helpful recap through a song montage early on, within the first ten minutes. This serves as an adequate reminder for viewers familiar with the original movie.
Similar to Haseen Dillruba, the follow-up story opens with Rani (Pannu) facing a dire situation. On a stormy night, she rushes into a police station, asserting that her husband is attempting to murder her. The narrative then shifts back two months prior. Residing in Agra, Rani presents herself as a widow to those around her, but the reality is that her husband Rishu (Massey) is very much alive and also living in the city. They clandestinely meet in a park overlooking the Taj Mahal, where they devise a plan to flee to Thailand for the chance to reunite.
Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba
Naturally, events take an unexpected turn. Inspector Kishore Jamwal (Aditya Srivastava, previously known as Kishore Rawat in the original film) remains convinced that Rani is guilty of murder and follows her to Agra. To complicate matters further, he is accompanied by the determined officer Mritunjay Prasad (Jimmy Shergill), who is also the uncle of Neel, Rani’s love interest from the first installment. Uncle Montu is relentless in his pursuit to locate Rishu and ensure both he and Rani face consequences for their actions.
In an effort to throw off the police, Rani suggests marriage to the infatuated pharmacist Abhimanyu (played charmingly by Sunny Kaushal). She makes it clear that her heart will forever be with Rishu, but Abhimanyu is fine with this arrangement—until he discovers that Rishu is still alive.
While Jayprad Desai skillfully directs Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, it is important to note that the franchise was created by screenwriter Kanika Dhillon. Typically, mystery series focus on detectives, but this one stands out by featuring criminals as its main characters while still adhering to the essential elements of the genre. Although the unexpected character arcs present in the first film are mostly missing—since Rani and Rishu are already established characters—this familiarity brings a comforting sense of recognition.
The finest mysteries invite the audience to participate by attempting to unravel the plot before the writer discloses the answer. Although there are enjoyable setups and conclusions, the final twists often feel unexpected. Instead of exploring more apparent options, the narrative opts for surprises that catch viewers off guard.
One reason for this phenomenon is that Rani’s character admires a fictional mystery writer named Danish Pandit, with his works frequently mentioned throughout the story. If Rani had been an admirer of Agatha Christie, astute viewers would likely recognize references to her novels and anticipate the plot’s direction. However, the Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba films are bound to the internal consistency of an invented author’s catalog, enabling Dhillon to rationalize everything through a link to Pandit. The narrative aligns perfectly for those who appreciate Danish Pandit, but since he is not a real person, only Dhillon shares that enthusiasm.
Nevertheless, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba is consistently entertaining, with interesting performances throughout. If there’s a way to keep this franchise going, I hope Dhillon comes back for a third round.