Cocktail 2 Review: Kriti Sanon’s hyper-sexualised scenes fail to seduce Shahid Kapoor; Rashmika Mandanna struggles with Hindi in forced Gen Z romance

And the wait is over. After extensive marketing, city tours, mall events, and promotions featuring Rashmika Mandanna, Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor, Cocktail 2 hit theatres on Friday. The film is nothing like the OG Cocktail starring Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty. The film caters to Gen Z and is all about love, relationships, situationships, trust and loyalty tests.

In a nutshell, the premise of the film goes like this: Kunal (Shahid Kapoor) is in a relationship with Diya (Rashmika Mandanna) for over 16 years and in a live-in couple and survived long distance and even COVID-19.

And to test his loyalty, she asks her best friend Ally (Kriti Sanon), who is hot and sexy, to woo him. However, Ally starts developing feelings for Kunal, and that’s when Diya begins to feel insecure. Who Shahid’s character eventually chooses, and how the trio gets entangled in love, friendship and emotions, forms the crux of the film.

Trying to separate habit from commitment, and responsibility from burden, Diya decides to test Kunal’s loyalty by asking Ally to seduce him.

The narrative twist here is that the women are the ones driving the confusion, while the man gets pulled into the mess without fully realising it. Diya’s deep-seated overthinking, triggered by a joke and Ally’s performative rebellion, fractures the relationship.

The movie wasn’t loved by many, and most moviegoers who watched it are cringing hard. Many feel Kriti Sanon is seen in only two dimensions throughout the film and spends much of her screen time flaunting her body. Rashmika, meanwhile, struggles with Hindi diction and emotional scenes, while Shahid Kapoor’s charming persona appears surprisingly charmless, often reminding viewers of his Ishq Vishk days.

Social media is already divided over Homi Adajania’s romantic drama.

One viewer wrote, “Kriti Sanon’s screen presence completely overshadowed Rashmika.”

Another user shared, “Kriti Sanon arrives with a bang and literally puts life into Cocktail 2.”

Referring to producer Dinesh Vijan, one social media user wrote, “Dinesh, this film is made only for Kriti Sanon.”

Some social media users felt Rashmika’s performance lacked impact when compared to her co-stars, while others questioned whether her character was developed enough in the film.

The only element that truly entertains in the film is Pritam’s music. Songs such as Mashooqa and Jab Talak capture the vibe of a Homi Adajania film much more effectively than the screenplay does.

Kriti tries to recreate the Veronica magic, but Ally lacks the erratic, magnetic storm that made Deepika Padukone’s character unforgettable.

Rashmika’s Hindi diction often breaks the illusion of her character and feels forced. Even during emotional and romantic dialogues, she struggles to leave a lasting impact.