The film marked Kapoor's first on-screen collaboration with his real-life father Pankaj Kapur, and half-sister, Sanah Kapur. Principal photography began in August 2014, with major portions shot in Leeds and other locations across the United Kingdom.[4] The soundtrack was composed by Amit Trivedi with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
Released theatrically on 22 October 2015 during the Dussehra weekend, Shaandaar received largely negative reviews from critics, with praise for its music and visuals but criticism directed at its screenplay, narrative, and tone.[5] Despite a strong pre-release buzz and wide distribution, the film underperformed at the box office and was declared a commercial failure.[6][7]
Alia Arora, an insomniac orphan, is adopted by Bipin Arora, whose domineering wife, Geetu, and materialistic mother, Kamla, treat Alia with cold indifference. Alia shares a close bond with Bipin and her stepsister Isha, and to help her cope with her insomnia, Bipin draws her a dream every night before bedtime.
The Arora family travels to a lavish destination wedding in England, where Isha is set to marry Robin Fundwani. En route, Bipin’s car collides with that of Jagjinder Joginder (JJ), a wedding planner. The clash between the two is comical, and it is later revealed that JJ is managing Isha's wedding. The marriage has been arranged to secure financial gains for both families, who are secretly bankrupt. Robin, the groom, is a narcissistic fitness enthusiast who disrespects Isha due to her body weight and interest in food, marrying her only to appease his older brother, Harry Fundwani.
Alia and JJ, both insomniacs and emotionally scarred by their pasts, connect and gradually fall in love, eventually helping each other sleep peacefully for the first time. Bipin, who is overprotective of Alia, disapproves of their budding romance. In the ensuing tension, he inadvertently reveals that Alia is his biological daughter from a past relationship, a secret he had kept to protect family harmony. Over time, Bipin comes to accept JJ as Alia’s partner.
Meanwhile, tensions escalate between Isha and Robin, culminating in Robin ridiculing her on the wedding day after her dress tears. Empowered, Isha refuses to go through with the marriage and delivers an impassioned speech about self-worth. As chaos ensues, Harry Fundwani, desperate to maintain appearances, brandishes a gun in an attempt to force the wedding. It is then revealed that the Fundwanis are also financially ruined.
With the wedding in disarray, JJ, Alia, Bipin, and Isha escape in a helicopter, leaving behind their dysfunctional families and embracing a future shaped by love, self-acceptance, and independence.
Karan Johar as himself who host his show Mehendi with Karan
Reception
Box office
Shaandaar opened with domestic collections of ₹11 million (US$130,000) on its first day.[8] Despite a strong initial turnout, the film saw a sharp decline in collections over the subsequent days. However, its overseas performance contributed positively, with a reported five-day worldwide gross of ₹900 million (US$11 million).[9] After 16 days in theatres, the global gross was estimated at approximately ₹597 million (US$7.1 million).[10] Ultimately, the film was declared a box-office failure by trade analysts.[11][12][13] The concurrent success of Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 was cited as a contributing factor to its underperformance.[14]
Critical reception
Shaandaar received predominantly negative reviews from critics. Deepanjana Pal of Firstpost criticized the film’s writing as disjointed, remarking that it felt "more a series of YouTube sketches than a proper story."[15]Indian Express described Shahid Kapoor’s character, Jagjinder Joginder, as "badly written" and noted that while Kapoor is typically a natural charmer, the film's continuous emphasis on charm ultimately worked against him. The publication also felt that despite the appealing visual pairing of Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, "there's not very much else they manage between the two of them."[16]
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV noted "flashes of smart writing" but criticized the film for lacking a sustained narrative, particularly in the second half. However, he acknowledged the "spontaneous chemistry" between the lead actors.[16]IBNLive described the film as "bizarre and wildly inconsistent,"[17] while India TV commented that "there is nothing Shaandaar about this Shahid-Alia starrer."[18]The Times of India awarded the film 2 out of 5 stars.[19]
The music for the film is composed by Amit Trivedi.[25] The first song titled, "Gulaabo" was released on 10 September 2015,[26] followed by "Shaam Shaandaar" which was released on 16 September 2015. The music rights for the film have been acquired by Zee Music Company. The full audio album was released on 24 September 2015.[27][28]
In mid-2024, reports emerged that a sequel titled Shaandaar 2 was in early development, though no official announcements regarding the cast, crew, or production timeline have been made.
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