2 States
- Director
- Abhishek Varman
- Studio
- Dharma ProductionsNadiadwala Grandson Entertainment
- Release Date
- 17 April 2014
- Running Time
- 150 min
- Language
- Hindi
- Country
- India
- Budget
- ₹45.00 Cr
- Box Office
- ₹175.00 Cr
Review
Chetan Bhagat's "2 States" is a film that understands the romantic comedy formula intimately, and Abhishek Varman deploys it with surprising competence. The central premise—two young people navigating the cultural chasm between Punjabi and Tamil Brahmin families—could have devolved into caricature, but the film largely resists that temptation. Arjun Kapoor brings a likeable earnestness to Krish, managing to convey both vulnerability and conviction without overselling either, while Deepika Padukone delivers a measured, intelligent performance as Ananya that avoids the typical rom-com heroine trappings. The film's real strength lies in its willingness to let the relationship breathe between the comedic set pieces; the scenes where the couple simply talks about their futures, their fears, and their families carry genuine weight and tenderness.
Where the film falters is in its treatment of the conflict itself. The cultural tensions, while present, never feel as insurmountable or nuanced as they should for a film claiming to explore them seriously. The parents become broad strokes rather than fully realized characters grappling with legitimate concerns, and the resolution feels somewhat convenient rather than earned. Ronit Roy as Krish's father deserves mention for bringing unexpected depth to what could have been a one-note character, though the script doesn't always serve him well. Additionally, the film occasionally wallows in its own sentimentality, especially in the latter h
Storyline
So basically, this guy Krish is this hotshot engineering student who's doing his MBA, and he comes from this wealthy Punjabi family in Delhi. His home life is pretty messy though—his parents aren't really getting along and his dad has some serious drinking problems. Everything changes when he meets Ananya, this brilliant girl from a super traditional Tamil Brahmin family down in Chennai. They start studying together, become friends, and eventually he just can't help himself and confesses that he's into her. They start dating and move in together while they're still in school, and things are going really well between them.
What's sweet is that Krish opens up to Ananya about his real dream, which is actually to become a writer rather than pursue the whole corporate engineer thing. They're both crushing their careers—he gets an offer from Yes Bank and she lands a job at Sunsilk. So naturally, Krish decides to propose to her and she says yes! The couple thinks it's a good idea to have their families meet at their graduation ceremony, but oh boy, does that turn into a complete disaster. His loud, outgoing mom and Ananya's quiet, reserved parents just don't click at all.
Now things get complicated because Ananya has to move to Chennai for her job, and Krish is back in Delhi trying to figure out where to work. His mom starts putting serious pressure on him, telling him that the whole relationship won't work because they're from totally different cultures. She's even pushing him toward getting into an arranged marriage with someone from their own community. So you can imagine the tension that starts building between Krish and his family over this whole situation.
