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Movie Name: Nakhrewaalii
Directed by: Rahul Shanklya
Starring: Ansh Duggal, Akash Makhija, Kumud Mishra, Kajol Bhadana, Farhana Fatema, Aman Shah, Pragathi Srivasthava, Gopal Datt, Aayushi Verma, Rishi Raj Bhasin, Neeta Satnani
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Running Time: 129 Minutes
Release Date: October 30, 2026
Language: Hindi
Rating:
Production Companies: Colour Yellow Productions, Jio Studios
Budget: ₹- crore
Sumit Mishra cross-dresses as a woman to win over his love interest, Paridhi.
Nakhrewaalii Movie Overview:
Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava are set to headline Nakhrewaalii, an upcoming romantic comedy that looks at relationships and gender roles through a contemporary lens. Directed by Rahul Shanklya and written by Divy Nidhi Sharma, the film is scheduled to release in cinemas on October 30, 2026.
The makers have unveiled a poster that offers an early glimpse into the film’s approach to romance. It features the line, “Kabhi Kabhi Pyaar Mein Majnu Ko Bhi Laila Banna Padta Hai,” hinting at a reversal of conventional expectations in relationships between men and women.
A ‘womantic comedy’ with a contemporary setting
The film has been described as a “Womantic Comedy”, combining romance and humour while exploring themes of gender equality. Rather than presenting these subjects separately, Nakhrewaalii is expected to weave them into the story of its central characters.
The film also aims to touch upon wider social issues, including women’s safety and some of the expectations and norms that continue to influence relationships.
The recently released poster gives audiences their first indication of the film’s tone, while the upcoming trailer is expected to reveal more about its characters, storyline and treatment.
Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava lead the film
Nakhrewaalii marks Rahul Shanklya’s directorial debut, with Divy Nidhi Sharma credited as the writer. Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava play the lead roles.
The film is produced by Jio Studios and Colour Yellow, the production banner associated with Aanand L Rai and Himanshu Sharma.
With its focus on relationships, changing gender dynamics and social expectations, Nakhrewaalii is positioned as a romantic comedy that aims to combine its lighter moments with conversations around issues affecting contemporary relationships.
The film is slated to arrive in theatres on October 30, 2026.
Nakhrewaalii Movie Trailer:
Movie Review:
All Nakhre, Little Laughs and a Dash of Romance
Story:
A young man who believes women have it easy discovers otherwise when love and the prospect of a government job push him to experience life from a woman’s perspective.
Review:
He thinks women have it easy. She wishes he could experience it himself. And before he knows it, his world turns upside down! Nakhrewaalii builds its romantic comedy around this amusing role reversal but struggles to extract enough humour and insight from the premise.
Directed by Rahul Shanklya and produced by Aanand L Rai, the film follows Sumit Mishra (Ansh Duggal), who, as a child, dresses up as one of his sisters for Kanjak Puja during Navratri. Years later, having moved from Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, to Delhi in search of a better life, Sumit enjoys his bachelorhood and considers himself quite a charmer. His world takes a turn when he falls for Paridhi (Pragati Srivastava), his landlord’s younger daughter, whose father, Batuk (Gopal Datt), insists that she marry a government officer.
During their first interaction, Sumit and Paridhi debate who has an easier life. While Sumit believes women have an additional advantage in the form of a ‘victim card’, Paridhi wishes he could experience a woman’s life for a day. What follows is a series of chaotic situations as Sumit juggles two identities, complicated romantic equations and wedding-related confusion. His growing closeness to Paridhi is further complicated by his attraction towards Mihika (Aayushi Verma), a Delhi University student with a contrasting outlook on romance. Eventually, Sumit must confront his assumptions about women and find a way to win over Paridhi’s father.
Written by Divy Nidhi Sharma and based on Satya Vyas’s novel Dilli Darbaar, Nakhrewaalii has the flavour of a conventional small-town romantic comedy. Its intentions are clear, and the idea of a man experiencing the everyday challenges faced by women offers ample scope for humour and social commentary. Unfortunately, the writing barely scratches the surface. What could have been a sharp observation on gender inequalities becomes a predictable exercise in mistaken identities and familiar comic situations. The narrative takes a straightforward route, making most developments easy to anticipate.
The film draws heavily from romantic comedies of the past, even throwing in references to films like Kabir Singh, but fails to give its treatment a contemporary edge. The characters remain trapped in familiar stereotypes, while the screenplay relies on broad generalisations about men and women. More importantly, Sumit’s experience of personal boundary violations and other challenges women face is reduced to a narrative checkpoint rather than explored meaningfully. While the first half is relatively better paced, the second half struggles to balance social commentary with comedy. Its sexual innuendos and situational humour seldom generate genuine laughs, though the romantic track fares marginally better.
Performances provide some relief. Ansh Duggal makes a promising debut, bringing charm and rawness to Sumit. He carries the film confidently, even when the writing lets him down. His monologue about the differences between a ladka and a ladki recalls the conversational style popularised by Kartik Aaryan in Pyaar Ka Punchnama. Pragati Srivastava is equally assured, giving Paridhi a feisty personality despite the familiar characterisation. Aayushi Verma is pleasant as Mihika, while Akash Makhija provides occasional comic relief as Sumit’s friend, Jhaadi. Gopal Datt and Kumud Mishra lend credibility to their roles but have limited scope.
Technically, the film remains ordinary. The music is underwhelming, while the cinematography captures the rustic charm of small-town India. Persistent lip-sync issues in the dubbing are also distracting.
For a film that promises a role reversal, Nakhrewaalii plays things rather safe. Its heart is in the right place, and the newcomers bring some freshness, but the humour rarely clicks and the romance lacks spark. Despite a few charming moments, it remains a missed opportunity.
Nakhrewaalii Movie Songs:
Song Title: BETUKA
Lyrics: Vayu
Music Composer: Vayu, Sharan Rawat
Singer(s): Jasleen Royal
Song Title: Yeh Bawla Hai
Lyrics: Vayu
Music Composer: Tanishk Bagchi
Singer(s): Papon
Song Title: KONA
Lyrics: Vayu
Music Composer: Vayu, Vaibhav Pani
Singer(s): Tushar Joshi
Song Title: Nakhrewaalii (Title Track)
Lyrics: Vayu
Music Composer: Vayu x Vaibhav Pani, Shankar-Jaikishan
Singer(s): Priyankit Jaiswal, Kishore Kumar
