It took three years to develop a sequel, enough time to dish out a spicy, edgier one. Neither Jayprad Desai, the new director on the block nor the writer Kanika Dhillon could retain the fun and thrill of Hasseen Dillruba in its part 2. Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba wasn’t a long-awaited sequel, nevertheless its predecessor had left a curious thread for the audience.

Rani Kashyap (hottie Taapsee Pannu) and Rishu Saxena (low-spirited Vikrant Massey) are now hatching an abroad plan. Staying in the same locality where cops scout 24/7 in search of them, they continue their meetings. Infusing red extravagantly in the ambiance, cinematographer Vishal Sinha ensures we still care for the couple’s unreal conversations and guiding scriptures. Abhimanyu (Sunny Kaushal)’s entry into the plot is logical. Whatever follows fails to be so.

In Hasseen Dillruba, everybody had a footing in a familiar ecosystem that resonated with the audience. The contrasts in the couple's behavior and a desirous Raniji’s quick fixes created fun and anxiety. Sort of fresh air in Bollywood. The intriguing nature of the story had the potential to hook us. Both Taapsee and Vikrant Massey stamped their roles in a messy environment created by them and others together. That brought sound and fury to the film. With only three characters on the façade, the sequel struggles to fill several empty slots. It's lethargic and astray in most sequences. Even the pearls of Dinesh Pandit couldn’t serve much this time. While scheming escapades, it has never been so easy to distract crocodiles and fall off cliffs/bridges.

Were you surprised by Montu uncle’s revelations in the end? Like his cop role, Jimmy Sheirgill wasted his time for nothing. I liked Kaushal’s naivety. There is an unpredictability surrounding him but not always. I am not blaming the cast but a pulpy script makes them crippled.

If love does not push you to the brink of insanity, it is not true love – Pandit was correct in Hasseen Dillruba, when Hasseen Phir Aayi…it doesn’t feel natural.

Plotting part 3?