"Metro… In Dino", currently trending at No 4 on Netflix, plunges viewers into the messy, unpredictable, and deeply human world of modern love. Director Anurag Basu returns with his signature intertwining narratives, tracing the lives of four couples across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune as they wrestle with desire, loyalty, heartbreak, and self-discovery. At its core, the film probes the nuances of contemporary relationships, exploring the spaces between desire and fidelity, longing and responsibility, routine and excitement. Basu never shies away from the uncomfortable: questions of infidelity, emotional neglect, and the tension between individual ambition and shared life are addressed head-on, yet never in a preachy way. His storytelling is deliberate, oscillating between comedy, melancholy, and romantic whimsy in a way that mirrors the characters' own emotional unpredictability.
The narrative thrives on an ensemble cast, each actor bringing depth and relatability. Pankaj Tripathi anchors the film as Monty Sisodia, a middle-aged husband and father confronting the drift in his marriage, navigating midlife uncertainties with humour and understated vulnerability. Konkona Sen Sharma complements him as Kajol, a woman torn between the familiar comforts of marriage and the thrill of rediscovering herself. Their storyline, with its blend of comic timing and emotional resonance, is perhaps the most satisfying, offering moments that feel both intimate and universal. Sara Ali Khan's Chumki and Aditya Roy Kapur's Parth embody youthful restlessness and the confusion of modern love. Chumki, a corporate professional in a world that undervalues emotional honesty, and Parth, a travel blogger flirting with commitment without fully embracing it, embody the dilemmas of a generation shaped by technology, social media, and fleeting pleasures. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Ali Fazal, as Shruti and Akash, explore the pull between ambition and devotion, presenting a more reflective look at relationships where survival and affection collide. Finally, Neena Gupta and Anupam Kher, as long-lost lovers reunited, bring warmth and nostalgia, reminding audiences that love is not just the domain of the young but a lifelong, evolving experience.
Basu's signature style infuses every frame, from the intricate weaving of characters' arcs to the musicality that carries the narrative. "Metro… In Dino" leans heavily on its songs as emotional anchors. The soundtrack – enriched by the poetry of Qaisar Jafri and Neelesh Misra – invites the audience into the characters' interior worlds, revealing unspoken desires and conflicts. The film interrogates love in its many forms: the enduring bonds of marriage, the fragile exhilaration of new romance, the turbulence of teenage infatuation, and the bittersweet reconnections of past relationships. Direction is both playful and meticulous, shifting between comedy, tenderness, and poignancy, rarely allowing viewers to settle into predictability. Fleeting moments of meta-humour, nods to cinematic convention, and sly references to earlier works add a layer of sophistication to the earnest storytelling.
Yet the film's ambition sometimes weighs it down. Juggling multiple storylines can create narrative clutter, leaving a few arcs feeling rushed or underdeveloped. The hyperlink format that once gave "Life in a Metro" its kinetic energy is here both strength and limitation. The sweep through Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, and brief sojourns to Goa and Himachal imparts a restless urban rhythm, but the cities themselves—unlike in Basu's earlier work – serve more as backdrops than characters.
Still, the film succeeds in portraying love as messy, imperfect, and profoundly human. Ordinary settings—a bus stop, a dim streetlight, a rain-soaked street—become sites of revelation and tenderness. The camera lingers on small gestures, fleeting glances, and quiet silences, allowing the audience to inhabit the inner lives of its characters. There is a deliberate beauty in these choices, a celebration of the everyday that grounds the film's emotional ambition.
For me, "Metro… In Dino" reflects the contradictions and complexities of contemporary relationships. It embraces both the joy and the chaos of human connection, capturing the highs, lows, and ambiguities that define intimacy. While it may not match the structural elegance of "Life in a Metro," it compensates with warmth, sincerity, and an unwavering focus on character-driven storytelling. The film asks its audience to consider the nature of commitment, the evolving definitions of fidelity, and the courage required to act authentically in matters of the heart – inviting reflection on how love shapes, challenges, and redeems us.
