Dil Dosti Dilemma

1. Contemporary, relatable storyline 2. The screen adaptation, I'm sure has been made to look more 2024 than 2016; and it has worked.

3. There is a sense of snobbiness in the main characters but at the same time a lot of refreshing innocence, making them even more likable 4. The dialog delivery, the acting is more natural than stage acting influenced exaggeration.

5. It's feel good but not so idealistic that it's almost impractical.

6. The class struggle, especially between the people who are entitled and the world they were not a part of and too embarrassed to acknowledge being connected to, is all too real in any society where the class divide is massive, especially in the contempary India. It's very relatable.

7. The acting by senior actors like Tanvi Azmi and Shishir Sharma is a delight but the younger ones brought a refreshing combination of maturity and innocence that was magical.

8. The dialogs in Urdu but not so chaste that it's impossible for a normal Hindi speaker to understand was mellifluous while being practical.

This show is a very fun and easy breeze to sit through and watch in one sitting. Having read the book Asmara's Summer by which it has been adapted recently, this show fleshes out those characters in they way that they deserved.

The comedy was fun and my whole family sat through it and watched it together.

The young cast shows off that they can stand against the veteran actors during the drama sequences of the show.

The music that has been composed for this show stands out and delivers when it is needed and the songs are some of the best recent original Hindi songs I have heard in a long time.

Dil Dosti Dilemma starts off cringey with overdone teen tropes, but stick with it, the emotional payoff is worth it. Asmara's transformation from a privileged brat to a grounded, empathetic young woman is the heart of this show.

The real charm lies in the warmth of Tibri Road, especially the grandparents played by Shishir Sharma and Tanvi Azmi. Suhasini Mulay is a scene-stealer as the fierce Akhtar Begum.

The friendships feel underdeveloped, and some plot points are rushed or unresolved, but the show's aesthetic, solid performances, and feel-good vibes carry it through.

It's light, emotional, and culturally grounded, perfect for a quick binge. Now if only they'd give us Season 2 after that cliffhanger.

They have done some good stuff in this show, no denial. But the writing is so cringy, the characters so caricature-ish, and the depth show shallow that you just can't take it seriously.

This is one of those classic TVF style shows that are in trend which are a result of Flames and Immature being successful. Very low stakes, very lazy writing, no character depth at all.

If you're craving a Crushed/Immature style immature show with tryhard comedy this might be for you. But if you want to watch something that is actually meaningful, and is not based on the TVF success pattern of creating low stakes happy shows, this is not for you.

Adapted from the YA novel Asmara's Summer by Andaleeb Wajid, Dil Dosti Dilemma on Prime Video is a youthful and entertaining series that showcases Anushka Sen's talent in the lead role as Asmara, a privileged girl from Bengaluru whose planned summer trip to Canada gets unexpectedly rerouted to her grandparents' middle-class neighbourhood. This sets up a coming of age narrative filled with humour, life lessons, and emotional moments.

The supporting cast, featuring talented actors like Tanvi Azmi and Shishir Sharma as Asmara's grandparents add significant warmth to the storyline. Their interactions with Asmara are the best parts of the show. Unfortunately the subplots involving Asmara's best friends tend to derail the flow of the story. These story tracks are woefully underdeveloped and lack the same depth and charm as the core narrative that they constantly keep interrupting - not to mention the majority of the cringe humour is to be found with Asmara's interaction with her BFFs.

Ultimately, this is a cute series that strikes a balance between humour and drama while exploring themes of family, tradition, and self-discovery. Anushka Sen has a successful career ahead of her!