Dil Dosti Dilemma

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!

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.

Can I just say I just finished finished watching the whole thing in a stretch. Episodes 6 and 7 are one the best episodes I have seen in any Indian OTT series. So real, not clichéd, not over the top - backed by an awesome story, script, acting, direction, cinematography and production values. They are so well done and not done in a predictable clingy manner. In fact I thought episode 6 was so great I was worried episode 7 will fall to.same formulaic ending .... but.man did it hold up. If fact if there are award shows for TV series ... these are the episodes which should be sent. So Many real and relatable reasons to watch - characters whose performances stay with you. The dilemmas faced by Young Adults is also well captured.

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.

Currently, OTT platforms are filled with thrillers, gangster dramas, and serious subjects. This is where this light-hearted drama stands out amidst it all.

The story follows Asmara, a young, rich, and spoiled brat who is forced to spend her summer holidays with her grandparents in a local neighborhood of Bangalore as punishment. To maintain her image, she lies to her friends, claiming to be in Canada, while she navigates her life with new challenges, relationships, and explores love in her new environment.

It's a simple story that doesn't claim to be unique, yet it's the performances and execution that truly connect with you. With just 7 episodes, it doesn't demand much of your time, but you'll find yourself thoroughly invested. The writing is tight, allowing every character to make a special place in your heart. A few liberties must be overlooked, such as how Asmara seems to know everything, giving life lessons despite being portrayed as confused herself, or how her friends suddenly shift from being brats to becoming inclusive.

Anushka Sen, as the lead, is the right choice for the role. She looks beautiful, and her mix of chirpiness and innocence is perfect for the character, though she stumbles a bit in emotional scenes. Kush Jotwani has a dashing personality and performs well. Vishakha Pandey is a treat to watch with her cute antics. Tanvi Azmi and Shishir Sharma as the grandparents perform brilliantly, as expected from seasoned actors. Revathi Pillai and Elisha Mayor, as friends, embody their characters well. A series of other supporting actors provide strong performances and are fine in their roles.

The nuances of the small neighborhood are captured well, allowing you to connect with the characters. The styling of Anushka and her friends is spot-on, and the transition from rich to middle-class through their clothing is well-executed. The way the title montage appears in each episode is a nice touch. The series ends on a note that hints at a second season.

This comedy-drama deserves your time, and you should definitely give it a shot, despite a few liberties. Don't expect an out-of-this-world storyline, but it certainly won't bore you.

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