First, there is nothing new that the film brings to the story. Yes, Chetan Bhagat is happy about how wonderfully Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor have brought his love life to the silver screen. But that’s about it. If you loved Chetan Bhagat’s novel, go read it again and skip the film. That will save you some money and will be far more satisfying.

The film is another testimony to the changing times at Dharma Productions. Business-wise, they have tied up with Nadiadwala Grandsons and its a leap of faith for both the production houses to let go of old norms and boldly set new trends. We need more such collaborations as they spell exciting times ahead for cinema.

2 States is an enjoyable film, though an average piece of entertainment. It feels too long and the narration is quite irregular. The story would have benefited from a better balance between romance and drama, which would have allowed the leading couple’s performance to stand out more intensely.

Two world, two cultures, two families, one love story…2 States re-defines and rejuvenates the love-marriage space.Simple and yet striking,gorgeous and graceful, this is a film where we come away hankering to know what happens to the couple after the film is over.

With ‘2 States’, both Varman and writer Bhagat himself, have proven that a good film in Bollywood does not have to be loud and slapstick with stellar music and A-list stars, but that script and good direction is still king at the movies.

Put simply, 2 States is as much an accurate representation of IIM-A as Legally Blonde was of Harvard University, and as much an accurate look at relationships as, well, not even a Chetan Bhagat novel. As forgettable as the book was, it gets more of the detailing right and possesses a stronger, more authentic narrative. Consequently, 2 States ends up adhering to the established rule of the book being better than the movie.

Dharma’s trademark visual style and a few moments of comedy aside, 2 States is mostly a chore and periodically infuriating. The filmmakers had a chance to go against all odds and make a classic and they blew it. Critical appreciation might not be the film’s target anyway, because it’s been marketed well enough to make a truckload of money.

2 States is an entertaining love story which will definitely work at the box-office – more in the cities and with the multiplex audience. With almost 80-85% of its entire cost (of producing, promoting and releasing) recoverable from non-theatrical sources, reaping a rich harvest should be a cakewalk for the producers as its theatrical business will also be good. Business in Overseas will be very good, additionally because of the Easter weekend. The film’s distributors and exhibitors will all make decent profits in the film.

With cut-backs to a shrink’s couch from where Krish is narrating his life, and peppered with songs, the story takes a long road to the climactic wedding in a beautiful temple under cloudy skies—the most beautiful sequence in the film.
The labour and fuss over this cross-state marriage are tedious. From an overblown soap opera, it is unfair to expect better.

Try it if you have the patience!
…It is their natural charm, particularly Alia’s effortless approach that makes you invest in their relationship despite the fact that the narrative unfolds in a soap operatic tone.

Those, who have read Chetan Bhagat’s ‘2 States’, may not find much in the movie but the director deserves a big applause for depicting the story in a fresh manner which will keep the audience stick by their seats for sure. Varman has smartly used flash back for narrating the movie which gives it an edge.

While they are the central characters, it was entertaining to watch the director flesh out the troubled strains between Krish and his violence-prone father, played by the talented actor Ronit Roy. Their decision to call it a truce was as uplifting as watching the lovers unite at the end of the film. Don’t skip this if you have a thing for happily-ever-after endings.