Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania
Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania is a 2014 Indian romantic comedy film written and directed by debutant Shashank Khaitan and produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner. The film stars Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, alongside debutant Sidharth Shukla in a supporting role. The narrative centers on Kavya, a spirited woman from Ambala, and Humpty, a carefree Delhi boy, whose romance unfolds amidst cultural expectations and familial resistance.
The film marked Bhatt’s second collaboration with Dhawan following Student of the Year. Principal photography took place in various locations, including Delhi and Ambala, with cinematography by Neha Parti Matiyani. The soundtrack was composed by Sachin–Jigar and Sharib–Toshi, with lyrics by Kumaar.
Released theatrically on 11 July 2014, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the lead performances, humor, and music, though some noted its predictable plot. The film emerged as a commercial success, grossing over ₹119 crore worldwide, and ranked among the top-grossing Hindi films of the year.
The film received several award nominations, including Best Actress and Best Debut Director at the 60th Filmfare Awards. Its success led to a follow-up titled Badrinath Ki Dulhania, released in 2017, with Dhawan and Bhatt reprising their lead roles in a new narrative setting.
Plot
Kavya Pratap Singh, a spirited and fashionable young woman from Ambala, is preparing for an arranged marriage to an NRI doctor. After her father, Kamaljeet, refuses to buy her an expensive designer bridal dress, she travels to Delhi to make the purchase herself. While staying at her maternal uncle’s home, she meets Rakesh "Humpty" Kumar Sharma, a carefree and affable college student whose father runs a stationery store. Despite his flirtatious nature, Kavya initially resists his advances. Over time, however, they become friends.When Kavya reveals that her friend Gurpreet is being blackmailed by an ex-boyfriend with a compromising video, Humpty devises a plan to retrieve the footage and extract money from him. Though successful, Kavya is disturbed by the methods used. Nevertheless, the experience brings her closer to Humpty, and on the eve of her return to Ambala, they spend the night together. Although she admits she loves him, Kavya insists she cannot defy her father, who is opposed to love marriages due to her elder sister’s failed marriage.
Determined to support her, Humpty and his friends raise money for the bridal dress, which Kavya ultimately declines to purchase. Instead, she gifts Humpty a car, fulfilling his father’s long-held dream. Encouraged, Humpty travels to Ambala with his friends to win over Kavya’s family. Kamaljeet, however, remains opposed and challenges Humpty to find a reason within five days why Kavya should not marry her fiancé, Angad. Despite his efforts, Humpty is unable to discredit Angad.
On the day of the wedding, Kavya attempts to elope, but Humpty persuades her to return and face her family. At the station, an enraged Kamaljeet confronts the couple and strikes Humpty, who delivers an impassioned speech about his love for Kavya. The family returns to Ambala, and Humpty departs for Delhi. As Kavya prepares for the wedding, she admits to her father that she no longer desires an extravagant dress, symbolizing her changed perspective. Realizing Humpty's sincerity, Kamaljeet travels to Delhi with the family and gives his blessing to their union.
Cast
- Varun Dhawan as Rakesh "Humpty" Kumar Sharma
- Alia Bhatt as Kavya Pratap Singh
- Sidharth Shukla as Angad Bedi
- Ashutosh Rana as Kamaljeet Pratap Singh
- Aditya Sharma as Ranjeet Pratap Singh
- Deepika Amin as Meher Pratap Singh
- Mahnaz Damania as Swati Pratap Singh
- Gaurav Pandey as Shonty
- Sahil Vaid as Poplu
- Kenny Desai as Vinod Kumar Sharma
- Guncha Narula as Gurpreet Sodhi, Kavya's friend
- Shivani Mahajan as Mrs. Chibber, Humpty's teacher
Production
Casting
In August 2013, Dharma Productions announced that Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, and debutant Sidharth Shukla would star in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. The film marked Dhawan and Bhatt’s second collaboration following their debut in Student of the Year, also produced by Karan Johar. At a press conference, Johar described the film as a tribute to the 1995 romantic drama Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.Filming
Principal photography commenced in Mumbai, with the second shooting schedule completed on 12 March 2014 in Punjab. Additional scenes were shot in Vaseela, Ambala, Chandigarh, Khan Market, and the Delhi University campus. Filming wrapped up in mid-2014.The film was made on an estimated budget of ₹17.5 crore. A prominent song sequence, "Saturday Saturday," was shot at Mumbai’s Film City on a specially constructed set designed to resemble a futuristic Roman Colosseum. The track was choreographed by Ahmed Khan and filmed by cinematographer Om Prakash.
Release
The teaser trailer for Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania premiered alongside 2 States, another Dharma production starring Alia Bhatt, which was released theatrically on 18 April 2014. The film itself was released in cinemas worldwide on 11 July 2014.Soundtrack
The film’s soundtrack features compositions by Sachin–Jigar and Sharib-Toshi, with lyrics written by Kumaar, Irshad Kamil, and Shashank Khaitan. The album includes six tracks, of which three tracks composed by Sachin-Jigar are original compositions while Sharib-Toshi composed one original song sung by Toshi himself and recreated two songs.
The first single, "Saturday Saturday," a party number originally composed by The Titans and rapper Badshah, was recreated by Sharib–Toshi for the film. Another prominent track, "Samjhawan," is a recreation of a song from the 2010 Punjabi film Virsa, with new vocals by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal. A reprise version of the same track, titled "Main Tenu Samjhawan Ki," was sung by Alia Bhatt.
A mashup titled The Humpty Mashup, composed by DJ Chetas, was also released as part of the promotional campaign.