Acclaimed Director Shazia Iqbal Blends Mainstream and Social Impact in 'Dhadak 2'

In October 2025, acclaimed director Shazia Iqbal is receiving praise for her latest film 'Dhadak 2', which explores the layers of caste discrimination in India. Iqbal's formative memories were shaped by 90s Bollywood films like 'Deshpremi' and 'Krantiveer', where stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Nana Patekar delivered powerful messages of communal harmony.

When Iqbal got the opportunity to make her own film, she wanted to carry forward that spirit of using mainstream cinema to tackle important social issues. 'Dhadak 2' is an adaptation of the Tamil film 'Pariyerum Perumal', which Iqbal has set in the Hindi region and updated to give more agency to the female lead.

The film, currently streaming on Netflix, follows the friendship and love story of two law students, played by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Tripti Dimri, as they navigate the deep-rooted caste discrimination in their lives. Iqbal, who studied architecture before turning to filmmaking, has been praised for authentically capturing the everyday realities of her characters.