Dhadak 2: a ‘Dalit Shah Rukh Khan’ and the dream of casteless imagination

Cinema has long been a mirror to society, reflecting its dreams, contradictions, and deepest wounds. *Dhadak 2*, a film that initially masquerades as a nostalgic rom-com in the vein of 90s Bollywood, takes an abrupt turn when caste—the “inconvenient truth” of Indian society—forces its way into the narrative. For two Savarna women seated in a darkened theater, the film becomes an unsettling confrontation with privilege, tenderness, and a haunting question: **What happens to a Dalit Shah Rukh Khan?**

Unlike the carefree lovers of Dharma Productions’ classics, Neelesh Ahirwar, the Dalit protagonist of *Dhadak 2*, isn’t granted the luxury of romantic idealism. His love story with Vidhi, a privileged Savarna law student, is shadowed by caste violence, systemic oppression, and the brutal reality that **softness is a privilege reserved for the upper castes.**

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The Illusion of a Casteless Love Story

At first glance, Neelesh embodies the charm and earnestness reminiscent of Shah Rukh Khan’s early romantic roles—**the shy admirer, the dreamer, the outsider in love.** When Vidhi invites him to her cousin’s wedding, he styles himself after the iconic Khan, donning a borrowed suit and rehearsing hesitant smiles in the mirror. The scene evokes nostalgia, yet its sweetness is poisoned by the audience’s dawning awareness: **Neelesh cannot escape his identity.**

His longing for “normalcy”—a stable education, a loyal dog, the joy of dhol performances—is violently disrupted when upper-caste men kill his dog, Birju. The ensuing police brutality forces him into law school, where he navigates **caste hierarchies disguised as meritocracy.** Surnames, classroom seating, and the dominance of English quickly reveal the unspoken order. To survive, Neelesh clings to a **”casteless” façade**, calling himself “BA LLB” and hiding his father’s occupation.

But caste is relentless. His best friend, Shekhar, an Ambedkarite activist draped in blue, stands as his polar opposite—**unapologetically Dalit, politically fierce, unwilling to perform assimilation.** Neelesh resents Shekhar’s defiance, yet relies on his militancy for protection.

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Who is Allowed Tenderness?

The film’s central tragedy lies in its depiction of **masculinity under caste oppression.** While Shah Rukh Khan’s characters cried, serenaded, and embraced vulnerability, Neelesh learns that **softness is a privilege for the Savarna.** His tender moments—watching Vidhi dance, pressing bougainvillea flowers into books—are fleeting.

Violence hardens him. When he finally fights back, it’s not for revolution but **sheer survival**, a desperate lashing-out against a system designed to break him. Even in love, he remains painfully aware that his romance could **cost him his life.**

The film contrasts Neelesh with Shekhar, whose Ambedkarite pride masks a quiet fragility—**flowers pressed in books, a fleeting smile at a friend’s joke.** But neither is allowed sustained tenderness. Caste demands that Dalit men armor themselves, peeling away vulnerability layer by layer.

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The Savarna Feminist Blindspot

Vidhi, the Savarna heroine, embodies **progressive contradictions