Saif Ali Khan’s son, Ibrahim Ali Khan, recently stepped into Bollywood with Nadaaniyan, but his debut is proving to be a rough ride. The film, which also stars Khushi Kapoor, received negative reviews upon release, with critics and audiences alike slamming the acting and dialogues. Now, Reddit users have joined the bandwagon, calling the film’s lines “cringe” and “torture.”

Reddit Roasts Nadaaniyan’s Script

A Reddit user shared a screenshot from the film featuring Khushi Kapoor’s character saying, “I feel a lot of things, Arjun. I am not an AI robot, you know!”—a line that left netizens bewildered. The post, captioned “The dialogue writers can’t be serious right now,” sparked a wave of sarcastic reactions.

One user wrote, “If you’re making a movie for a Gen Z audience, you should hire a Gen Z dialogue writer.” Another quipped, “In an attempt to connect with Gen Z, they have used the word ‘AI’ multiple times in the film… can’t get cringier than this.”

Others took a more critical stance. “It’s so annoying how filmmakers keep pushing this fake, over-the-top version of Gen Z,” one comment read. “Compare this trash to the deep, poetic dialogues of the ’70s—it’s such a downgrade. Give us something real!”

One user likened the film’s dialogue to a corporate manager trying to be “cool,” writing, “This is like me trying to learn Gen Z skibidi slang and use it in the office to show I get it. This is torture.”

Even the performances weren’t spared. A viewer who “hate-watched” the movie commented, “Khushi is so cringe T_T it physically hurts. Loved her outfits, though—it was a complete influencer fest. And Saif’s son is hot, but I’m sure he can’t act either.”

Meet the Writers Behind the Backlash

The dialogues were penned by Ishita Moitra, known for Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, Call Me Bae, and Half Girlfriend. She was joined by Jehan Handa, who previously worked on Showtime. Their attempt to capture Gen Z lingo, however, seems to have fallen flat.

What’s Nadaaniyan About?

Directed by Shauna Gautam in her debut film, Nadaaniyan is produced by Karan Johar and features Jugal Hansraj, Dia Mirza, Suniel Shetty, and Mahima Chaudhary alongside Ibrahim and Khushi. The story follows a wealthy girl, Pia, who ropes in Arjun, a career-driven new student, to pose as her boyfriend after a misunderstanding alienates her from her friends.

Despite the star-studded backing and Netflix release, Nadaaniyan appears to be making waves for all the wrong reasons.