Don’t Be Shy marks another step in Alia Bhatt’s journey as a producer, this time with a youthful coming-of-age romantic comedy that explores first love, friendship, heartbreak and the uncertainties of growing up. Premiering on Prime Video on September 25, the Sreeti Mukerji directorial introduces a fresh ensemble led by Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora and Piyush Khati. While the film has a bright aesthetic and some engaging performances, its predictable narrative and uneven pacing hold it back.
Alia Bhatt entered film production with Darlings in 2022 through Eternal Sunshine Productions, the banner she founded in 2021. Her production choices have since moved across different genres. Poacher, which premiered on Prime Video in 2024, took a more grounded route, while Jigra saw Alia return to the big screen as both actor and producer in the same year. With Don’t Be Shy, her latest production takes another turn towards a younger, lighter and more romantic space.
Produced by Alia Bhatt and her sister Shaheen Bhatt among others, the film revolves around 20-year-old Shyamili “Shy” Das (Aarushi Bajaj), a young woman who has seemingly planned every detail of her future. From her education and career to romance and family life, Shy believes she knows exactly what she wants. But when life begins taking unexpected turns, her carefully constructed plans start coming apart.
Director Sreeti Mukerji, making her directorial debut, creates a colourful world that immediately establishes the film’s youthful personality. College settings, vibrant production design, pop-culture references and moments where Shy directly addresses the audience give the film a contemporary flavour. However, the presentation sometimes feels more effective than the writing underneath it.
Aarushi Bajaj gets the central responsibility of carrying the story and gives Shy enough personality to keep the character watchable. Shy can be dramatic, overly confident and occasionally frustrating, but Bajaj manages to reveal the insecurities beneath that exterior. Her quieter moments work better than some of the film’s more exaggerated sequences.
Piyush Khati plays Mayank Jhunjhunwalla, the wealthy and popular boyfriend who occupies an important place in Shy’s vision of her perfect life. While Khati brings the expected charm to the character, Mayank’s role largely stays within familiar romantic territory.
Bianca Arora’s Tara Verma brings a different energy to the film. Her relationship with Shy gradually develops beyond the expected romantic conflict, giving the story some of its warmer moments. The friendship between the two women is one of the more interesting aspects of the screenplay because it allows the film to explore companionship alongside romance.
Ansh Duggal also makes an impression as Dhruv Kumar. His performance is comparatively restrained and adds a softer emotional quality to the narrative. His scenes with Shy are among the moments where the film feels more natural.
The supporting cast includes Kunaal Roy Kapur, Neha Dhupia and Anurag Basu. They bring experience and personality to the ensemble, although their characters are not always given enough material to make a lasting impact. Neha Dhupia’s presence, in particular, hints at a potentially deeper emotional connection within Shy’s story that could have been explored further.
Visually, Don’t Be Shy is polished and deliberately youthful. The styling, locations and production design complement the film’s colourful world, while Ram Sampath’s music contributes to its breezy mood. The overall treatment makes the film easy on the eyes, even when the screenplay starts losing momentum.
The bigger issue is the story itself. The idea of a young person learning that life cannot always be planned is relatable, but the film approaches the theme in a fairly predictable manner. Many of Shy’s setbacks and emotional discoveries can be anticipated, which reduces the impact of moments that are clearly intended to feel significant.
The pacing also becomes uneven, particularly as the story progresses. Some sequences could have been trimmed, while certain emotional developments needed more time to properly register. The film touches upon body image, insecurity, ambition and the pressure young people face to have their lives figured out, but these themes are not explored with enough depth.
That said, Don’t Be Shy benefits from its young ensemble and its willingness to keep things light. Whenever the film focuses on Shy’s friendships, vulnerabilities and awkward attempts at navigating adulthood, it feels more genuine. It is less convincing when it leans heavily into predictable romantic complications or tries too hard to manufacture an emotional high.
As a production, Don’t Be Shy also reflects the range Alia Bhatt has been building through Eternal Sunshine Productions. From the darkly comic Darlings to the investigative drama Poacher, the banner has explored different storytelling spaces, while Jigra brought Alia’s dual identity as actor and producer into focus. This latest film shifts gears once again, opting for a youthful romantic comedy centred on new faces.
Ultimately, Don’t Be Shy has a promising premise and a likeable young cast, but it does not completely capitalise on either. Its colourful world and occasional emotional warmth make it a reasonably easy watch, yet the familiar storyline, uneven pacing and underdeveloped themes keep it from becoming a standout coming-of-age film.
IWMBuzz Rating: 2.5/5
