Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

Ayan Sanger, an aspiring singer, meets Alizeh Khan, a fiercely independent woman still carrying the wounds of a past relationship. The two become close friends as they navigate life together, but Ayan's feelings for her deepen into love, while Alizeh does not return them in the same way. Their bond is tested further when she reconnects with her ex, DJ Ali, and Ayan later becomes involved with Saba, a divorced poet who has closed herself off from love. Ayan's time with Saba leads him to understand what Alizeh means to him, regardless of whether they are together or not.

Karan Johar directed, wrote and produced the film, which was released in October 2016 and runs 158 minutes. It is the sixth feature he directed, arriving between Student Of The Year and Lust Stories in his filmography. Ranbir Kapoor plays Ayan, with Anushka Sharma as Alizeh and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Saba; Fawad Khan, Lisa Haydon and Imran Abbas appear in supporting roles. The production was handled by Dharma Productions, Star Studios and ADHM Films, and it took about 28 million dollars worldwide.

Audience response was modest: on IMDb the film holds 5.9 out of 10 from roughly 29,000 votes, and on TMDB it sits at 6.4 out of 10 from around 230 votes. The two scores point to a similar, mixed reception rather than strong enthusiasm, despite the prominence of its cast and director.