Cocktail 2 (2026)
Cocktail 2 Review: A Glossy, Messy Sequel That Loses the Spirit of the Original
Cocktail 2 arrives fourteen years after the original became a cultural touchstone, and it carries the weight of that legacy heavily. Directed by Homi Adajania, who helmed the 2012 film, and written by Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain, this spiritual sequel trades the youthful recklessness of its predecessor for a more mature exploration of long-term relationships. The result, according to critics, is a film that coasts on its glossy visuals and star power but ultimately fails to justify its existence.
The numbers tell a story of commercial success paired with critical disappointment. Cocktail 2 grossed â‚ą166.34 crore worldwide, making it the 6th highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2026. It opened at â‚ą13 crore net in India and sprinted to â‚ą47 crore domestically in its opening weekend, eventually crossing â‚ą100 crore domestically and accumulating $3.7 million overseas. Yet the audience score on IMDb sits at just 5.4/10, suggesting that while the film drew people in, it didn’t leave them satisfied.
The Indian Express captured the film’s central contradiction well, noting that “for all its modern vibe, it’s the guy who gets the last word”. The review praised Shahid Kapoor’s performance, writing that “it’s the Shahid Kapoor character who fits better with Imtiaz Ali’s idea of a romance: Kunal turns out to be a better guy than we give him credit for; when temptation arises, he turns all noble”. However, it criticized the film for “coasting on glossiness and too much talkiness, overlaid with Pritam’s ever-present background music”.
Mashable was far harsher, awarding it 1.5/5 stars and writing that “we are in 2026, and nothing has changed about Ranjan’s cinematic lens”. The review criticized the film’s “meninist gaze” and concluded that “Cocktail 2 is about rich people trying to be relatable to whoever is watching them”. The Hindu described it as “a designer summer entertainer riding on the natural charm of Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon” that “fizzles out after initial bursts of energy,” noting that “the tragedy of Cocktail 2 is that it treats its audience exactly the same way. It is a messy cupboard of a movie, but instead of feeling comforting, it just feels exhaustingly predictable”. While the film found commercial success, critics agree it lacks the intoxicating emotional depth that made the original so memorable.
Cocktail 2 Cast: Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon Lead a Star-Studded Ensemble
The film brings together a talented ensemble, led by Shahid Kapoor in one of his most charming roles to date:
Shahid Kapoor delivers a charming, restrained performance as Kunal, a dashing chef whose decade-long live-in relationship is put to the ultimate test. The Indian Express noted that “Shahid Kapoor shines” and that his character “turns out to be a better guy than we give him credit for”. His natural charisma anchors the film, even when the script falters. Kriti Sanon plays Ally, the free-spirited “Veronica” of this sequel—a role that echoes Deepika Padukone’s iconic turn in the original. Critics noted that Sanon “finds herself with more feelings than she” can handle, and that she “looks stunning” though there is “hardly any chemistry between the leads”.
Rashmika Mandanna plays Diya, Kunal’s longtime partner whose insecurities drive the film’s central conflict. The Hindu noted that “Diya’s deep-seated overthinking, spurred by a joke and Ally’s performative rebellion, fractures the relationship”. Tiku Talsania provides warmth and humor as Kunal’s father, while Neelu Kohli and Suparna Marwah deliver strong supporting turns. Mark Bennington plays Eduardo, a character who adds international flavor to the Sicilian setting, and Nadeesh Bhambi, Kangan Nangia, and Aritro Rudraneil Banerjee round out the ensemble.
Cocktail 2 Plot: A Sicilian Vacation, A Loyalty Test, and a Love Triangle Gone Wrong
The story follows Kunal (Shahid Kapoor) and Diya (Rashmika Mandanna), a live-in couple who have been together for over a decade. They are head over heels in love but don’t believe in the institution of marriage. To escape constant pressure from their families to settle down and get married, they travel to the picturesque island of Sicily, Italy, for a vacation. Their relationship, which has survived long-distance and the pandemic, seems unshakeable—until a chance encounter changes everything.
On the island, they run into Ally (Kriti Sanon), Diya’s free-spirited old friend. Ally is single, ready to mingle, and lives entirely in the moment—she doesn’t believe in a love meant to last forever. As the three spend time together, Diya’s deep-seated insecurities begin to surface. Spurred by a joke and Ally’s performative rebellion, Diya decides to test Kunal’s loyalty by asking Ally to flirt with him and seduce him.
What begins as a seemingly harmless game quickly spirals out of control. The experiment backfires spectacularly when Ally unexpectedly falls in love with Kunal, and Kunal finds himself drawn to her in ways he never anticipated. Both women start to feel deeply for Kunal, creating a complex emotional triangle built on love, trust, friendship, and betrayal. The film explores whether two people can fall out of love, and what happens when the one who is supposed to be faithful becomes the object of affection for the very person testing his loyalty. It’s a story about commitment, responsibility, and the messy reality of modern relationships—one that critics felt never quite lived up to the promise of its intriguing premise.
“Some relationships can’t be tested.”
