# Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ऐ दिल है मुश्किल)
**Ae Dil Hai Mushkil** (ऐ दिल है मुश्किल; translated as "Oh My Heart, It's Difficult") is a 2016 Hindi-language romantic drama film written and directed by [Karan Johar](https://www.edgepedia.org/karan-johar), starring [Ranbir Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ranbir-kapoor), Anushka Sharma, and [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aishwarya-rai-bachchan), with Fawad Khan in a supporting role[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/) • [2](https://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/bitstreams/88a56074-a7ba-440d-ba48-a7488807244d/download). Released on 28 October 2016 for Diwali, it follows the musician Ayan Sanger through years of unrequited love for Alizeh Khan, and it finished its run as a box office blockbuster while drawing divided reviews[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/) • [3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). Its release was overshadowed by a political controversy over the casting of the Pakistani actor Fawad Khan[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-review-karan-johar-fawad-khan).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 28 October 2016, a Diwali release, clashing at the box office with Ajay Devgn's *Shivaay*[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/) • [5](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/amid-slight-protests-ae-dil-hits-theatres-116102801190_1.html) |
| Director and writer | Karan Johar, who wrote the story in nine days[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/) • [6](https://ndtv.in/filmy/i-wrote-ae-dil-hai-mushkil-story-in-nine-days-karan-johar-1478345) |
| Lead cast | Ranbir Kapoor as Ayan Sanger, Anushka Sharma as Alizeh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Saba, Fawad Khan as DJ Ali[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil) |
| Music | Composed by Pritam with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya; the album includes the title track, "Bulleya", "The Breakup Song", and "Channa Mereya"[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGumOr_rP3I) |
| Runtime | 155 minutes 35 seconds as classified for cinema release by the BBFC[9](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc00mzqwmdq) |
| Box office | Made on a budget of more than 500 million (50 crore); grossed 1.607 billion (160.69 crore) in India and 2.376 billion (237.56 crore) worldwide[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil) |
| Critical scores | 50% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (18 reviews); a Metascore of 40 on Metacritic (4 reviews)[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ae_dil_hai_mushkil) • [11](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/) |
| Awards | 3 wins and 9 nominations at the Filmfare Awards; 6 wins and 17 nominations at the Mirchi Music Awards[11](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and premise
The film centers on Ayan (Ranbir Kapoor), an aspiring singer, and Alizeh ([Anushka Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/anushka-sharma)), who meet as students in London and bond over 1980s Hindi film songs and their own failed relationships[12](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). Ayan falls in love with Alizeh, but she does not reciprocate his romantic feelings; she still cares for her ex-boyfriend, the DJ Ali ([Fawad Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/fawad-khan))[12](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). Ayan later begins a relationship with the poet Saba (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), who teaches him that friendship may matter more than romantic love[12](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). The story moves among London, Paris, and Vienna as the pair tour the continent and Ayan's singing career develops[12](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil) • [4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-review-karan-johar-fawad-khan).
The supporting cast includes [Lisa Haydon](https://www.edgepedia.org/lisa-haydon) as Lisa D'Souza, Imran Abbas as Dr. [Faisal Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/faisal-khan), and [Shah Rukh Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shah-rukh-khan) in an uncredited appearance as Tahir Taliyar Khan[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). Ayan and Alizeh are written as a Hindu man and a Muslim woman respectively, though reviewers noted that religious identity stays largely in the background beyond the characters' names[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-review-karan-johar-fawad-khan) • [13](https://www.dawn.com/news/1295535).
## Production
Karan Johar directed and produced the film under his banner [Dharma Productions](https://www.edgepedia.org/dharma-productions), with Fox Star Studios and ADHM Films as co-producers[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/) • [11](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/). According to an NDTV India interview published days before release, Johar wrote the story in only nine days[6](https://ndtv.in/filmy/i-wrote-ae-dil-hai-mushkil-story-in-nine-days-karan-johar-1478345). The film carries Johar's recurring preoccupation with the confusion between love and friendship, and it is filled with references to older [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), from 1980s song numbers to dialogue quotations[12](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil) • [13](https://www.dawn.com/news/1295535). In 2025, marking nine years since release, Johar described it as his most personal film[14](https://theamansandeshtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/28-October-2025.pdf).
## Music
The soundtrack, composed by Pritam with lyrics by [Amitabh Bhattacharya](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bhattacharya), was released on Sony Music India[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGumOr_rP3I). Its hits include the title track "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", the Sufi-styled "Bulleya", the comic "The Breakup Song", and the mourning song "Channa Mereya", sung in the film by Ayan at a wedding[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGumOr_rP3I). The album's commercial and critical strength outlasted the film's mixed reception: at the [Mirchi Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/mirchi-music-awards) it took 6 wins from 17 nominations, and the film's 3 [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards) wins from 9 nominations included music-related honors[11](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/). A retrospective of 2016 in The Quint described the film as overwrought in premise and performance but sonically sound[15](https://www.thequint.com/amp/story/opinion/bollywood-2016-trends-hindi-films-rewind).
## Release controversy
The film's release became entangled in India–Pakistan tensions after the terrorist attack on an army camp at Uri in [Jammu and Kashmir](https://www.edgepedia.org/jammu-and-kashmir) on 18 September 2016[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). Because the film featured the Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, the [Maharashtra Navnirman Sena](https://www.edgepedia.org/maharashtra-navnirman-sena) (MNS) declared it would not allow the release, warned theater owners against screening it, and threatened vandalism[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). On 8 October 2016 the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India, representing roughly 450 single-screen establishments in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Goa, directed its members not to screen films featuring Pakistani actors[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil) • [16](https://scroll.in/article/819046/box-office-jingoism-the-hindi-film-industry-is-facing-its-ugliest-diwali-in-years).
Johar responded with a video message in which he said he had misread the national mood and pledged not to work with talent from Pakistan in the future, a statement some commentators criticized as an industry climbdown[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-review-karan-johar-fawad-khan). The central government offered support: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured a producers' delegation led by Mukesh Bhatt that no one would be allowed to stall the Diwali release, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised action against those disturbing law and order[17](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-release-ban-fawad-khan-pak-mns-rajnath-singh-assurance-mukesh-bhatt-karan-johar-3094183/). The film opened on schedule on 28 October across single screens and multiplexes amid what trade sources described as only slight protests[5](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/amid-slight-protests-ae-dil-hits-theatres-116102801190_1.html).
## Box office
The film was made on a budget of more than 500 million (50 crore), including marketing and distribution costs, and had already recouped 750 million (75 crore) from music, satellite, and digital rights before release[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). It earned 908.4 million (90.84 crore) worldwide on its opening weekend, with ComScore reporting an estimated $12.8 million from 14 markets[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). It crossed the 1 billion (100 crore) mark worldwide within a week of opening[18](https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-enters-rs-100-crore-club-116110300378_1.html), and finished its theatrical run with 1.607 billion (160.69 crore) grossed in India and 2.376 billion (237.56 crore) worldwide, which trade coverage characterized as a blockbuster result[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil).
## Critical reception
Reviews were mixed to positive, with a consistent split between praise for the performances and music and criticism of the story's final act[3](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 50% Tomatometer from 18 reviews and a 44% audience score from more than 1,000 ratings[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ae_dil_hai_mushkil); Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 40 from 4 critic reviews, with a user score of 5.1[11](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/).
Indian critics were divided. NDTV gave 4/5, calling the film emotionally engaging and more mature than Johar's earlier romances, and Bollywood Hungama's Taran Adarsh also gave 4/5, describing a polished Diwali entertainer with a modern approach to relationships[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/). The Times of India's 3.5/5 review called it Johar's most grown-up movie yet[19](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/Ae-Dil-Hai-Mushkil/movie-review/55112044.cms). At the lower end, India Today and The Indian Express each gave 2/5, faulting familiar Bollywood romance formulas, constant film references, and weak emotional impact despite strong performances from Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma[1](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/).
Western reviews were cooler. The Guardian's Mike McCahill called it "squarely Bollywood trad, a globetrotting weepie unlikely to offend anyone but the most entrenched", and argued that a clumsily handled plot turn involving cancer undid the cast's solid work[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-review-karan-johar-fawad-khan). Variety's reviewer called the third-act twist "absurdly shameless, even by Bollywood standards"[20](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/critic-reviews/). Across reviews, Ranbir Kapoor's performance drew the most consistent praise, while the last 15 to 30 minutes were the most common target of criticism as tonally dissonant or melodramatic[21](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/).
## Afterlife
The film has remained widely available: it is streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in India, and Netflix trackers list it as available in 37 countries[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil) • [22](https://atlasflix.com/in/title/ae-dil-hai-mushkil). It was added to Netflix India on 29 April 2023[23](https://in.flixboss.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-80147949).
## References
1. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) Critics Reviews, Bollywood.com](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/reviews/)
2. [Faatima Suliman, dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand](https://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/bitstreams/88a56074-a7ba-440d-ba48-a7488807244d/download)
3. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 2016: Plot, Songs, Cast, Reviews, Tring](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil)
4. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil review, The Guardian (Mike McCahill, 28 October 2016)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/oct/28/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-review-karan-johar-fawad-khan)
5. [Amid 'slight protests', 'Ae Dil...' hits theatres, Business Standard/IANS (28 October 2016)](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/amid-slight-protests-ae-dil-hits-theatres-116102801190_1.html)
6. [करण जौहर ने केवल नौ दिनों में लिखी 'ऐ दिल है मुश्किल' की कहानी, NDTV India](https://ndtv.in/filmy/i-wrote-ae-dil-hai-mushkil-story-in-nine-days-karan-johar-1478345)
7. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil)
8. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Jukebox, Sony Music India (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGumOr_rP3I)
9. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc00mzqwmdq)
10. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ae_dil_hai_mushkil)
11. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/)
12. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil review, Time Out (Anil Sinanan, 29 October 2016)](https://www.timeout.com/movies/ae-dil-hai-mushkil)
13. [HomeScreen: A Karan Johar film by the numbers, Dawn (Maliha Rehman, 13 November 2016)](https://www.dawn.com/news/1295535)
14. [The Aman Sandesh Times, 28 October 2025](https://theamansandeshtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/28-October-2025.pdf)
15. [2016, Nostalgia & The Year Bollywood Stood At a Crossroads, The Quint](https://www.thequint.com/amp/story/opinion/bollywood-2016-trends-hindi-films-rewind)
16. [Box-office jingoism: The Hindi film industry is facing its ugliest Diwali in years, Scroll.in (14 October 2016)](https://scroll.in/article/819046/box-office-jingoism-the-hindi-film-industry-is-facing-its-ugliest-diwali-in-years)
17. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil release: Centre and state offer supporting role, The Indian Express (21 October 2016)](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-release-ban-fawad-khan-pak-mns-rajnath-singh-assurance-mukesh-bhatt-karan-johar-3094183/)
18. ['Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' enters Rs 100 crore club, Business Standard/PTI (3 November 2016)](https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-enters-rs-100-crore-club-116110300378_1.html)
19. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Movie Review: Karan Johar's most grown-up movie yet, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/Ae-Dil-Hai-Mushkil/movie-review/55112044.cms)
20. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/critic-reviews/)
21. [Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) Reviews & Ratings, TheReviewMonk](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil/)
22. [Is Ae Dil Hai Mushkil on Netflix in India?, Atlasflix](https://atlasflix.com/in/title/ae-dil-hai-mushkil)
23. [Where to watch Ae Dil Hai Mushkil on Netflix, Flixboss India](https://in.flixboss.com/movie/ae-dil-hai-mushkil-80147949)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2010s › Hindi films of 2016*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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