‘Tere Ishk Mein’ sparks PhD debate online as research scholars call out the 2,200-page thesis scene

'Tere Ishk Mein', starring Kriti Sanon and Dhanush, began streaming on OTT on January 23 and soon found itself at the centre of an unexpected academic storm. PhD students across India reacted strongly to a scene involving a 2,200-page thesis, turning the film into a trending topic on social media.

The thesis scene that triggered disbelief

The controversy centres on Kriti Sanon’s character, Mukti Beniwal, a psychology research scholar at Delhi University. In one scene, she claims to have submitted a 2,200-page PhD thesis, a number that many scholars found absurd. Research students were quick to point out that most universities expect far shorter submissions. One scholar wrote, “Almost everything said and done in this film in the name of a PhD is a joke… I wrote every day, every single day for four years, to produce my 385-page PhD thesis. 2,200 pages is just so unbelievably ridiculous.”



Students also felt the film glossed over the real struggles of academic life. Mukti’s research involves studying Dhanush’s character, Shankar Gurukkal, who has behavioural issues. While the premise sounded intriguing, scholars argued that the execution ignored basic research processes. One user reacted, “Man, as a PhD student, this part knocked me out. (As did the whole movie, tbh.) Even though I am in science, I could see how ludicrous it all was. Like, WTF was the idea, and how did the committee even pass it so she moved to defence? Don’t they know there are stages to approval?” Many felt the film reduced years of discipline and scrutiny into cinematic convenience.



The debate spread rapidly on X, with humour following frustration. One viral post read, “Larger-than-life movies, larger-than-life PhD thesis… ���� Guess between 300–500.” Another joked, “2,200 pages is 3–4 PhDs in one! ��” Threads dissected the scene in detail, questioning its logic while acknowledging Bollywood’s flair for exaggeration.

Box office success amid growing debate

Despite the criticism, Tere Ishk Mein performed well at the box office. Made on a budget of Rs 85 crore, the film earned Rs 148.5 crore, according to Sacnilk. Directed by Aanand L Rai, the film was promoted as a spiritual sequel to Raanjhanaa.

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