A storm of memes has erupted on social media over the distortion of academic facts in the film ‘Tere Ishq Mein’, starring Bollywood actors Kriti Sanon and Dhanush.
Research scholars have begun “mourning” Bollywood’s common sense, questioning whether the film is a story or a joke.
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According to Indian media, the recently released film ‘Tere Ishq Mein’ (available on Netflix) has become the talk of the town more for a ridiculous blunder than its actual plot.
In the film, Kriti Sanon’s character claims to have submitted a 2,200-page PhD thesis, a statement that has left research scholars and PhD students across the country caught between laughter and frustration.
Kriti Sanon plays the role of Mukti Beniwal, a Delhi University student conducting research in Psychology. When she mentions her 2,200-page thesis in the film, PhD students on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) labeled it the “biggest lie in academic history.”
Pity all PhD holders who could not find the time to watch the movie when it was released.
Don’t understand how even commercial cinema is offensive now to people…#TereIshkMein @aanandlrai @kritisanon @dhanushkraja much appreciations for this work of art !!! pic.twitter.com/KoM9SfVn1D
— CS (Dr.) Pooja Viti Rahi (@vivacious_viti) January 27, 2026
One scholar commented, “I barely finished a 385-page thesis after writing daily for four years. Talking about 2,200 pages is beyond logic and utterly ridiculous; a professor would reject such a thesis without even reading it.”
Students argue that the filmmakers have completely disregarded reality. Amidst a flood of memes and sarcastic comments, one student wrote, “I want to meet this genius student who wrote such a long epic. Forget reading it, any university committee would reject it at first sight.”
Scholars have advised the film’s screenwriters, Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav, to consult an actual research scholar before making such a film next time.
In the movie, Kriti Sanon chooses Dhanush’s character (Shankar), who suffers from mental health issues, as the subject of her research. Scholars point out that the portrayal of PhD stages and the approval process has no connection to reality.
Despite being mocked in academic circles, the film has been a commercial success. Directed by Aanand L. Rai, the movie is being described as a spiritual successor to his 2013 hit, Raanjhanaa.
