Metro... In Dino

Plot

The film follows the lives of 8 people as they connect with each other and deals with themes of infidelity, abortion, and finding love. The story begins with Akash Arya, (software engineer & aspiring singer), Shruti Shukla Arya (former news reporter), and Parth Nakul Sahadev (travel blogger) who have been friends since college meet up in Bengaluru, after long time on holi. As they celebrate holi they discuss life struggles. Chumki, a confused and unsure private sector employee, also celebrates holi with her friends in Bengaluru and gets so drunk that she mixes up her apartment building name and reaches a flat in another apartment building, (the flat where Parth is to stay during his Bengaluru visit).

After celebrating holi, as Parth was freshening up in bathroom suddenly Chumki barges in to vomit and then passes out. After Parth brings her out of bathroom Chumki regains consciousness, and starts screaming at Parth. Parth tries to pacify her but suddenly another girl who was supposed to meet him appears and misunderstands everything. Then Parth tries to explain to Chumki that she is in the wrong apartment. When Chumki realizes that, she apologizes and Parth agrees to drop her to her own apartment building. Suddenly, Chumki receives a call from her boyfriend/fiancé with whom she is engaged and who is also her colleague. Somehow Parth manages to take Chumki to her own apartment building where her fiancé has been waiting for her. He misunderstands Chumki to be cheating on him with Parth.

On the other hand, Kajol Ghosh Sisodiya and her husband, Monty Sisodiya, who had a love marriage are undergoing stress in their married life in Mumbai and their daughter Pihu is disturbed in her own life as well. She is unsure whether she likes a boy or a girl, but cannot discuss it with her parents. Meanwhile, to pacify her fiancé, Anand that nothing wrong has happened Chumki meets with Parth once again and concocts a story in which Shruti acts as girlfriend of Parth. Accordingly, Chumki and Anand meet with Parth and Shruti in a restaurant for office party, where Parth concocts a story that Anand believes.

Kajol and Chumki's mother, Shibani Ghosh, is married to Sanjeev Ghosh, who live in Pune and faces loneliness in old age as her life seems boring. Suddenly she receives an invitation card for a college reunion in Kolkata, and despite objections by her husband, she leaves for Kolkata where she meets up with all her old college mates including Parimal Sarkar, who narrates his life story and seeks help from Shibani, to force his daughter-in-law Jhinuk to move on in her life after the death of her husband; his son Abir and Parimal's wife in a car accident. He wants to set up Jhinuk with Rohan, the childhood friend of Abir. He has purposely started to act drunk and he asks Shibani to pretend to be his rude newly wedded wife who is after all coming home and wants a share in property.

Cast

Anupam Kher as Parimal Sarkar

Saswata Chatterjee as Sanjeev Ghosh

Neena Gupta as Shibani Ghosh

Konkona Sen Sharma as Kajol Ghosh Sisodiya

Pankaj Tripathi as Monty Sisodiya

Ahana Basu as Pihu Sisodiya

Ali Fazal as Akash Arya

Fatima Sana Shaikh as Shruti Shukla Arya

Sara Ali Khan as Chumki Ghosh

Aditya Roy Kapur as Parth Nakul Sahadev

Pranay Pachauri as Rohan

Darshana Banik as Jhinuk Sarkar

Rohan Gurbaxani as Aryan

Kush Jotwani as Anand

Cameo appearances

Imtiaz Ali as himself

Anurag Basu as himself

Vijay Ganguli as himself

Metro band

Pritam

Papon

Raghav Chaitanya

Production

In a news interview, director Anurag Basu revealed that the idea of the film first came during a casual conversation with late actor Irrfan Khan, who said, Metro 2 banaate hai (Let's make Metro 2).

Casting

Konkana Sen Sharma was the only actor to return from Life in a... Metro (2007), reprising her presence in the spiritual successor. Director Anurag Basu reunited with Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Fatima Sana Shaikh, all of whom had previously appeared in his ensemble film Ludo (2020). The principal cast also includes Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, Anupam Kher, and Neena Gupta in key roles.

Filming

Principal photography began in December 2022 in Kolkata. Subsequent schedules took place across multiple cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune. Filming concluded in February 2024 in Delhi, which was preceded by scenes being shot at the Barog railway station, in Himachal Pradesh, which wrapped on 5 February 2025.

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack is composed by Pritam, marking his reunion with director Anurag Basu after their collaboration on Ludo (2020). The album features a mix of original compositions aligned with the film's themes of urban relationships and emotional introspection. The film also follows the style of Hollywood musicals in which the characters break fourth wall and speak directly with the audience in songs. Notably, cast members Anupam Kher and Aditya Roy Kapur both sang for the soundtrack.

Release

Metro... In Dino was released theatrically on 4 July 2025. The film was initially scheduled for release on 29 November 2024 but was postponed due to post-production delays. The film was released on Netflix on 29 August 2025.

Reception

Metro… In Dino received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its ensemble performances, thematic depth, and Pritam's music, while some noted issues with pacing and narrative cohesion in the second half. As a spiritual sequel to Basu's Life in a... Metro (2007), the film was noted for its exploration of modern urban relationships and emotional complexity. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 69% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10.

The performances of the ensemble cast were widely highlighted. Pankaj Tripathi and Konkona Sen Sharma, portraying Monty and Kajol, were praised for their portrayal of a middle-aged couple navigating marital strain; The Hindu described their chemistry as "electric" and commended the balance of humor and emotional gravity in their scenes. Neena Gupta and Anupam Kher's track was described as "warm, witty, and deeply moving" by News18, for its sensitive depiction of late-life companionship. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Ali Fazal's storyline received appreciation for its emotional resonance, although The Times of India noted that their arc required tighter writing.

Sara Ali Khan’s performance as Chumki received mixed reviews. Hindustan Times described her as a "show-stealer" for her relatable portrayal of a conflicted young woman, while Rediff.com criticized her performance for being overshadowed by costume choices and tonal inconsistency. Aditya Roy Kapur was noted for his charm, though his role was viewed by some critics as underwritten.

Pritam's soundtrack received widespread acclaim and was considered integral to the film's tone and structure. India Today stated that "the music doesn’t decorate the film, it defines it," with songs such as “Zamaana Lage” and “Aur Mohabbat Kitni Karoon” singled out for praise. Bollywood Hungama called “Dhaagena Tinak Dhin” a standout for its “catchy tune and vibrant visuals.”

The first half of the film was praised for its humor and narrative momentum. Times Now described it as a "humorous, heartwarming, and feel-good approach to relationships." In contrast, the second half received criticism for its slower pace and unresolved subplots. The Hollywood Reporter India remarked that the narrative "drifts along in the second half without accomplishing anything substantial," while Rediff.com called it a "meandering mess."