Ek Din had the ingredients for a heartfelt romantic drama — a unique premise, scenic Japan locations, and the fresh pairing of Sai Pallavi and Junaid Khan. But despite its emotional setup, the film struggles to leave a lasting impact.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (2.5/5)
Ek Din Cast and Crew
Directed by Sunil Pandey, the film is produced under Aamir Khan Productions.
Main Cast:
- Junaid Khan as Dinesh “Dino” Shrivastava
- Sai Pallavi as Meera
- Music by Ram Sampath
The film is also the official adaptation of the Thai romantic drama One Day.
Ek Din Story: What Is the Film About?
The story follows Dino, a shy IT employee secretly in love with his colleague Meera for years. During a company trip to Japan, Meera suffers from transient global amnesia after an accident.
For one magical day, Dino gets the chance to live the life he always dreamed of — pretending to be the man closest to her.
It’s a beautiful concept on paper, filled with emotional possibilities and quiet romance. Unfortunately, the film never fully reaches the emotional depth it aims for.
What Works in Ek Din
The film’s biggest strength is clearly Sai Pallavi. Even in her Hindi debut, she brings warmth, grace, and natural screen presence. She manages to make Meera feel real and emotionally grounded even when the writing becomes weak.
The visuals are another plus point. The scenes shot in Japan give the film a dreamy and soft atmosphere that suits the story’s tone well.
There’s also sincerity in the film’s attempt to bring back an old-school romantic drama at a time when Bollywood is dominated by action spectacles. Some critics appreciated this gentle and emotional approach even if the execution felt uneven.
Where the Film Falls Short
The biggest issue is the lack of strong chemistry between the leads. Junaid Khan tries hard and looks sincere, but the emotional intensity needed for the role never fully comes through.
Several reviews also pointed out that the romance feels emotionally distant and lacks spark.
The second half slows down considerably, with emotional scenes becoming repetitive and predictable. The climax, which should have been emotionally powerful, feels too convenient and underwhelming.
At just over two hours, the film also feels longer than it should because the screenplay stays very surface-level and avoids deeper emotional exploration.
Box Office Response
Despite curiosity around Sai Pallavi’s Bollywood debut, the film opened to a weak response at the box office. Reports suggest the movie collected only around ₹1.15 crore on Day 1, with collections dropping further over the weekend.
A lot of viewers online also felt the film looked more suitable for OTT than theatres.
Final Verdict: Theatre or OTT?
Ek Din is a harmless romantic drama with a sweet central idea, but the execution feels too safe and emotionally flat.
While Sai Pallavi does her best to keep the film engaging, the weak chemistry, slow pacing, and underwhelming emotional payoff stop it from becoming memorable.
This works better as a lazy weekend OTT watch than a theatrical experience.