Chand Mera Dil (transl. My Heart Is The Moon) is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Vivek Soni and co-written by Soni and Tushar Paranjape. Produced by Dharma Productions, the film stars Ananya Panday and Lakshya as two college lovers in Hyderabad, whose relationship is challenged as they enter adulthood and face new responsibilities, leading them to reconsider their idea of love.
The film was released in theatres on 22 May 2026 and received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. It culminated as a box office bomb.
Contents
Plot
Aarav Rawat enters engineering college expecting nothing more than a fresh start and the usual excitement of campus life. Everything changes on his very first day when he sees Chandni Prasad performing a mesmerising fusion dance on stage during the orientation programme. Confident, vibrant and full of life, Chandni instantly captures his attention. What begins as simple admiration slowly turns into a deep fascination.
Aarav expresses his feelings through small and thoughtful gestures. He quietly watches over Chandni, helps her whenever he can and finds excuses to be around her. Chandni gradually notices his sincerity and, intrigued by his gentle nature, approaches him for help with her studies. Their academic interactions soon develop into a close friendship. As they spend more time together, their bond deepens into love, and the two begin a passionate relationship, experiencing the joys and excitement of first love.
Their seemingly perfect romance takes an unexpected turn when Chandni discovers that she is pregnant. The news completely changes the course of their lives. Overwhelmed by the situation, Aarav believes that they are far too young to become parents. He worries that a child would destroy their dreams and ambitions before they have even had the chance to build their futures. He encourages Chandni to consider an abortion, hoping they can continue their education and pursue their careers.
Chandni initially agrees, but when the moment arrives at the hospital, she finds herself unable to go through with the procedure. She decides that she wants to keep the baby, despite knowing how difficult the journey ahead will be. Faced with her decision, Aarav struggles with fear and uncertainty but ultimately chooses to stand beside her and support her.
The couple then gathers the courage to tell their families about the pregnancy and their intention to marry. Instead of receiving understanding and support, they are met with disappointment and rejection from both sides. Their families refuse to accept the relationship and consider them too immature to take such a major responsibility. Feeling isolated and abandoned, Aarav and Chandni find comfort in their close friends, who step forward to help them. With their friends support, the young couple eventually gets married.
Cast
Ananya Panday as Chandni Prasad
Lakshya as Aarav Rawat
Aastha Singh as Jyotsna
Paresh Pahuja as Kevin
Manish Chaudhari as Kamal Rawat, Aarav's father
Iravati Harshe Mayadev as Vandana Rawat, Aarav's mother
Charu Shankar as Nivedita Prasad, Chandni's mother
Atul Kumar as Dr. Zeeshan
Akhil Kaimal as Chinna
Javed Khan as King
Manik Papneja as Sameer
Vidushi Kaul as Nandani Rawat, Aarav's sister
Pratham Rathod as Aarav's unruly student
Samaira Pawar as Kavya (4 years)
Production
The film was announced in November 2024 by Karan Johar, with Ananya Panday and Lakshya in the lead roles. Principal photography took place in Jamshedpur.
Filming
Much of its storyline and shooting took place in Hyderabad.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack is composed by Sachin–Jigar, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The title track, sung by Faheem Abdullah, was released on 14 April 2026. The full album was released on 18 May 2026.
Marketing
The film's teaser was released on 7 April 2026.
Release
Theatrical
The film was originally scheduled for a 2025 release before being rescheduled to 10 April 2026. It was ultimately released on 22 May 2026.
Home media
The film began streaming on JioHotstar from 17 July 2026.
Controversies
Upon the film’s release, Panday’s Bharatanatyam-inspired dance sequence got loads of backlash and trolling on social media. Some critics questioned its representation of the dance form, describing its mudras as robotic, while others mockingly labelled the performance “Nepo Natyam”.
Reception
Critical reception
Chand Mera Dil received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.
Anuj Kumar of The Hindu called it "a grounded, mature counter-narrative" delivering "a sharp dissection of modern intimacy," praising both leads for their performances. Taran Adarsh rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, citing "winsome performances, several terrific emotional moments, and soulful music" as its strengths, while noting the second half "could've been sharper."
Bollywood Hungama also gave 3.5 out of 5, calling it "a fine romantic saga" and singling out Lakshya's performance as "stupendous." Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times rated the film 2.5 out of 5, describing it as "frustrating, flawed, yet rewarding," praising the second half while criticising the uneven pacing.