Aanand L Rai-backed Nakhrewaalii, starring Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava, brings romance, mistaken identities and gender-role reversals together in a familiar Bollywood comedy that relies on humour and entertaining performances. Directed by Rahul Shanklya, the film follows a young man who believes women have it easier in several aspects of life, only to find himself adopting a female identity when circumstances leave him with few options. The romantic comedy has enough amusing sequences to keep viewers engaged, particularly in its first half, although its predictable storyline and occasional continuity errors prevent it from becoming a particularly distinctive cinematic experience. The film has received three stars in the review.

The story revolves around Sumit Mishra, played by Ansh Duggal, a carefree young man who moves from Hardoi to Delhi after his girlfriend back home marries someone else. He plans to pursue higher studies and believes that women enjoy advantages in different areas, including reservations and social situations. His perspective begins to change after he meets Paridhi, played by Pragati Srivastava, the daughter of his landlord. The two develop feelings for each other, but Sumit's attitude towards relationships creates complications. Although he becomes interested in marrying Paridhi, her parents are not convinced that he is suitable for their daughter. Her father, Batuk, makes it clear that Sumit must secure a government job within a month if he wants permission to marry her.

Unable to fulfil the condition through conventional means, Sumit decides to disguise himself as a woman and adopts the identity of Sumita. The unusual transformation allows him to pursue a government job while navigating the complications created by his two identities. The situation generates several opportunities for mistaken identities, awkward encounters and comic misunderstandings. The premise also allows the film to explore expectations surrounding gender, relationships and employment. However, the central idea of a man disguising himself as a woman to secure opportunities bears similarities to the Dream Girl franchise, making comparisons difficult to avoid. Despite this familiar foundation, the film attempts to establish its own identity through its characters and situational comedy.

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Director Rahul Shanklya, working with writer Divy Nidhi Sharma, keeps the first half moving through humorous exchanges, entertaining situations and one-liners. Several sequences provide genuine laughs, helping the narrative maintain an engaging pace. The second half also manages to sustain the comedy, with some scenes becoming more effective as the relationships between the characters develop. The film does not attempt an especially complicated narrative, instead relying on its central disguise-based premise to create confusion and comic situations. However, certain inconsistencies become noticeable, particularly in Sumit's transformation. His facial appearance changes between consecutive scenes, with a clean-shaven look in one sequence followed by visible stubble later. Such continuity errors can distract viewers because the disguise is central to the story.

Ansh Duggal and Pragati Srivastava bring confidence and screen presence to their respective roles. Duggal has the challenging task of portraying Sumit as well as his female identity, Sumita, and handles the transformation with an energetic approach. Pragati makes a confident impression as Paridhi, providing a strong presence opposite the male lead. Kumud Mishra plays an important role as a government official and delivers a dependable performance. Gopal Datt, portraying Paridhi's father, contributes several entertaining moments through his comic timing and one-liners. Akash Makhija, who plays Jhaadi, Sumit's close friend, also adds humour to the proceedings. The supporting performances help maintain the film's light-hearted tone.

The music, composed by Vayu, Vaibhav Pani, Sharan Rawat, Gaurav Chatterji and Tanishk Bagchi, complements the romantic comedy and fits its overall mood. While the film's storytelling remains conventional and some of its ideas feel familiar, the humour and performances provide enough entertainment to keep it moving. Nakhrewaalii also attempts to include a broader message about relationships and gender expectations without moving too far away from its comic foundation. Its predictable narrative and technical inconsistencies hold it back, but the lead pair's screen presence and several amusing sequences make it a reasonably entertaining watch. The film ultimately offers a familiar romantic-comedy experience rather than a major departure from established Bollywood storytelling.

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