Ek Din Review: Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi's Forgettable Romance Fails to Capture Heartache

Key facts

• Junaid Khan plays Dino, a shy IT worker with one-sided love for Meera (Sai Pallavi).
• Meera suffers Transient Global Amnesia (TGA) lasting 24 hours during a Japan office trip.
• Sai Pallavi makes her official Hindi cinema debut, credited above Junaid Khan.
• Film directed by Sunil Pandey, produced by Aamir Khan Productions.
• Music by Ram Sampath, lyrics by Irshad Kamil; Arijit Singh sang five of six tracks.
• Aamir Khan sang the title track at a music mehfil in Mumbai, 90 minutes late.
• Film's plot involves Meera's affair with married boss Nakul (Kunal Kapoor).

A Familiar Premise with Little Payoff

Ek Din, the Hindi remake of the Thai film One Day, opens with a declaration that life does not imitate movies. Yet the film proceeds to deliver a wish-fulfillment fantasy that feels both derivative and emotionally flat. Junaid Khan's Dino, a painfully shy IT worker at a Noida software company, harbors an unrequited love for his colleague Meera, played by Sai Pallavi. Meera is having an affair with their married boss Nakul (Kunal Kapoor) and dreams of all things Japan. The story kicks into gear during a five-day office trip to Japan to celebrate a company milestone. Dino makes a wish at a temple bell: that Meera be his for just one day. The wish comes true after Meera discovers Nakul's betrayal, gets drunk, and suffers an accident in a blizzard. She develops Transient Global Amnesia (TGA), a temporary memory loss lasting 24 hours. Dino stays by her side, and they spend that day together, creating memories she will soon forget.

Chemistry Deficit Undermines Sincere Performances

Despite the earnest efforts of both leads, the film suffers from a glaring lack of chemistry. Junaid Khan, who made his OTT debut in Maharaj (2024) and followed with Loveyapa (2025), shows flashes of comfort on screen—spreading his arms in a song like Shah Rukh Khan—but cannot sustain the emotional weight required. Sai Pallavi, making her official Hindi cinema debut, commits fully to Meera: she drinks, is reckless, non-judgemental, collects Snow Miku figurines, and dances like a dream. Yet the script gives her little to work with, and her character's job remains undefined. The film attempts to convey the physical emptiness of lost love, a theme that resonated deeply in Saiyaara, a similar memory-loss romance. But where Saiyaara used music, heartbreak, and emotional investment to devastating effect, Ek Din never makes the audience feel the heartache. The limited 24-hour plot point is not the culprit; rather, the lack of genuine connection between the leads leaves the romance bland and the chemistry nonexistent.

Aamir Khan's Production and Musical Ambitions

Ek Din is backed by Aamir Khan Productions, and the producer initially intended it to be his son Junaid's first release. However, Junaid laughingly corrected that at a music mehfil held at Mumbai's PVR Lido cinema. The event, which started 90 minutes late, featured storytelling about the stages of love—infatuation, commitment, heartbreak—by energetic storytellers, though the stories had no direct connection to the film. Winners of a singing contest hosted by the producers and Zee Music performed songs from the film. The highlight was Aamir Khan himself singing the title track with composer Ram Sampath on piano and singer Meghna Mishra, who has two songs in the film including the female version of the title track. Aamir has been taking music lessons for 30 months from a teacher he calls 'Didi,' who was present in the audience. He prayed not to let her down, and succeeded. Sampath praised lyricist Irshad Kamil, who was traveling, and Aamir noted the absence of Arijit Singh, who sang five of the six tracks.

A Score Reminiscent of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

The film's music, composed by Ram Sampath, evokes the gossamer and untrendy score of Aamir Khan's breakthrough film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), though it has its own stamp. With six songs that are lyrically and musically rich yet contemporary, the soundtrack stands against the current hotchpotch concoctions of popular music. If luck is with the team, the impact could be similar 38 years later, as this film is also a romance with six songs. At the mehfil, the lead pair was introduced, with Sai Pallavi fumbling endearingly in broken Hindi, saying she was not prepared to speak. The technical team included co-producer Aparna Purohit, cinematographer Manoj Lobo, and writers Sneha Desai and Spandan Mishra. Also present were Aamir's sister Nikhat Khan, who made her acting debut in 2019 with Mission Mangal, and singer Sona Mohapatra, wife of the composer.

A Forgettable Addition to the Memory-Love Genre

Ek Din enters a crowded universe of memory-and-love films, inviting comparisons to Saiyaara, which centered on Early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Aamir Khan was forced to clarify in an interview that the two films are completely different, and indeed they are. Saiyaara succeeded through music, heartbreak, and emotional investment; Ek Din lacks all three. The film's earnest appeal about the physical emptiness of lost love falls flat because the viewer never truly invests in the characters. The climax sees Meera and Dino meeting at a Japanese cafe for lunch. As Dino watches Meera enter, a bookshelf catches the eye with fashion books, including one titled Prada—a subtle cue that the film is more concerned with surface details than emotional depth. Japan is beautiful in winters, and Meera's Hokkaido bucket list is perhaps the most exciting element, but it cannot compensate for the film's core emptiness.

What Lies Ahead for Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi

With every film, Junaid Khan is getting more comfortable in his skin, but Ek Din does not provide the breakthrough he needs. Sai Pallavi, despite her full commitment, deserved a stronger debut vehicle. The film's forgettable nature raises questions about the direction of Aamir Khan Productions' romantic ventures. The music, while praised, may not be enough to draw audiences to theaters. As the film releases, it remains to be seen whether the nostalgia of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak's score will resonate with today's viewers. The team's hope that luck will replicate that success 38 years later seems optimistic given the current cinematic landscape. For now, Ek Din stands as a missed opportunity—a film that promises a heartfelt romance but delivers only a fleeting, forgettable experience.

The bottom line

• Ek Din is the Hindi remake of Thai film One Day, directed by Sunil Pandey and produced by Aamir Khan Productions.
• Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi star as Dino and Meera, with a plot involving transient global amnesia during a Japan trip.
• The film lacks chemistry between leads and emotional depth, failing to make the audience feel the heartache.
• Sai Pallavi makes her official Hindi cinema debut, credited above Junaid Khan.
• Music by Ram Sampath features six songs, with Arijit Singh singing five; Aamir Khan sang the title track at a promotional event.
• Comparisons to Saiyaara were dismissed by Aamir Khan, but the film is forgettable within the memory-loss romance genre.