2 States (2014 film)

2 States is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy-drama film directed by Abhishek Varman in his directorial debut and produced by Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala under Dharma Productions and Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. Based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Chetan Bhagat, who co-wrote the screenplay with Varman, the film stars Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, with supporting roles by Amrita Singh, Ronit Roy, Revathi, and Shiv Kumar Subramaniam. Set against the backdrop of inter-regional marriage in India, the narrative follows Krish and Ananya, a young couple from Punjabi and Tamil Brahmin families, as they navigate the cultural barriers between their parents to gain approval for their relationship.[1][2]

The film marked Bhatt’s second collaboration with Dharma Productions and Kapoor’s first major release following his debut. Principal photography took place in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, with Binod Pradhan serving as director of photography. The music was composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, with lyrics written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Costume design was handled by Manish Malhotra and Anaita Shroff Adajania, and editing was overseen by Namrata Rao.

Released theatrically on 18 April 2014, 2 States opened to generally positive reviews, with critics praising its performances, writing, music, and treatment of cultural conflict, though some noted its pacing and tonal inconsistency. The film proved to be a major commercial success, grossing over ₹175 crore (US$21 million) worldwide, ranking as the eighth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.

At the 60th Filmfare Awards, 2 States received eight nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Varman), Best Supporting Actor (Roy), and Best Supporting Actress (Singh), winning two: Best Music Director (Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy) and Best Debut Director (Varman).