Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (transl. O Heart, It Is Difficult) is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language musical romantic drama film written, directed, and produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai, and Fawad Khan in lead roles. Set across London, Paris, Vienna, and India, the narrative explores themes of unrequited love, friendship, heartbreak, and emotional intimacy through the intersecting lives of Ayan, Alizeh, Saba, and Ali.

The film marked Johar's return to direction after Student of the Year (2012), and was noted for its emotionally charged narrative and polished visual aesthetic. Principal photography was conducted across multiple international locations with Anil Mehta serving as cinematographer. The soundtrack was composed by Pritam, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya, and featured several chart-topping songs—most notably "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", "Bulleya", and "Channa Mereya"—primarily rendered by Arijit Singh.

Released theatrically on 28 October 2016 during the Diwali weekend, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil opened to mixed reviews from critics. While the performances of the principal cast, direction, music, and cinematography received widespread acclaim, the screenplay and plot garnered a more divided response. Despite its box-office clash with Shivaay, the film proved to be a major commercial success, grossing ₹2.38 billion (US$28 million) worldwide, and ranked as the third highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.

At the 62nd Filmfare Awards, the film earned nine nominations—including Best Director (Johar), Best Actor (Kapoor), and Best Actress (Sharma)—and won four, including Best Music Director (Pritam), Best Lyricist (Bhattacharya for "Channa Mereya"), and Best Male Playback Singer (Singh for "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil").