When Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt launched their production banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions, audiences naturally anticipated fresh, inventive, and content-driven narratives. Yet, the newly unveiled trailer for their upcoming college romance, Don’t Be Shy, suggests the sister duo has pivoted toward well-trodden, exhausted teen drama territory.
Meant to serve as a vibrant and relatable Gen-Z coming-of-age feature, the project instead resembles an Indianized, derivative blend of Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever alongside several other high school rom-coms. Frankly, it stands out as the slowest and most fatiguing trailer preview encountered so far in 2026.
The High School Crush & Status Dilemma – What An Overused Plot!
The preview introduces viewers to an awkward, nerdy teenage lead who finds it difficult to fit into an elite urban school and college setting. She is equipped with the mandatory supportive best-friend duo, an unspoken crush, and an ongoing internal struggle regarding her personal identity and insecurities.
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Ranging from forced Gen-Z slang and exaggerated family environments to predictable misunderstanding tropes, Don’t Be Shy ticks off every single item on the teen-romance cliché checklist. Rather than presenting an authentic, grounded view of contemporary Indian youth culture, the story relies on glossy caricatures that feel thoroughly artificial and, quite frankly, annoying.
The preview’s primary drawback is its sluggish editing, turning the watch into an absolute snoozefest. For a youth-focused comedy-drama, the comedic timing misses the mark, and the dramatic elements feel forced across numerous sequences, whether the focus is on boasting about social standing or relationship status.
Although the newcomer cast makes a valiant effort to inject enthusiasm into their performances, the dialogue frequently feels off. Instead of emerging as a novel voice within modern youth cinema, Don’t Be Shy feels like an unwanted, belated adaptation drawing inspiration from properties like Never Have I Ever.
Hopefully, Don’t Be Shy might turn out better than advertised, and the underwhelming impression stems solely from a poor trailer cut, but at present, it fails to convince. It is profoundly disappointing unless the complete feature film conceals a surprisingly strong emotional core.
Check out the trailer here.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more teaser and trailer reviews!
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