LUST STORIES 3 makes for a reasonably entertaining watch.

Lust Stories 3 Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating

Director: Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra, Vishal Bhardwaj

Lust Stories 3 Movie Review Synopsis:
LUST STORIES 3 is the story of couples caught in unique situations. Padma (Radhika Apte) is married to Hemant (Vijay Varma), while her best friend, Shonali (Konkona Sen Sharma), is the wife of Debendu (Abhishek Banerjee). Padma and Shonali are unhappy with their respective sex lives and decide to swap partners. Karan (Gurfateh Pirzada) is a pizza delivery boy who bumps into Lisa (Sana Thampi), a nail artist. Sparks fly between the two. However, Lisa is unaware that Karan has a hidden side that can have disastrous consequences for both of them. Varun (Ali Fazal) marries his sweetheart, Sailee (Radhikka Madan), and a few years later, they decide to separate. But they soon find themselves in a ‘can’t-live-with-can’t-live-without’ situation. Lastly, in 1987 Hyderabad, Saira (Aditi Rao Hydari), unsatisfied by her husband Badru (Siddharth) in bed, finds a unique and naughty way to articulate her unfulfilled desires. However, things don’t go as planned.

Lust Stories 3 Movie Story Review:
The stories, as expected, are in the zone of love and lust. The Gurfateh-Sana track, written by Tanaji Dasgupta and Kiran Rao, also has a bit of crime thrown in. The screenplay is largely breezy. Avinash Sampath’s screenplay for the Radhika-Konkona track is novel and keeps the interest going. However, the last two stories are stretched. Sumukhi Suresh’s dialogues for the Radhika-Konkona track are hilarious and add tremendously to the fun quotient. The dialogues in the Aditi-Siddharth story also work well.

Vikramaditya Motwane’s direction is convincing. The idea is crazy, but Vikramaditya handles it like a pro. Moreover, it is rare for an Indian title to show the impact of Korean shows even among the aam junta, who are often binge-watching their Hindi-dubbed versions. The finale is unexpected. Kiran Rao’s direction stands out compared to her execution style in DHOBI GHAT [2011] and LAAPATAA LADIES [2024]. Shakun Batra’s direction is fine but, compared to the work of the other directors, seems below par. Nevertheless, he captures some moments exceptionally well. Vishal Bhardwaj’s direction is over-the-top per the requirement. There has already been a film and a popular web series based on a similar idea, but Vishal takes it on a different tangent, which makes for an entertaining watch.

On the flipside, the length is an issue this time. While LUST STORIES [2018] was around 2 hours long, LUST STORIES 2 [2023] had a runtime of 2 hours and 12 minutes. LUST STORIES 3, meanwhile, runs for 2 hours and 44 minutes. One may not feel the length during the first two stories, but the third story, directed by Shakun Batra, particularly gets lengthy. Moreover, a crucial dinner scene seems unconvincing; the realization that the couple arrives at doesn’t come across organically. The Kiran Rao track has an interesting suspense element that many might not see coming. However, the climax seems rather abrupt, considering that dangerous drug lords are involved. The Vishal Bhardwaj track has fun and naughty undertones, though it doesn’t seem convincing in a few places. Lastly, the biggest drawback is that the earlier instalments had set a benchmark. The Kiara Advani vibrator scene in LUST STORIES and the intimate sequence featuring Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia in LUST STORIES 2 are memorable even today. No such lust-laden or memorable scene exists in LUST STORIES 3, and this may go against the expectations of viewers.

Love Or Lust With Lust Stories 3 Cast On Bollywood Hungama | Radhika Apte, Vijay Varma, Radhika Madan

Lust Stories 3 Movie Review Performances:
Both Radhika Apte and Konkona Sen Sharma deliver highly entertaining performances. They take the story to dizzying heights with performances that are nuanced and yet very mass-appealing. Abhishek Banerjee and Vijay Varma, too, put their best foot forward. Gurfateh Pirzada looks dashing and proves yet again that he’s an actor to watch out for. Sana Thampi is an excellent find and delivers an arresting performance. Ali Fazal and Radhikka Madan are equally impactful. Aditi Rao Hydari gets her act right and ably delivers as per the requirement. Siddharth is adorable and delivers a sincere performance. Anirudh Surya (David Lobo) in the Radhika-Konkona track leaves a mark. Jiyoung Son (Jin; voiced by Suvela Sharma) and Tenzein Choden (Min; voiced by Sonal Kaushal) are very memorable despite having brief cameos. Rajat Kapoor (Therapist) flawlessly slips into the role. Vijay Maurya (Ravi Uncle) is dependable as always. Gajraj Rao (Abbujaan) is very cute, and only an actor of his calibre could have pulled off the part so effectively. Nivedita Bhargava (Guide Madam), Bhagyashree (Rajjo), Vaishali Bisht (Rajjo’s mother) and Alok Jain (Rajjo’s father) are fair.

Lust Stories 3 movie music and other technical aspects:
The songs are well woven into the narrative. ‘Aaye Miyan Khat Phat’ is the only song that stands out. The cinematography is satisfactory. The production design across the four stories is visually appealing and yet remains true to their respective worlds. The costumes are straight out of life and realistic. The editing could have been sharper, especially in the last two stories.

Lust Stories 3 Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, LUST STORIES 3 makes for a reasonably entertaining watch, thanks to its interesting concepts, fine performances and some genuinely engaging moments. However, the excessive runtime, uneven storytelling and, most importantly, the lack of a bold and memorable lust-driven sequence like the earlier instalments prevent it from making the same impact. Nevertheless, given the popularity of the LUST STORIES franchise, it is bound to attract huge viewership.