Critics broadly agree that Lust Stories 3 is uneven but watchable, and many rate it above the second instalment. The big surprise is how much they disagree on which of the four short films works best. Vikramaditya Motwane’s and Shakun Batra’s segments get the most praise overall.
What is Lust Stories 3 about?
Lust Stories 3 is the third instalment of Netflix’s Hindi anthology about desire, marriage and relationships. Like the earlier editions, it is made up of four short films by four directors, each telling a separate story. Netflix describes the franchise as International Emmy-nominated.
The four stories, without spoilers:
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- Vikramaditya Motwane: Two couples who are neighbours face the fallout of a risky proposal involving a weekend trip.
- Kiran Rao: A pizza delivery man and a nail salon worker meet by chance in Mumbai, and things turn into a comic caper.
- Shakun Batra: A couple going through a divorce keep fighting, yet keep ending up in bed together.
- Vishal Bhardwaj: A married couple in 1987 Hyderabad, in a story about female desire inside a traditional household.
Cast and crew
- Motwane’s film: Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vijay Varma and Abhishek Banerjee
- Rao’s film: Gurfateh Pirzada and Sana Thampi
- Batra’s film: Radhika Madan and Ali Fazal
- Bhardwaj’s film: Aditi Rao Hydari, Siddharth and Gajraj Rao
- Producers: RSVP (Ronnie Screwvala) and Flying Unicorn Entertainment (Ashi Dua)
Release date and where to watch
Lust Stories 3 premiered on 18 September 2026 and is streaming only on Netflix. It is meant for adult viewers, given its themes.
How it compares with the earlier editions
The first Lust Stories (2018) had short films by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar. Lust Stories 2 (2023) brought in R. Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh and Amit Ravindernath Sharma. This time, Konkona Sen Sharma returns in front of the camera instead of directing.
Each edition has used a fresh set of four filmmakers, so the tone changes a lot from one instalment to the next. Reviewers of the third part mostly judged each short on its own, then took a view on the whole.
Aggregate scores
We could not find a verified Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic score for Lust Stories 3 at the time of writing, as few international critics have reviewed it. Indian reviews range from warm to lukewarm.
What critics are saying
The Hollywood Reporter India: the most consistent one yet
Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India was the most positive. He called it the franchise’s most consistent and diverse instalment, with no standout or weak segment. He praised Radhika Apte in Motwane’s film and called Batra’s the only full-bodied drama of the four.
He found Bhardwaj’s film overlong but colourful, a big swing that mostly lands. Rao’s film, he said, is the most playful and lightweight.
Anupama Chopra: uneven but rewarding
In her video review for THR India, Anupama Chopra found the anthology uneven but rewarding. She picked Motwane’s tragicomedy as the standout, with superb work from Apte and Konkona Sen Sharma, and liked the final frame of Batra’s film. She found Rao’s segment more surface-level and Bhardwaj’s stretched.
The Federal: ideas better than execution
Zico Ghosh of The Federal called it an uneven but interesting quartet, where the ideas are more compelling than how they play out. He rated Motwane’s segment the best and praised the visuals of Rao’s. He felt Batra’s suffered from weak writing and that Bhardwaj’s lacked real conflict.
M9 News: more hits than misses
Siddartha Toleti of M9 News said the anthology has more hits than misses and improves on the previous season. In his view, Batra’s was the only fully satisfying segment, and Bhardwaj’s stood out for its female gaze and Siddharth’s performance. He found Rao’s the weakest.
IBTimes India: not impressed
IBTimes India’s review was more negative overall, calling some segments stretched. It did single out Aditi Rao Hydari as terrific in Bhardwaj’s film.
The pattern across reviews
Read together, the reviews show that almost every segment has both fans and critics. Bhardwaj’s film is the clearest example, called the best by some and the weakest by others. Rao’s film is similar: one critic praised its visuals and closing image, while another called it the most underwhelming of the four.
The performances are where critics agree most. Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ali Fazal, Radhika Madan and Aditi Rao Hydari get steady praise across outlets, and Vijay Varma and Siddharth also get positive mentions.
Who should watch Lust Stories 3?
Based on the reviews, Lust Stories 3 suits adult viewers who enjoyed the first two editions and like short, performance-driven stories about modern relationships. Since each film is short, you can easily skip a segment that does not work for you.
If you want a single strong storyline or a tightly written drama, critics suggest the anthology format may feel patchy. Find more OTT coverage in our Series section and other critic round-ups in Reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch Lust Stories 3?
Lust Stories 3 is streaming only on Netflix. It premiered on 18 September 2026.
Who directed Lust Stories 3?
The four short films are directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj.
Which segment of Lust Stories 3 is the best?
Critics disagree. Motwane’s and Batra’s segments got the most praise, but Bhardwaj’s also had strong backers.
Is Lust Stories 3 better than Lust Stories 2?
Some critics, including M9 News and THR India’s Rahul Desai, felt it is an improvement and more consistent than the earlier editions.
Sources: Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter India, The Federal, M9 News.
