Deep-rooted Rajshri film

Sooraj Barjatya is out there with his casks full of saccharine. “The family entertainer” with his trademark treatment. This jazzy tribute to gloss and grandeur, feudal lords and simple love, Mughal-e-Azam and are all stacked up with a new expiry date label in the shelves of this Mall of Romance.

The sharp dividing line between good and bad, hero and villain, virtue and vice is drawn hard and clear. Sooraj comes with the unpretentious stance that hard sells ‘family values’ of the Rajshri brand and this time too he holds back no punches. It is a take it or leave it stance dependent more on where you come from rather than what you want to take home.

The latest avatar of the Prince and the Pauper has Prem (Salman Khan) and his lookalike swapping places in a palace intrigue. Vijai Singh (Salman the rich) heads an empire which is reflected in the opulent bungalow and the cars he travels by. He has half-brother Ajay (Neil Nitin Mukesh) who when is not engaging in sword-fighting and other mock fights is planning a palace coup with badly suited Chirag (Armaan Kohli). Vijai also has warring half-sisters Chandrika (Swara Bhaskar) and Radhika (Aashika Bhatia).

They carry a grudge to the times when mama was shunted out of the palace by dad. His hell of fury of the women scorned variety is adding problems visible and the bother of swords fight is slowly planning the coup. There is also the Princess in waiting Maithili (Sonam as stiff as royalty can get!). Vijai meets with a near fatal accident and is replaced by lookalike Prem who any way is eager to meet Maithili who is engaged with Uphaar a NGO (not to be confused with the theatre!).

The Deewan of the Palace (Anupam Kher) with a security officer keeps things under wraps and helps the Prince recover and fight his battle against the intruders and those who are eyeing the pie in the palace or the palace pie. In the meanwhile our new imposter in the palace, Prem, is out to win hearts in case there are still any left after the ‘Bajrangi Bhaijan’ outing. Trust him to win over the stern princess, the warring sisters’— one of who is a football freak and the other a scorn specialist—the stern Deewan, his security officer and the rest.

While he is over working his goodies, the bad boys Ajay and Vijay are planning the most amateur palace take over ever planned. They return to this garish place of mirrors, fight with swords, use cardboard chandeliers and graphics waterfalls till it is time for the good bad divide to take their respective final positions. It does not take long for the metamorphosis to pan out. Those who refuse to fall in line are crushed and those who do get the prizes. Who gets the gal? That you must wait for the entire 175 minutes and go through all the songs and dances.

Sonam obviously enters big league with a role she is ideally suited. Stiff to a fault and ever graceful. She is required to sing, dance and flaunt her designer wear. Strangely in the clothing department she falters and wears sarees that does not do justice to a princess in the tale or the fashion diva repute. Salman Khan: Prem returns after ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.

However, the star replaces the charm. The boy with huge eyes and dimples has given way to the macho with a well marketed heart of gold. The rest of the cast is as real as the ones you see every evening in the TV soaps. Neil Nitin ensures that he does not over do the evil part. The film is for the diehard fan: Salman or Sooraj.

Film Name : Prem ratan Dhan Payo

Cast : Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Anupam Kher

Direction : Sooraj Barjatya

Genre : Romances

Likes : Grandeur

Dislikes : Familiarity

Rating : ***

By L Ravichander