Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya and Bollywood superstar Salman Khan have teamed up over the years to provide wholesome family entertainers and the duo is back after more than a decade with their latest Diwali offering for the entire family.
Loosely inspired by the 1894 adventure novel ‘The Prisoner Of Zenda’, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ tells the story of Prem (Salman Khan), a happy-go-lucky chap, who is persuaded to step into the shoes of Prince Vijay Singh (Salman Khan), who he resembles, to act as a decoy. The reason- an assassination attempt on the prince has rendered him unconscious a few days before his engagement and the royal coronation and the show, as we know, must go on...
When Prem agrees to the plan, little does he realize that it will make him fall for Princess Maithili (Sonam Kapoor), who is unaware about this switch. However, like Spider-Man said, ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ and our Prem (as Prince Vijay Singh) embarks on a mission to mend fences with the step-brother Ajay Singh (Neil Nithin Mukesh) and estranged step-sisters of the prince.
However, there are darker forces at work in the palace and Prem must battle them too even as he sets out to bring the royal family together and extract himself from a relationship that is bound to end in tears. How Prem manages to do all this, forms the rest of the plot.
After playing the ‘Dabangg’ dude in many of his recent films (with the exception of Bajrangi Bhaijaan), Salman gets back to playing the noble Prem with much aplomb. As the prim prince and the jolly lookalike, Salman is totally in his element and his undeniable personal charisma is what makes the film a delightful watch. Deepak Dobriyal, who plays Prem’s sidekick Kanhaiya is as good as ever and we wish he had more screen time. Anupam Kher as the loyal Diwan is dependable while Sonam Kapoor hams like there is no tomorrow, though she does look pretty and stylish in her sarees and dresses. Neil Nitin Mukesh and Swara Bhaskar have short roles but they have put in a decent effort while Armaan Kohli doesn’t get to do much really.
Like all Barjatya movies, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ is a wholesome family drama, with loads of emotions, romance, family drama, a dash of comedy and a couple of action scenes thrown in. Barjatya has made the film on a grand scale and the opulent and vibrant sets will remind you of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The music is not worth writing home about and the number of songs inserted in the movie might test your patience.
Nevertheless, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ is a delightful Diwali gift from Salman and Sooraj...
