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'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo': Receive a treasure with love
Family again: Prem, who is impersonating Yuvraj Vijay Singh (both played by Salman Khan), and Princess Maithili Devi (Sonam Kapoor) dance to the movieâs theme song after Vijayâs step-sisters agree to live at the palace
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Family again: Prem, who is impersonating Yuvraj Vijay Singh (both played by Salman Khan), and Princess Maithili Devi (Sonam Kapoor) dance to the movie's theme song after Vijay's step-sisters agree to live at the palace.
Salman Khan once again delivers a rainbow of color in his latest movie, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP). After his last box office hit, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Salman is on top of the charts once again with PRDP, which is reported to have made US$23 million in the first five days of its release. At his best all the time, Salman plays a dual role in the movie.
Based on the book The Prisoner of Zenda, the story starts with Yuvraj Vijay Singh, the Prince of Pritampur (Salman Khan), preparing the kingdom for his upcoming coronation with his brother Yuvraj Ajay Singh by his side.
Vijay is engaged to Princess Maithili Devi (Sonam Kapoor). In order to have a well-rounded event with a happy ending, Vijay is advised by his right-hand man Diwan Sahab (Anupam Kher), to invite his two half-sisters, Rajkumari Chandrika (Swara Bhaskar) and Rajkumari Radhika (Aashika Bhatia), with whom he is not on speaking terms. Both the sisters decline his invitation and the meeting ends up in a bitter row.
On the way back home, Vijay's horse carriage driver jumps out of the carriage so that the horses are left on their own. Vijay falls off the carriage but someone is watching him closely and manages to save him. He is brought to the underground section of the palace for treatment. Only two people know about the incident, Vijay's personal aide, Diwan Sahab, and the head of security. Sahab, who took care of the royal children from a young age, is in a dilemma because the coronation is just four days away and it would be inauspicious to change the dates. All the while, poor Vijay lies unconscious.
Meanwhile in Delhi, an actor named Prem Dilwale (also played by Salman Khan) performs for charity for the foundation of Princess Maithili called UPMAAR. Prem always dreams of meeting Princess Maithili. When he hears she is going to Pritampur, Prem asks a friend, Kanhaiya (Deepak Dobriyal), to accompany him.
When they reach the city of Pritampur, somebody tells Prem that the head of security from the palace is in the car buying food. He approaches the man and begs him to take him to the palace. The head of the security is shocked to see his striking resemblance to the Prince and so he takes him to Sabab.
Prem is requested to take the place of Vijay until the prince recovers. Diwan trains Prem on how to behave like a prince. When Maithili finally meets him, she wants to break up the engagement because she is unhappy with the relationship.
Prem manages to make her change her mind and soon enough, she falls in love with him. Prem also manages to bring the step-sisters back to the palace. In the meantime, Diwan finds out that it was Vijay's brother, Ajay, who masterminded the assassination attempt on Vijay. Ajay finds out where his brother is hiding in the palace. Together, with his accomplice Chirag Singh (Armaan Kohli), both men kidnap Vijay and take him to the family's holiday palace. The next scene is the climax of the film. It ends soon enough, delivering a message of brotherly love.
Salman, as per usual, plays the role of the hero. His emotional dialogues and his acting are superb. He manages to give off a different personality for both of the characters he plays. Casting Sonam Kapoor as the heroine was a big mistake and a spoiler for the movie. The role doesn't suit her and in reality, she is young enough to be Salman's daughter. Thus, in a seduction scene that required a little more intimacy from Sonam, she couldn't deliver the necessary kind of emotion because she seemed to be looking up to Salman as a father. An older woman like Deepika Padukone would have made for a better fit.
The movie, shot on a budget of US$27.18 million, is the most expensive movie Bollywood has ever made. All in all, it is a good watch. The plot is well written and the dialogues have many underlying moral messages.
The director Sooraj Barjatya's portrayal of India as a country of palaces and culture gives off a wonderful feeling for what India is like.
The abundant songs and dances are matched with ethnic costumes bursting in 'Indian colors'. The highlight of the movie is when Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor dance to the catchy theme song of the movie. PRDP is much more than a way to pass the time.
' Photo courtesy of Fox Star Studios
