Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Excellent but underrated film

best movie i've ever seen.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

This movie is a visual pleasure. I'm so disappointed that people seem to favor garbage movies over heartfelt amazing movies like this one these days. Every single aspect of this movie is masterfully made. Salman khan and suraj are a force to be reckoned with.

Strangely, what Sooraj delivers in his much talked about and awaited PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO after a gap of nine years, turns out to be nothing even comparable to his cult films, straight away reminding you of the two mistakes made in the past as HUM SAATH SAATH HAIN and MAIN PREM KI DIWANI HOON, clearly indicating towards no lessons learned from their big failures at all in a highly ignorant and casual manner.Giving you the clear picture, nothing works in this latest venture of Rajshri-Sooraj-Salman, nothing whatsoever……except the man… Salman Khan, taking two steps backward from his last mega-hit BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN. The film neither has some great characterizations in its shockingly routine screenplay, nor any memorable well written sequences or simplistic dialogues continuing the tradition started by MAINE PYAR KIYA. Above all in PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO, the team comes up with such pathetically overused, clichéd storyline that makes you wonder that how confidently they keep on making films on the same stories again & again assuming the people to be dumb enough to keep on accepting them year after year with closed eyes without any complains as such. Yes, at times even the same stories become hugely entertaining due to the writer/director's exceptional novel treatment & presentation. But sadly that is not visible anywhere in this film that unexpectedly even starts boring the viewers in its second half.Recalling the experience of watching it in the theater, I was really surprised to see simply nothing executed on screen with the backing of some solid writing (post the decent opening Ramlila sequence) and the film progressing so casually without incorporating any kind of much needed suspense or enjoyable tension involving the double role. In fact, a few catchy songs and comic scenes remain the only relief moments in its first half, with the second turning out to be so painfully long that you keep looking at your mobile/watch repeatedly as if it's already gone beyond 3 hours shattering all kinds of expectations raised.The cast ensemble including a couple of forgotten names, seem to be only interested in carelessly completing their given jobs establishing no emotional connect with their ultimate viewers, contributing 'nothing'. And the names include veterans like Anupam Kher followed by Swara Bhaskar, Sonam Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh and the snake-man Arman Kohli. To be fair, there is only one person who randomly makes you laugh in his few scenes and he is Deepak Dobriyal who sadly remains under-utilized in the entire film displaying a shocking lack of vision.Rephrasing the above, in PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO we have two lovers but no loving chemistry between them despite the hit tracks, brothers and sisters with no depth in their vaguely written characters placed just to get united again, villains with no emphasis given on their evil intentions or villainy and many deliberately inserted sequences like the unexciting football match post interval lacking the much- desired universal appeal and joy. Moreover except a couple of catchy compositions, both the lyricist and composer desperately keep trying to get into the Ravindra Jain/Ram Laxman mood making a conscious effort.Ruining it further, it was hard to understand the director's obsession with the highly outdated mirror sequences towards the end that had no charm at all reminding you of the famous climax sequence of Bruce Lee's ENTER THE DRAGON. Besides the never-ending final hour of the film becomes so tough to bear, exactly like watching the last few overs of a one day cricket match that has already been lost in its 40th over.To be honest, in the entire film I kept wondering that, A. Was this the story Sooraj R Barjatya kept searching for since 2006 which is clearly a take-off from famous novels such as "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "The Prince and the Pauper" (with the shades of BAWARCHI), already adapted several times in the West as well as in numerous Hindi films changing the theme from Kings to Dons since the mid of last century? Ironically even Rajshri had earlier made a film on the same subject as RAKTA BANDHAN in the 80s.B. Was this the film Salman approved of - full of old time obsolete feel, based on a ridiculously stereotyped theme, having only a few engaging moments, at your face brand promotion, lackluster background score, unimpressive 'big-empire' grandeur (that only worked in the promos) and loads of full length songs thrown in just like that, assuming that the viewers are still living somewhere in the 90s?C. Or Was this a mess, wherein Sooraj was not allowed to do what he was willing to, with the major suggestions/interventions coming from the now much bigger STAR with no intentions of breaking through his own comfort zone?In all, a big unexpected let-down, PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO actually has nothing Rajshri, Sooraj and Salman together are known for, not even the emotional warmth they used to offer in their earlier films.

I almost didn't watch this movie due to the repetitive negative reviews here on IMDb. Usually I find reviews here fairly spot-on. But in this case I am convinced we are living in a generation of viewers who have been raised on so much schlock, sex, violence, blood and foul language that they wouldn't recognize a prime movie if it whacked them with a hammer. Either that or we have a set of the most bogus witch-hunt reviews ever. I could count the number of films I would give 10 stars and still have some toes left. This film has everything-- terrific cinematography, good acting (yes, a little hokey in places: intentionally so), a script that if one has a heart at all should bring tears to the eyes repeatedly, humorous moments, fun moments, bad decisions, sacrifice, redemption, hundreds of supporting actors, the most incredibly huge set I have ever seen in any film (they built an entire palace!) -- as well as the full gamut of drama mixed with comedy, music and dance.Many others have discussed the merits of the movie itself; they have done well enough that I don't have to re-hash. What I will focus on is the incredible number of negative reviews present here. We notice a large number of the reviews are similar or identical in writing style. That stands out very clearly-- which is highly suspect. Secondly, a large number of those reviews claim to be written from differing cities in India, yet are all in perfect, pristine English. "Most boring movie I've ever seen." We see this phrase repeatedly, in almost identical words. There are too many people giving this 7+ stars and even 10 stars (unusual to see on IMDb) to believe the legitimacy of the number of 1-star "worst movie ever" reviews. Such paradox is simply difficult to accept as valid. All I know is I'm in the U.S., I and my sister watched the movie together, and we both loved it. I can be very critical of films and for sure I have seen some real stinkers in my day-- but this movie definitely is not one of them. This has song, dance, a delightful story... and touches the heart more than once. Have your hanky ready. Please, feel free to consider the negative reviews as suspect (at the very least)-- and give this film a try. The best and most valid review is your own.

Only Salman Khan with his twinkling mischievous eyes and tongue in cheek style of acting can make such plots enjoyable.This is a fairy tale feel good love story with lavish sets, stunning scenery, exotic costumes and a plot that doesn't pretend to be anything other than entertainment.Salman as the look alike of the prince is of course typical Salman, making this movie eminently watchable. He has a knack of making the viewer enjoy the most slapstick and the most ridiculous of themes. Well done Salman!Sonam Kapoor was charming, essaying the role of a sweet young princess rather well. She gets a lot of flak for her acting and obsession with fashion but I feel she is good in roles like this, in Bhag Milkha Bhag, Dolly ki Doli, Ranjhana and similar. Sonam gives the impression of being sweet natured in real life too. At this age if one is not fashion conscious especially being a film actress, then when should one be? Nothing wrong in that at all.Anupam Kher is a class actor and expectedly portrayed his role as the late Maharaja's trusted Dewan saheb very well indeed.Prem Ratan Dhan Payo does not pretend to be an art movie. It is out and out fairly tale entertainment with lavish sets, beautiful costumes and plenty of song and dance sequences. If anything, I found the songs too many but as I was watching on DVD I had the luxury of the fast forward button :)The them song Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is catchy and superb. I've been humming it for quite some time and yesterday while watching the movie I cranked up the volume real high when the song played.All in all worth a watch, though not necessarily the effort of going to the theatre. Its showing on TV on Feb 14th Valentine's Day. How apt.