'Shehzada' review: Kartik Aaryan impresses, film doesn't
What's the story
Kartik Aaryan has returned to the screens almost a year after he pulled out Bollywood from a box office dry spell with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. His latest offering, Shehzada, was released in the theaters on Friday.
Touted to be an action-drama, Aaryan leads the show proving why he has emerged as the hero of the masses in today's time.
Read our review.
The film
A mass entertainer packed with action, humor, and family values
Helmed by Rohit Dhawan, Shehzada is a film meant for the family audience. Notes of family values, humor, drama, and of course, action, is what make it a complete entertainer.
Also starring Kriti Sanon, it is a story about two kids being swapped at birth - while one leads a princely life, the real shehzada (prince) is brought up in a middle-class family.
Direction
Rohit Dhawan walks in his father's footsteps
David Dhawan has given some timeless comedy dramas, especially in the '90s. And while Shehzada is his elder son's third film as a director, after Desi Boyz and Dishoom, he seems to have made his father proud.
The comedy, in particular, is where one might see the reflection of Senior Dhawan's work that his son has very well been able to grasp.
Cast
Manisha Koirala is a refreshing addition
The cast comprises Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Ronit Roy, Sachin Khedekar, Sunny Hinduja, Ankur Rathee, and others.
Rawal as Valmiki Upadhyay, Khedekar as Aditya Jindal, and Roy as Randeep Nanda have played their roles fantastically.
However, watching Koirala on the screen as Yashu, was refreshing. She has brought her elegance and acting finesse to the table, taking you back to the '90s era.
A miss
Dhawan has wasted Sanon's talent
Sanon and Aryan have reunited after their 2019 film Luka Chuppi. The director has let us down by underutilizing Sanon in the movie. There are no sparks in her and Aaryan's chemistry.
Her role is very limited with no value addition whatsoever. You'll see her in the first half before the director decides to abruptly cut her role in the second.
Action
The slow-mo action sequences were totally avoidable
Shehzada is an attempt by Dhawan to showcase Aaryan as an action hero. While Aaryan has given his best shot at it, what has not worked is Dhawan's idea of adding a slow-motion effect to the sequences. Yes, it's been added for an impact. But did it work? No!
The slow-mo effect has been added to every action sequence which should have been avoided.
Verdict
'Shehzada': hit or flop?
Shehzada is the official Hindi remake of Allu Arjun's Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. Recently, the Telugu movie's Hindi dubbed version was released online. The original stands as the biggest competition for Shehzada since there'll be comparisons.
However, it's still a decent remake that caters to the masses. It might not be a success like Aaryan's last film though.
Shehzada gets 2.5/5 stars from us.