Rajshri Production’s last movie Vivaah was released in 2006. So when I heard they are coming up with another movie, I was anxiously waiting for it. A lot has changed in the last nine years. The audience, the way movies were made and also the tastes. I was wondering whether the audience today would appreciate movie with Rajshri brand that are generally clean, done decently and talks about values and relationship. But I forgot….they also have PREM !!

The movie is based on some royalty in a place called Preetamgarh where Salman Khan, as Vijay Singh is heir to be. Neil Mukesh (Ajay Singh) is his step brother who wants to kill him and Swara Bhaskar (Chandrika) and Aashika Bhatia (Radhika) are step sisters who are living in a huge villa type rented house. Anupam Kher is the old trusted Diwaan Sb. We also have Armaan Kohli with his flashy shades as CEO of estate and some dumb cleavage showing lady as secretary.

And there is Sonam Kapoor as the Princess Maithelii of Devgarh who believes in flaunting her shades while taking lunch indoor. She also runs one NGO, uses a chopper to reach rescue site and also ends up giving fake smile to fake relief victims while trying to wear a saree at the calamity area.

Now enters the second Salman Khan as Prem Dilwale from Ayodhya. He runs small Ramlila company and reminds you of Bajrangi Bhaijaan in his entry. He gives all his income to the charity run by Princess Maithelii.

Being born and brought up in Rajasthan and having experienced and studied Rajasthani Royalty to the core, it was impossible to relate character of Vijay Singh as true royal or even Princess Maithelee. These are all made up characters unlike the character of Fawad Khan in the movie ‘Khoobsurat’, they failed to impress. Anyways the movie moves ahead and the lead character Prem starts to spill his magic in the lives of others. He brings love, removes hatred and also adds romance where it matters. He shaves his moustache, he ensure people play football in a royal ceremony and he dances and dances. And like all of the Rajshri movies all is well that ends well.

Salman Khan looks fresh, lean and perfect for the role. When he speaks Gujrati you can’t help but remember Hum Dil De chuke. When he dances it reminds you of Bajrangi. But he looks very powerful as the Prince. Sonam looks very pretty and plays her part well. She is quite weak in emotional scenes. Anupam Kher is wasted. Neil Nitin Mukesh looks good as a royal and is a surprise package. Swara Bhaskar gets few scenes to showcase how good she is. Armaan Kohli as the villain is bad, in fact very bad.

Some of the songs are good. The camera work with large sets and gamut of colour pleases the eyes. The movie although is not a typical Rajshri movie with huge families, their musical functions etc but manages to talk about the trust and love in a relationship. The family values etc. Watch it for Salman and his cheesy dialogues, watch it for some clean entertainment and watch it for the new Rajshri style of film making and finally watch it because it’s a festive season.

Rating : 3.5/5

Are you decked up for the Deepotsav? The Pink city looks all geared up for the Diwali festive fervor. With the theme based lighting and decorations cladding the Walled city, Jaipur stands apart from the rest of the places.

The happiness is in the air, you can feel it, it is infectious. The evenings are mildly cold and everything is lit up. Let the festive frenzy begin!!

1. Family Pooja

Sitting for the family poojas, today’s generation have forgotten to check what does each of these days mean in the most mythological sense. How many of us know the wheres of the origin of the mythological names, the whys of the rituals associated with each of these? Let’s change that from here and know each of these days a little more ritually!

2. Dhanteras 

Dhanteras or Dhanatrayodashi marks the beginning of the three days festival celebrations. And celebrations that don’t need a day go on much longer than just Diwali. Literally speaking, Dhanteras translates to Dhan meaning wealth and Teras meaning 13th day as per Hindu calendar. Since the purchase of metals is considered auspicious on this day, we see utensils, electronic items and silver being purchased for our homes. As we make trips to the market for these purchases, Jaipur is glowing and the brightness is at its peak.

3. Rangoli

Time we light up our home, in fact every corner of it, with those traditional diyas and aroma candles too for the aesthetics these days. It is Naraka Chaturdashi or Kali Chaudas, known to us as Choti Diwali. Kali (dark) Chaudas is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark half of Hindi Āshwin month to worship Mahakali or Shakti as on this day Kali killed the wicked Narakasura. On this day, we try to sprinkle colours in a floral pattern, so as to form a beautiful rangoli at the entrance of the house.

 

4. Sweets

When out of the house, everybody seems to be at the sweet shop or at the jeweller’s. It is surely keeping the confectioners and the jewellers busy as a bee and happy as a clam! For those of us on the consumption end of sweets, it does not get more sugary at any other point in time. If one is counting calories, there are even diet mithais in the market. Get those for yourself or don’t get on that weighing machine.

5. Diwali

Now comes the grand welcome of the most important festival in the country, Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of lights. We have read all about it through the school textbooks; the return of lord Rama after 14 years of exile. To welcome his return, diyas (ghee lamps) are lit in total of fourteen. No matter how many clothes we have, new clothes to wear for the day are one of the best part of the festival.

6. Crackers

The Laxmi pooja with the family and the cracker bursting competition with cousins give memories worth cherishing for a long time. Some pictures should be clicked so that we do not rely on our memories completely.

So forget your worries, actually leave them to the happy breeze blowing and make the best of the year left.