Prem KeetanuDirector: Apoorv Singh KarkiCast: Veer Pahariya, Aadia Sayed, Rakesh Bedi, Aparshakti Khurana, Nikhil VijayRatings: ★★.5
An aimless young man meets an ambitious girl. Sparks fly. The girl rejects him, and he suddenly discovers purpose in life. If not for this wafer-thin plotline, Bollywood’s rom-com industry would probably be in doldrums. Off the top of my head, I can recall variations of it in Wake Up Sid!, Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Lakshya. And now, here’s another one: Prem Keetanu, starring Veer Pahariya, a remake of the 2024 Malayalam hit Premalu.
The original was a major success, so a Hindi remake was perhaps as inevitable as Veer breaking into a step from the film’s song Andi Mandi at every possible occasion of late.
The plot
The story revolves around Vishal (Veer Pahariya), who falls for Suhani Sharma (Aadia Sayed). While he harbours dreams of moving to the United States and making a life for himself, she lands a corporate job under the pompous and arrogant Ranjeet (Aparshakti Khurana), who has his eyes on her. What follows is a clash between the two men as they attempt to win Suhani over. Who eventually succeeds forms the rest of the plot.
There is a certain breeziness to the screenplay by Girish AD and Deepak Kingrani, which opens with one of Bollywood's most dependable tropes: two college friends living it up. The chemistry between Veer and Nikhil Vijay, who plays his best friend, feels effortless, resulting in some genuinely funny moments. The first half largely revolves around the clash between Vishal and Ranjeet, building towards the interval at a reasonably engaging pace. However, the film begins to lose some of its spark when it shifts focus to the central love story. The romantic track lacks the same energy that made the initial portions work. Adding to the problem are too many songs, several of which do little to advance the narrative.
{{/usCountry}}There is a certain breeziness to the screenplay by Girish AD and Deepak Kingrani, which opens with one of Bollywood's most dependable tropes: two college friends living it up. The chemistry between Veer and Nikhil Vijay, who plays his best friend, feels effortless, resulting in some genuinely funny moments. The first half largely revolves around the clash between Vishal and Ranjeet, building towards the interval at a reasonably engaging pace. However, the film begins to lose some of its spark when it shifts focus to the central love story. The romantic track lacks the same energy that made the initial portions work. Adding to the problem are too many songs, several of which do little to advance the narrative.
{{/usCountry}}What is also jarring is the film's lack of a larger purpose. Prem Keetanu doesn't seem to know where it wants to go, eventually falling back on the familiar notion that no matter how fiercely a woman values her independence, she will ultimately realise her feelings for the male lead and the two will end up together. As a result, the film feels less like a cohesive narrative and more like an amalgamation of a few funny moments strung together without a compelling destination.
Performances
In the performance department, Veer Pahariya does a great job. He has good comic timing, so he should explore more such roles in the future. Nikhil Vijay stands out as his funny best friend. Aparshakti Khurana does well in his role as the obnoxious Ranjeet. Rakesh Bedi as Suhani's father is dependable. Aadia makes a confident Bollywood debut.
Verdict
Overall, Prem Keetanu isn't entirely devoid of charm. Its breezy first half and some funny exchanges ensure that there are stretches when the film is quite enjoyable. The problem is that these moments remain just that: isolated bits rather than parts of a well-rounded narrative. The love story needed more emotional pull, while the screenplay seems unsure of what it wants to say beyond the familiar boy meets girl template. By the time it reaches its predictable conclusion, you are left with the feeling that the film had what was needed for an enjoyable rom-com but could have been put together in a better way.
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