The best rom-coms are the ones that are kept simple, predictable yet charming with relatable characters. Disney’s ‘Khoobsurat’, loosely based on Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s film of the same name is what you call a fairy-tale romance or the kind you can expect in a Mills and Boon book. Comparing it with the 1980’s film would be wrong as it isn’t really a remake. The premise is quite the same apart from the title (there was another one in between with Urmila) but the resemblance ends there.
Mili (Sonam Kapoor) is a successful physiotherapist working mostly for IPL Teams. She takes up the task of getting a Maharaja (Aamir Raza Hussain) in Rajasthan off his wheel-chair and finds herself completely misfit for the royal family. The Maharani, Nirmala Devi (Ratna Pathak Shah) is a stickler for discipline and doesn’t like Mili’s casual, spontaneous and clumsy ways. The Prince, Vikram Rathod (Pakistani Actor Fawad Khan) is the complete opposite of Mili. She speaks her mind; he keeps to himself. She is bubbly and a bundle of energy; he is quiet and sober. She thinks he is khadoos; he thinks she is aafat. They share nothing in common and slowly, they find themselves falling for each other.
Director Shashanka Ghosh succeeds in showcasing sort of a fantasy tale on screen and much of it is because Sonam Kapoor is cast as the royal misfit. It’s a tailor-made role for her and the persona suits her. What also works is the nice on-screen chemistry between the two leads. The dialogues between them (some are just thoughts) make you smile and the director gets the love story right. Where he falters is the sub-plot and some unnecessary drama in the second half towards the climax. By the time the movie ends, you sense half-baked entertainment; this was fun but it could have been so much more. Music is tuneless.
Sonam Kapoor seems to just repeat herself but it works for her. It is the kind of role she is comfortable at and
Sonam makes the most
of it to give it a Princess Diaries-feel. She does go over-the-top at times but it is also a demand of the role. Debutante (in India) Fawad Khan is also very rightly cast as the Prince. He carries it off with the correct understanding and gives a very sincere performance. Ratna Pathak Shah’s character could have been a little more well-etched; she is good. Aamir Raza Hussain is competent. Kirron Kher does what she did in ‘Dostana’. She and Sonam make a funny but sweet mother-daughter combo.
Watch it or not: Only if you enjoy rom-coms. Others can watch it on the small screen.
At the Box-Office: Will start slow and won’t pick up much. ‘Daawat-e-Ishq’ is the other release this week which will do slightly better due to the Yash Raj Brand and a little more established lead actor. But both should flop.
My Verdict
My Rating
2.5
This one’s like that khoobsurat girl you spot in a college party; then you speak to her and realize she is spirited but very silly. You forget her a week later.
