'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo': Great Indian Veg Combo

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo celebrates the faux-Indian family moulded by Bollywood in luscious colours, writes Deepa Gauri.

If Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP) is an Indian vegetarian combo, Salman Khan is the ghee that flows through every delicacy that comes in the huge tali.
Since there is the no such thing as too much ghee in an Indian dish, there is no such thing as too much Salman either. He touches every scene in a manner that he alone can.
PRDP works on the same formula that director Sooraj Barjatya has almost unfailingly dished out. There is a bit of everything from Maine Pyar Kiya, the launch vehicle of Salman, to Sooraj's last directorial outing Vivah.
But lo! Alok Nath and Reema Lagoo are missing, so Sooraj gives those roles too to Salman. His Prem is quintessential goodness. If you thought Pawan Kumar Chaturvedi of Bajrangi Bhaijaan was the epitome of all virtues, Prem is virtue infinite.
Step in to PRDP, therefore with an open mind to watch a movie that is made for those caught in a time-warp, those who adore the faux-Indian family that Bollywood flaunts, and those who are hooked on to the mindless serials of Indian TV.
So let us keep this review strictly on the lines of whether it meets the expectations of a Sooraj Barjatya film that stars Salman Khan in another do-gooder role.
The verdict: It works. It makes you cry, it makes you smile, it makes you want to rush to your mom and hug her, and it makes you want to gift your wealth (if you have any, after paying those exorbitant rents) to your brother.
The Prince and the Pauper story, recreated for Bollywood, has all the embellishments that will have 'families' flocking in, with naani, ma and behen crying copiously while bhai and pithaji would wipe their tears and pretend they are strong-willed, only to be later told in the car that everyone saw them crying. They will then go to Bikanerwala, have a thali and go to bed as better human beings. How nice! Indians are so good, you know.
PRDP also does justice to the neo-Salman avatar. He is humorous as Prem and sophisticated as Yuvraj Vijay Singh. How the simpleton Prem, gets into the palace as the prince, and changes the future of the royal family is not unpredictable. His weapon, that Salman now specialises in, is love.
Even for a Salman-Sooraj movie, after an evenly-paced narrative in the first half, the second becomes a drag. That is what happens when you work from a formula backward, as Barjatya obviously did.
In a defining scene, the man who has 'cerebral concession with cerebral edema' only four days back would wage a swordfight. No, Sooraj Sir, not very convincing.
Salman Khan, like the aforesaid ghee, takes the movie forward and makes you wonder at his enigma. Seriously, how does he pull it off? Must be a man with a real heart of gold!
Much as the public adores Salman, critics hate Sonam. Poor thing. She is not really all that bad as is made out to be.
Lusciously shot by Manikandan, with good supporting cast including Neil Nitin Mukesh (sans his attempt at 'acting' repentance), music that reminds of you the 80s, and Salman in practically every frame, PRDP is highly recommended for families (especially those with precocious kids fed on TV serials).
As for the rest, well, you didn't bother to watch Titli or Bollywood's path-breaking high-art movies right? So what do you care?
Cast: Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Anupam KherDirector: Sooraj R. Barjatya.
Now playing at theatres in the UAE