What is the film about?
Prince Vijay (Salman Khan) has a fatal accident that leads to a doppelganger Prem (Salman Khan) replacing him. How he solves all the problems of Prince is what the film is all about.
How is Salman Khan’s performance?
After delivering a career best performance in his previous film Salman Khan once again rises to the occasion. The star shows good variations between the two characters and does the various emotions subtly depending in the character. So there you have it it’s back to back good performances from the mighty star which would be a pleasing news for his fans.
Direction By Sooraj Barjatya?
Sooraj Barjatya made his debut in 1989 and since then he had made only five films. To survive that long surely the director must know his craft and that is evident in Prema Leela. Another major and important thing that separates him from the rest is his brand of emotions. Prema Leela scores in this department as well. So is the film free from any problem? Well, that’s not the case. The basic story of the film is too predictable and the narration extremely slow. What this means is despite proper execution and showcasing of the craft the film starts to bore after a point. It could be at different points for different viewers but the boredom eventually sets in. It is more to do with the length and how things are concluded in the narrative. First half of the film despite length issues is fine but the second half loses the impact towards the culmination.
Sonam Kapoor and other artists?
Everyone is cast perfectly in the film from Sonam Kapoor playing heroine to Deepak Dobriyal, the friend. What’s more they bring their unique style of acting into play and make the narrative engaging. Sonam Kapoor looks ethereal in all the songs and performs well in the all-important sequence. Swara Bhaskar has less screen time comparatively but she too leaves her mark in her face off scenes with Salman Khan. Neil Nithin Mukesh and Arman Kohli look underused when seem in comparison with the rest. Performance wise they are alright. But the real highlight of the film after the lead hero is Anupam Kher as the loyal caretaker of the family. He is present throughout and gives a thoroughly enjoyable performance.
Music and other departments?
Music by Himesh Reshmmiya is in sync with the emotions on display. However they don’t stand out on their own barring a couple. Background score is perfect and used judiciously. Cinematography is excellent. Editing is alright for most part. Choreography of songs is good and so are the dialogues despite some clichéd stuff here and there.
Highlights?
Salman Khan.
Lavish presentation.
Few songs.
First half.
Sister acceptance sequence.
Drawbacks?
Length.
Slow paced narration.
Pre climax fight.
How is Ram Charan’s dubbing?
Watching the face of Salman Khan and hearing the voice of Ram Charan will take time to get used to. However once one is past that apprehension it is a smooth ride. In fact Charan here can be heard in a free flow with nice comic timing that one hasn’t witnessed in his films so far. While his voice may be a nice incentive to watch for few, the rest of the character’s dubbing is a big problem to overcome in dubbing. The essence and entertainment of a character like that of Deepak Dobriyal’s is lost in the dubbing, to give an example.
Will you recommend it?
Yes but only to those who load the daily soap operas.