The term “mass entertainer” has recently entered Bollywood’s lexicon as another way to describe the masala films that dominated single screens in the 80s and 90s. Hindi cinema has worked to revive this trend by remaking South hits. Rohit Dhawan’s Shehzada is the latest installment of that trend, but it falls short, quite disappointingly.
| Article Title | Release date | Budget | Day 1 box office collection | Running time | Category | Shehzada Day 1 box office collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shehzada Box Office Collection | 17 February 2023 | 75 crore Rupees | 25 crore Rs. Worldwide | 145 mins. | Entertainment | 6 to 8 crore Rupees net in India |
The Story of Shehzada
Shehzada tells the story of Bantu (Kartik Aaryan), who was switched at birth with Raj (Ankur Rathee). While Raj grew up in the palace of a rich industrialist Aditya Jindal (Sacgin Khedekar) as his grandson. Bantu was reluctantly raised by the Jindals’ clerk Valmiki (Paresh Rawal), who despises him. How Bantu comes to know of his real lineage and what he does about it forms the crux of the story. In between, he also finds time to romance Samara (Kriti Sanon), his senior in a law firm.
The Ingredients
On paper, Shehzada has all the right ingredients – drama, action, emotion, romance, big sets, flashy dance numbers, and decent actors. It rests the plot on the shoulders of an up-and-coming star who was hailed as the savior of Bollywood just last year. And yet, we all know that the right ingredients do not make anything delicious unless prepared well by a competent chef. There, Rohit Dhawan falters. Shehzada is bland, unfunny, flat, and at times, really boring.
The Execution
There are scenes that have been inserted in the film with no purpose other than to generate some laughs and whistles, but sadly, the film fails there too. The parameter for judging a masala entertainer is never the craft and the technicalities, but the film’s ability to entertain people. The fact that the film managed just three-and-a-half chuckles, one clap, and not a single whistle in the theatre where it was watched says all there is to say about the film’s appeal.
The Comparison
The Telugu original Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo had the same wafer-thin plot and average screenplay, but the film worked because of its smart packaging and the charm of its lead star – Allu Arjun. Shehzada seems like a bleached out version of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, created by someone who saw the film’s jazz but not its soul.
The Acting
Kartik Aaryan is electric in some parts, particularly in the second half. He measures his performance earnestly, delivers good comedy, and convinces with his action, to say the least. He has charm and screen presence, but just not enough to carry off such a bland film. The film does an even greater disservice to its other star – Kriti Sanon, who has been reduced to what can only be described as an extended cameo. It is the stereotypical unidimensional heroine role that fans of south films have for years, unkindly described as ‘flowerpot.’ An actress as talented as her deserves better.
Ronit Roy (as Bantu’s real father) and Sachin Khedekar as his grandfather justify their acting credentials, particularly in the dramatic and emotional scenes. But Manisha Koirala (as his mother) feels wasted here. Sunny Hinduja as the antagonist Sarang has his moments but is not as menacing and threatening as we’d want a villain in a masala film to be. But no complaints against Sunny’s portrayal or performance here.
Shehzada Movie Review
Shehzada, a Hindi movie that aims to revive the masala trend in Bollywood. It falls short in recreating the magic of South hits. Despite having all the right ingredients of a typical masala entertainer, including drama, action, emotion, and romance, the film fails to entertain the audience. While Kartik Aaryan delivers a decent performance. The film does injustice to him and Kriti Sanon, who has a poorly written role. The only saving graces of the movie are the background score and some of the action sequences.
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