Director Apoorv Singh Karki does not attempt to merely reproduce Premalu in Hindi as Prem Keetanu. He gives the Malayalam hit his own spin, shifting the setting, tonality and different character dynamics while retaining the romantic framework. The result is a familiar story that acquires a distinct Hindi-film personality.
Karki, who has been associated with TVF in the past and has also directed the super serious Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, which was about false godmen, understands the rhythm of young, middle-class India. His world is populated by youngsters trying to figure out love, money, friendship and their future. Some comic sequences, however, feel like extended TVF-style sketches, with setups and punchlines whose template we have seen before. The humour works best when it emerges naturally from the characters rather than announcing itself as a routine.
At the centre is Veer Pahariya as Vishal, a young man who is not exactly living the carefree life his romantic pursuits suggest. Veer takes a risk by playing a lower-middle-class guy, and it pays off. Vishal isn’t the usual Hindi-film hero who is financially secure despite supposedly being an ordinary youngster. He works as a food courier as well as a server in a food court, juggling two jobs to earn money.
Those details keep Prem Keetanu on a realistic track. Vishal’s romantic confusion exists alongside the much more immediate business of paying his bills and figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Veer brings an appealing awkwardness to the character, particularly when Vishal’s bravado gives way to insecurity. He can be foolish, impulsive and immature, which makes his journey towards adulthood believable.
His relationship with Suhani, played by newcomer Aafiya Sayed, is similarly messy. She likes him, but isn’t entirely sure what she wants. Her being in two minds about the men in her life feels perfectly normal. Aafiya makes a confident debut, bringing freshness and naturalness to Suhani. She doesn’t merely function as a prize in a competition between two men; she has her own doubts and choices. Thankfully, she isn’t a classicist.
Aparshakti Khurana gets the potentially thankless role of Ranjeet, the other man interested in Suhani. Thankfully, he isn’t the stock villain who exists merely to obstruct the hero. Ranjeet is a cocky boss, confident of his position and aware of his appeal. More importantly, he doesn’t use his office or authority to indulge his fantasies towards the girl. That makes him more of a recognisable person than a convenient antagonist. Aparshakti plays the arrogance with just enough charm to keep Ranjeet watchable.
Nikhil Vijay plays Veer’s supportive best friend and is one of the film’s comic pleasures. His timing is spot on, and he knows when to underplay a joke. The friendship between the two gives the film some of its most effortless moments because it feels lived-in rather than manufactured.
Rakesh Bedi shines in his cameo as Suhani’s father. He plays him as a sorted, chilled-out dad who understands his daughter’s world rather than imposing his own on her. He listens, and his advice comes from affection and experience rather than paternal sermonising. It is a small role, but Bedi gives it considerable warmth.
The film’s strongest quality is its understanding that young love rarely exists in isolation. Vishal has to think about work, money, family and his future. The romance becomes part of a larger coming-of-age story. The question isn’t simply whether he will get the girl but whether he is ready to take responsibility for his own life. The lower-middle-class setting gives this aspect greater weight. When you are working two jobs, romance can be important, but so is figuring out how you are going to pay the bills.
The one element that repeatedly pulls the film away from this grounded world is its music. There are simply too many songs, harking back to the 1990s era when a Hindi film could frequently stop to establish its hero as a romantic lead. They may have been included to give Veer the full-fledged filmi-romantic treatment, but they eat into the film’s comic realism. The story is more engaging when it stays with the characters and their everyday struggles.
Prem Keetanu doesn’t pretend that love is simple or that young people always know what they are doing. Its characters are confused, ambitious, insecure and occasionally foolish. That is precisely what makes them relatable. The film is occasionally let down by its familiar comedy rhythms and an excess of songs, but when it simply observes young people stumbling their way through love, friendship and the business of growing up, it has a charm of its own.
Also Read: Prem Keetanu Trailer Is Out And It’s All About College Chaos
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: filmfare.com
