Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Reviews by Critics

AVERAGE RATING OF ALL REVIEWS: 2.7

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Review by Indicine

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The first half of PRDP flows freely and the story moves along nicely whilst establishing the characters. The biggest problem with the movie is that the conflict doesn’t seem to be too big for it to matter later on when the conflict gets solved. However, we don’t mind this because Prem Dilwale’s innocent antics keep the film flowing and the audiences will like Salman’s act. The football match sequence and the sequence where Prem mends the relationship of Vijay with his step-sisters are the standout sequences. There are a fair few illogicalities too like the placement of a palace on the edge of a waterfall. At the end of the 160 minute duration, PRDP manages to make everyone smile and the emotions end up working which should in turn make the film work amongst the family audiences.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Review by Taran Adarsh on Bollywood Hungama

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Sooraj’s hold on the script is evident from the commencement of the film itself as he moves from one episode to another swiftly. Like always, the hallmark of his films is the undercurrent of emotions and PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO depicts the familial bonding and the conflict amongst family members skilfully. Additionally, he uses vibrant colours [costumes, sets] and opulence to make it a visually arresting experience. In short, the drama is captivating, the emotional moments are punctuated wonderfully in the narrative [more so towards the second and third acts] and the finale, when the key questions are answered, enhances the seamless narrative.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Review by Mehul S Thakkar on Deccan Chronicle

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With everything seeming right, bringing out his point of living together, director Sooraj goes overboard. After the family has let gone of their differences with each other, Sooraj goes on and on with additional scenes of bonding which are painful to watch. The film does drive back the point home but it takes some patience to sit through it, especially the second half. For all those who love family sagas, dramas and romance in the 90’s style, this is royal ride you may want to take.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Review by Ritika Handoo on Zeenews

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The director has tried his best to keep the ethics of Indian culture right at the centre of his screenplay. The movie is a sureshot family entertainer, without any uncomfortable scenes. However, it does take a while to digest that such a perfect family and ethics can co-exist in today’s time.

PRDP Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies

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If stray parts of PRDP are somewhat watchable, it is only because of Salman’s ability to breathe life into the most ridiculous of situations. There is, of course, no dearth of the ludicrous in this film. Especially implausible are the laboured song situations.

PRDP Review by Ananya Bhattacharya on India Today

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In all, the film works for both Salman Khan and Sooraj Barjatya’s specific audience bases. While a Salman fan might miss his super-human antics at times, he does a great job otherwise. Watch the film for Salman.

Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India

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Unlike his earlier films, Sooraj hasn’t been able to do complete justice to his secondary characters. None of them add much to the script. Even the baddies come without purpose and planning. The over-indulgence in songs (far too many) hasn’t paid off this time, particularly because Himesh Reshammiya hasn’t been able to deliver his best. That’s a big letdown. It’s because of the mediocre score that the film begins to feel lengthy. Maybe knocking off a few songs and a few minutes would’ve made the difference.

Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life

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Sooraj Barjatya should never be blamed for believing in the goodness of the nineties and incorporating it in today’s cinema. But what needs to be blamed is that he still sticks to the old style film-making and expects the audience to accept it. That’s where Prem Ratan Dhan Payo as a film fails. What could have been Salman Khan’s sweetest Diwali gift to his fans turns out to be so depressing that you wait for this festival to get over asap! If you are a true Salman Khan and have patience to bear melodrama for more than 3 hours, go enjoy the challenge!

Review by Sukanya Verma on Rediff

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A lot of visible effort has gone in designing Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’s opulence and scale but ultimately it is just lacklustre, recycled fare from a man stuck on men versus women sporting contests, midnight kitchen rendezvous and the pristine aura of Prem. The last one still holds good. Rest is just rah-rah.

Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express

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There’s always room, you suppose, for yet another reimaging of the Ramayan, and its million stories. Especially if it has Salman Khan, after all these years of practice, sliding effortlessly into being Prem, and lifting the film as much as he can, even managing quite miraculously not to giggle when his co-star, the-laden-in-tasteful-zardozi-and-industrial-weight-polki-diamonds-Kapoor, hands him a feather, very ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ style, in between her other clothes-horsing and jiggle-jaggling.

Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times

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A lot has changed in the Hindi film industry since 2006, the last time Sooraj Barjatya’s name flashed across the screens as a movie’s director. His Vivah didn’t exactly set the box office on fire, at least not on the lines of what his earlier films Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Hum Saath Saath Hain did on the ticket windows. Cut to 2015 and Barjatya has now rehashed the same formula in his latest venture, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP), complete with a masterstroke: He roped in Salman Khan to up the film’s star value a million notches. There is a problem, however. PRDP leaves you asking one big question: Are we ready to gulp down a mouthful of cheesy romance that is high on ideals and moral values?

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Review by Indiaglitz

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The one thing that director Sooraj Barjatiya excels in is that he does not change his style of helming with the changing times and Salman’s new avatar. He keeps it simple and the way he expertises at and I must say, it sure is a refreshing change. The movie manages to take you back to the wonderful 90’s where it was all about love, family, betrayal and love again. He gives us the Prem that was long lost and we couldnt love him more. The story is kept simple, even though predictable at times. Performance wise, PRDP is a sureshot hit. Salman as a prince and a common man is out of this world. He woos the audiences in every shot with his charm and lovable aura. Sonam, is equally good and looks and acts beautifully as a princess. Neil Nitin Mukesh makes a comeback with a blast. His expressions say it all. Swara Bhaskar is extremely talented and this movie proves to be just another feature on her cap. Deepak Dobriyal, Anupam Kher and Armaan Kohli are impressive and throw a tremendous act.

Review by Srijana Mitra Das on The Times Of India

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There are slight drawbacks. Some unconvincing sequences – a feudal football match, giggling flood relief, dancing halwais, action atop a plyboard mahal – could’ve been trimmed. But the film captures the gold-rimmed goggles and mothballed notions of a mofussil maharaja. And alongside tradition, it presents modernity too, in a princess who chooses her own prince – and an aam aadmi more regal than royalty (whose feather redefines Mughal-e-Azam’s love scene). Ghee-soaked in goodness, PRDP is gift-wrapped with a simple line. With family, stand strong – but also bow.

Review by Rajeev Masand on IBNLive

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It’s a testament to the star power of Salman Khan that Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is never unwatchable despite its old-fashioned story, its frankly laughable scenarios (the climax takes place in a palace of mirrors built on top of a waterfall), and its failure to flesh out characters adequately. The film revisits many of Barjatya’s favorite themes – the importance of family, the enduring bond of brotherhood, and the power of forgiveness – but it has nothing particularly new to say that might justify making this film in 2015.

Review by Shubha Shetty-Saha on Mid-Day India

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In Prem’s role, Salman is his charming self, doing what comes naturally to him, buffoonery and prancing around. But in the uptight prince’s role he looks as uncomfortable as someone would if they were put in a straitjacket. Swara Bhaskar, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Anupam Kher, and the others give good support. Sonam looks gorgeous and is sincere.

Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror

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Barjatya’s adamant vision of making family-oriented films, which he admittedly enjoys, has evolved over the years. While it would be a stretch to say that the filmmaker has kept up with contemporary cinema, he has surely gone easy on the saccharine content and even sneaked in a bit of masala. Unfortunately, this doesn’t further the plot.

Review by Martin D’Souza on Glamsham

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PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO is a Diwali cracker that goes phus. It’s an archaic story told in an archaic manner. Sooraj Barjatya takes 174 minutes to tell you this tale that has no meat, no soul, nor a proper push forward. By the time it gets over, you have gathered enough aches as you keep adjusting yourself in the seat.

Review by Sonia Chopra on Sify

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The film has its faults, but with Salman Khan’s dual force (yes, he plays a double role), a lilting romance, and the ODing on traditional values – this one’s sure to hit the right spots with the family junta. Salman is real ‘ratan’ in this tradition-soaked romance, likely to bring in enough dhan for the makers!

Review by Shishir Gautam on Nowrunning

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PRDP retells an age old story, rehashed with Salman in focus. It also deals with ‘sautela’ family – something Sooraj already dealt with in HSSH. But this time the angle is different. Siblings are not at peace and only Prem can fix this family, stitching the torn fabric back into shape like a magician. There are bad people and there are good people. There is revenge, retribution and salvation. And there is love. All these told in between some zillions silly songs, one of which is during a ‘football’ match. Shudder!

Review by Caitlin E. O’Conner on Bollyspice

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Prem Ratan Dhan Payo feels like the Rajshri that brought Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun in some ways good (family relationships, songs feel timeless) and bad (several very retro elements, themes feel unoriginal), but there’s an important difference: It doesn’t feel nearly as relatable.

Review by Meeta on Wogma

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Sure, Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Swara Bhaskar are all guilty of trying too hard to be what they are supposed to be rather than make their characters believable. But, they have no help from the script. The dialogue induce eyerolls. And the innuendos seemed pretty out of place.