Shehzada Review: Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon starrer rides on performances, comedy and action MGG

Plot

Directed by Rohit Dhawan, Shehzada largely revolves around Bantu (Kartik Aaryan), whose destiny takes him away from his well-to-do family soon after his birth. He is brought up by a jealous employee Valmiki (Paresh Rawal), working for his family’s company. He makes no attempt to provide Bantu with any paternal love and the basic necessities of life. Though the protagonist finds love and solace in Samara (Kriti Sanon), and soon also discovers about his real family. Now how wins them back, and makes a space for himself in the Jindal empire is for you to see in the film. 

What’s Hot?

The first half of the film has the right amount of comedy and action, which is neatly arranged in the narrative, not leaving the drama far behind. One of the most important elements of a story is to keep the viewers hooked from the word go, and this Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon starrer manages to do that with a dramatic sequence right at the beginning of the film. The comic scenes that follow are elevated by Kartik’s dialogue delivery and one liners, which are penned by writer Hussain Dalal. 

Action sequences choreographed by Anal Arasu are unique, and Julius Packiam’s background score helps to make them even more impactful. Cinematographers Sudeep Chatterjee and Sanjay F. Gupta’s lens brings the world of Rohit Dhawan’s Shehzada alive, while Suresh Selvarajan’s production design adds a lot of value to the overall look and feel of the movie.

What’s Not?

While the first half of the film manages to entertain, the second half lacks speed. Editor Ritesh Soni could have probably focused on that portion a little more. 

Performances 

Kartik Aaryan’s portrayal of a flamboyant yet an innocent Bantu works in the favour of the film. He plays the part to the T, and his performance proves that the actor had a blast essaying the part. Kriti Sanon effortlessly brings her character to life, and her chemistry with her Luka Chuppi co-star really works for the movie. Sachin Khedekar, who plays Bantu’s maternal grandfather, has the most endearing role in Shehzada, while Manisha Koirala and Ronit Roy, who plays his parents, live up to their parts. Ankur Rathee’s portrayal of Raj adds to the overall humour of the film. However, I do feel that Ali Asgar was under utilized, and should have been given more screen time. 

Final Verdict

Overall, the actors’ performances, and the comedy and action sequences elevate the entertainment quotient in Rohit Dhawan’s Shehzada.