Satyaprem Ki Katha

Wow. This movie isn't what anyone expects it to be. I just loved how the movie changes genre with one twist mid way through the movie. Such a thought provoking drama disguised as a rom com. It will certainly not be an easy watch for anyone who is expecting a cute romantic comedy but will delight anyone who wants to see something new and relevant.

This is perhaps Kiara's best acted movie and even Karthik Aryan who is his usual self in the first half raises his game in the second half of the movie. Supriya Pathak is delightful in the movie and Gajraj Rao gives another terrific performance. The story is completely fresh and the direction of such a sensitive topic is masterful. The movie is applause-worthy. I hope it does well.

Satyaprem ki Katha or SKP is supposed to be a romantic film but it actually carries a very serious topic for discussion.

The film starts off very average with some poor comedy scenes and some forgettable dance numbers but after 30 mins , the film starts to sail and sails at full speed revealing some shocking facts about Katha.

Let's talk about how maturely the director has churned out this sweet romantic film. The film never jumps to kissing or such things but very slowly and steadily and very carefully moved the romantic track forward and knowing the story of Katha , this kind of treatment is very mature and needed. A blank faced Kiara slowly and steadily shifts to a more happy joyful faced Kiara and the transition is done beautifully!!!

Dealing with the story of Katha, SatyaPrem aka Sattu also is handed a very mature character, never really jumping to doing odd stuff but makes sure he slowly and steadily and carefully takes steps forward in comforting and solacing Katha and this is where the beautiful chemistry arises between them that never never never felt forced but comes naturally and you start to get invested in their love story . Kudos to Sameer Vidhwans for handling this sensitive romantic film so well. These days romantic films have a tendency to jump too quickly to adult scenes but not this one. FOR THE LOVE STORY AND THE SERIOUS TOPIC , KUDOS TO THE MAKERS!!

However, it's not perfect. The comedy is a hit and miss especially the dysfunctional comedy in the first 30 mins. Few comic sequences later do make you grin but overall, i felt these sequences could have been reduced and hence reduce the overall running length of the film. The songs are the biggest negative point imo. They are placed badly , and yeah, the nightmare is true, Pasoori Nu is actually present right inside the film and doesn't fit the sequence where it is presented at all. You see a film like Akash Vaani where there was a similar sequence in the snow with the beautiful song Padh Gaye Ji and it suited the sequence so well. Wished a similar kind of song was present in that sequence in this film. Also, the climax , the Puja sequence, very poorly ended!! It almost felt the film was about a start a new chapter (or rather you would feel the climax is about to start there ) and to my utter disappointment, the film actually ended there (meaning it was not the start of the climax but the end of the film there) !! A courtroom sequence would have done so much more justice to the ending instead of an abrupt ending.

Performance. Kiara Advani is the star of the show . Her transition from a depressed lady to a happy joyful comfortable lady is just flawless. She nails the emotional scenes in this film. Next is Kartik who handles a mature character very well and brings in the natural innocence he brings with every such character he plays . His transition from being a zero to a hero is commendable. His scenes with Kiara are so beautiful and heartwarming. Gajraj rao shares a terrific chemistry with Kartik .

Overall, SKP is a must watch. I don't know how you guys tolerated TJMM but SKP is a million times better than that film in terms of chemistry and love angle.

Watching OMG2 and this in the last couple of weeks is really making me contemplate my decision of not taking the present Bollywood seriously.

A much needed topic and social message delivered almost perfectly without much overacting or overdramatization in the process. The way the Hindi cinema industry is embracing such non-cliched "hatke" stories not concerning much about the profit or blockbuster status really makes the budding cinephile in me happy.

Not a fan of Kartik Aryan but he really impressed with his acting and justified portrayal of a low wit ordinary boy.

Kiara Advani is exceptional (IMO she is even better than in Shershah) with her range. Her raw acting and expressions in the climax is one of the best I have seen in Bollywood in a long time.

It manages to hit the ball home right from how it slowly builds up to finally culminate in the credits with a strong textual message.

It would be a 4/5 except for the lacklustre dance numbers, few underutilised characters and an awful rendition of Pasoori !!

Will end with quoting Jauhari ji from MiH S2 "lekin aab agar kiske sath aisa hoga toh dhindora peetna chahiye".

The first half is horrendous, they tried to incorporate comedic elements to incite laughter, but they largely fell flat. Neither the one-liners nor the mannerisms of Kartik Aaryan could salvage anything redeemable.

Speaking of Kartik, I think he is still stuck in his Pyaar Ka Punchnama role, repeating the same set of quirks over and over again. If he really wishes to be called a competent actor, he must come out of his shell and broaden his horizons. The same set of expressions and the same way of delivering his lines (Like he has been doing since his debut) will only cut it short term.

Now coming back to the movie: following a dreadful first half, I began to grow impatient and was losing hope, but then the interval block came as a glimmer of hope, it brought some promises, and luckily, the proceedings got significantly better in the second half, albeit the ending once again came across as being overly preachy and stingingly pretentious.

I'm all up for messaging, especially one that holds importance and is relevant to modern-day society, but that message needs to be communicated in a fitting fashion. Or else, the essence could get lost, and it would not leave the intended impression, and that's exactly what happened here.

And I would like to put the blame not only on the ambitionless direction but also on the writing, which is burdened with incompetence, especially regarding its characterisations. Barring Kartik and Kiara, every other major character, for some odd reason, felt so unsure about themselves, dithering in their actions and how they carry themselves.

The saving grace was Kiara; she once again proved her mettle and played this complex part with utmost sincerity and conviction. I wish we would have seen more of her.

Not a bad movie for a one-time watch, but the ending left much to be desired. It was too abrupt and somewhat anticlimactic. The conclusion could have been executed more effectively and thoughtfully. It almost felt like the movie's creator realized it had been dragged out and decided to wrap it up hastily.

The movie touches upon a significant and pertinent theme - the importance of respecting the word "No." It conveys a powerful message that "No" should always mean "No," irrespective of how open-minded you may be. Trust can be shattered by the person you trust the most.

Unfortunately, Shikha Talsania and Supriya Pathak had very limited roles in the film, with hardly any lines or screen time.

Kartik Aryan delivered a commendable performance, once again proving his ability to shine in every scene he's in.

Kiara Advani portrayed her character boldly and stayed true to the script.