Param Sundari Review

Whenever Bollywood attempts a North-South love story, it falls back on tired stereotypes. For Hindi cinema, North India is apparently limited to Delhi and Punjab, while the South is flattened into Madrasi land, usually Tamil Nadu or Kerala. Food follows the same lazy template - North is paratha drowning in butter, South is idli-sambar on repeat. The boy is invariably tall, fair and gym-toned, while the girl is demure, tradition-bound and a Bharatanatyam or Mohiniattam expert. That's the TLDR description of Param Sundari.

The film follows Param Sachdev (Siddharth Malhotra), a wealthy yet perpetually failing businessman who survives on the money of his father (Sanjay Kapoor). His latest brainwave is a matchmaking app that promises global soulmate connections - with guarantees of no break-ups, no divorces. His father demands proof-of-concept before investing, so Param becomes the guinea pig. The app pairs him with Thekkepattu Sundari Damodaram Pillai (Janhvi Kapoor) from Alappuzha, Kerala. What unfolds from this improbable pairing forms the crux of the story.

By now, you already know what to expect. A few flavours of Chennai Express, a bit of 2 States etc, and all of it sprinkled with some technical mumbo-jumbo - AI, data science and the rest of the stuff. But this movie has neither the escapist fun of Chennai Express nor the groundedness of 2 States. In the end, it also doesn't have any originality of its own.

The idea of an app that gets you a soulmate is a fresh spin on matchmaking or hook-up apps, but it still feels sketchy and unconvincing. Not that it matters, because the makers never explore it anyway. The app serves only as a petty plot device - once it points our hero to a match in the extreme South, its job is done. From there, the film slips into predictable tropes of wooing, falling out and reconciliation.

Also, in the name of offering a cultural experience, the movie ends up serving more cultural shocks. It does not demean anything per se - but the truth is, things just do not happen like that in Kerala.

The movie is also conspicuous in its absence of the essential ingredients of a romance that crosses cultural barriers and regional boundaries. Still, it works in bits and pieces, only because of its catchy dialogues (not the story), striking cinematography and strong performances.

Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor look good together, and their chemistry does spark. Unfortunately, their characters never go through the emotional journey you would expect in a typical rom-com.

Among the other performances, you will definitely notice Sanjay Kapoor as the quintessential Punjabi and Renji Panicker as the quintessential Malayali. These two are the only ones who truly bring a teleporting North-South experience through realistic acting.

Sadly, the usually hilarious Manjot Singh is reduced to a caricature here - someone who cannot tell the difference between Onam and Pongal, or between Mohanlal and Rajinikanth.

On the technical front, the cinematography stands out. It showcases Kerala in such a breathtakingly cinematic way that it almost feels like the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation must have been a co-producer. Many of us may have seen documentaries or news clips of the State's boat races. This movie elevates that experience to a grand cinematic level. Along with that, it beautifully captures the backwaters, scenic hills and pristine beaches.

Another high point is the music. Sachin-Jigar deliver a mix of peppy and melodious numbers. Tracks like Pardesiya and Sundari Ke Pyaar Mein carry a distinct fusion of Northern melodies with Keralite beats. They may not be as iconic or memorable as Jiya Jale from Dil Se, but they are still enjoyable.

Eventually, Param Sundari is for those who believe in "App ne bola toh soulmate, nahin toh checkmate" or "Galat app bhi sahi ladki se mila sakta hai" (both, verbatim dialogues from the film).