Justin·2y

Shehzada on Netflix, directed by Rohit Dhawan, is a disappointing adaptation of the Telugu film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020). The film, starring Kartik Aaryan, Paresh Rawal, Kriti Sanon, Manisha Koirala, Ronit Roy, Sachin Khedekar, Sunny Hinduja, and Ankur Rathee, is mostly fan service for Aaryan's fans and offers little to those who aren't. While Aaryan looks good in slow-mo, the film lacks narrative muscle, and when scenes are at regular speed, it is as entertaining as hitting one's head repeatedly with a cushion. The characters are one-dimensional, and the changes made to the story only dilute the central plot's characterisation, relationships, and conflicts. Shehzada glorifies the rich and victimises the middle-class everyman, embodied by Valmiki, and offers no social critique like its source material. Overall, it's a boring and pointless film.