Film Review: Param Sundari

Banner: Maddock Films

Genre: Romance (UA)

Story & Screenplay

Param Sundari tells the story of Param Sachdev (Sidharth Malhotra), a Punjabi entrepreneur testing a matrimonial app, and Sundari (Janhvi Kapoor), a Malayalee girl living in Cochin with her younger sister. While Param and Sundari gradually fall in love, obstacles arise in the form of her guardian Bhargavan Nair (Renji Panicker) and her childhood friend Venu (Siddhartha Shankar), who is considered the ideal match. The narrative explores whether Param and Sundari’s love survives these challenges.

The story, penned by Gaurav Mishra, Aarsh Vora, and Tushar Jalota, is disappointingly routine with little novelty. The screenplay is predictable and unexciting, lacking the emotional depth needed to make the audience root for the protagonists. Subplots like the boat race feel half-hearted, prolonging the story without adding meaningful engagement. Dialogues are occasionally effective but mostly ordinary.

Performances

• Sidharth Malhotra is fair as Param; his portrayal lacks intensity and fire.

• Janhvi Kapoor impresses in emotional and melodramatic moments but is otherwise average; her dance sequences are commendable.

• Siddhartha Shankar is endearing as Venu Nair.

• Manjot Singh entertains as Juggy.

• Renji Panicker and Sanjay Kapoor are decent in their supporting roles.

• Inayat Verma as Ammu, Sundari’s sister, is reasonably good.

• Abhishek Banerjee and other supporting actors provide routine support without standing out.

Direction & Technical Aspects

• Tushar Jalota’s direction is so-so, lacking a distinctive narrative style or emotional engagement.

• Music by Sachin-Jigar is the strongest element. Popular tracks like Pardesiya and Sunn Mere Yaar Ve are melodious, while songs like Danger, Bheegi Saree, and Chand Kaagaz are fairly well-tuned.

• Lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya are adequate.

• Song picturisation by Brinda Gopal and Jani Master is visually pleasing, though choreography is unremarkable.

• Background music is average.

• Cinematography by Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran is appealing.

• Action and stunt sequences by Sunil Rodrigues are functional.

• Production design (Manini Mishra, Sharanya Menon) and art direction (Atin Dubey) are of fine standard.

• Editing by Manish Pradhan could have been sharper.

Final Verdict

Param Sundari is a below-average romantic drama. While the story and screenplay fail to engage, the film’s music is its saving grace and will likely draw audiences to theatres initially. Beyond the songs, the film struggles to leave a lasting impression.