PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO...a dated melodrama

"He has the personality of Gautam Buddha," said Salman Khan about Sooraj Barjatya, the director of his magnum opus, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, who has presented the Diwali fare after a sabbatical of 16 years. 
Undoubtedly, the director's goodness of heart and love for squeaky clean relationships, strong filial bonds and straight-laced humour comes forth emphatically. Lavish sets, magnificently built palaces, ten tuneful songs with ten thousand people gyrating in sync present a stunning visual. The pluses end there. Ek raja, do rani, sautela bhai, sauteli behene, double role (crown prince vs Commoner), mistaken identity, neglected rajkumari, sheesh mahal (and that too by a Niagara like falls) - sounds quite like Amar chitra katha of 1980's, doesn't it? That's how antiquated the wafer thin plot of PRDP is! No layering of characters, no engrossing palace intrigues, no sub-texts to the supporting cast, are some of the loose ends which flounder this marathon of a movie (almost 3 hours long). Salman Khan is endearing but subdued, Sonam is pancaked pretty, Anupam Kher and the rest of the cast are lacklustre infront of the cinematic opulence which overshadows the proceedings especially towards the second half when it becomes a documentary on bhai-dooj !
Barjatya ji, aap is Diwali bahut sara ratan aur dhan payoge (for the trade pundits have predicted it to be a megahit) but hum audience entertainment nahin payo.