Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor in a scene from Param Sundari, set against the lush backdrop of Kerala.
Param Sundari, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, attempts to portray a novel cross-cultural love story but ultimately falls flat. This film features heartfelt songs, however, it is underwhelming because of its outmoded Bollywood format, poor scripting, and outdated clichés.
Story:
The film follows Param (Sidharth Malhotra), a wealthy but aimless Punjabi boy who looks for love through a dating app. There, he meets Sundari (Janhvi Kapoor), who runs an eco-friendly homestay in Kerala. Cultural differences spark their romance, but it quickly devolves into a clichéd, messy, and all too familiar tale.
Bollywood has already explored the “north boy meets south girl” idea many times, from 2 States to Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Sadly, Param Sundari brings nothing new to this theme.
One of the biggest flaws of the movie is its shallow portrayal of Kerala. Instead of showing real culture, it depends on stereotypes. We see men in mundu chasing the hero, women portrayed in exaggerated ways, and forced cultural scenes like boat races, Mohiniattam dances, and Kalaripayattu fights.
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The turning point comes when Param wins a boat race, and suddenly everyone accepts him. This makes it look like North Indian heroism is enough to win hearts, ignoring the actual cultural depth of Kerala.
Sidharth Malhotra plays Param as a cocky and confused boy, but his performance lacks charm. The characters' acting is stiff and monotonous, and there is no real character development.
Although Janhvi Kapoor tries hard to play Sundari, her attempt at speaking Hindi with a South Indian accent doesn't appear particularly realistic. Her role is written as strong and independent, yet the film never explains why she would leave her kind, educated fiancé for Param. The poor script drags her performance down.
The film's music and images are its strongest points. Songs from Sachin-Jigar are poignant and unforgettable, particularly Pardesiya, like in a vacation advertisement, cinematographer Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran masterfully depicts Kerala’s backwaters, vegetation, and scenery.
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Param Sundari should have been a novel romance that merged cultures, but instead, it becomes a formulaic and uninteresting tale. It tries to appear modern and progressive, but falls flat because of stereotypes and weak writing.
If you enjoy Kerala’s scenic beauty and good music, you may like certain moments. But as a love story, the film doesn’t connect with the audience.
