Satyaprem Ki Katha Review - Multiple Taboos Trapped In A Mess

Sameer Vidwans brings a sensitive love story, "Satyaprem Ki Katha," with Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani. The romantic genre doesn't get many pure films anymore in Bollywood. The last of those quality romantic dramas were "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" and "Veer Zaara". It's been more than a decade now since we have seen a classic romance because nobody actually has enough sense to catch the nerve of the genre. Nowadays, it's all about taboos, and sometimes it works too, but the outcome is never supposed to become a timeless tale. Sameer Vidwans, who has directed an atrangi romantic comedy like "YZ," has a taboo breaking concept again that he attempts to mould into a family-friendly and crowd-pleasing entertainer. But what a big mess he has created, and what immature flaws in the screenplay that lack even a basic sense.Satyaprem, aka Sattu (Kartik Aaryan), is a typical Gujju bachelor who is desperately waiting for his Baydi (wife) but isn't getting one. On one fine Navratri evening, he sees a cracker of a girl, Katha (Kiara Advani), and falls in love with her. Katha, however, clarifies that she is in a relationship with someone. Sattu is ready to wait, and his wait ends after a year when he saves Katha from a suicide attempt. It's an arranged marriage for them, which starts off with a little hesitation from both sides. However, their language is quite bold and bindass—not just them two, but the entire family. That's where the film starts drowning as the logic begins to fade. Katha reveals that she is asexual, but let me warn you that this isn't the 'big suspense' the team has kept hidden for months. There are plenty more twists, deceptions, and conflicts waiting for you that will turn this romantic drama-cum-family drama into a sensitive social film.SPKK starts off like "Jab Me Met," then turns into the "Highway" zone and "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan" and finally ends up being "Pink". Karan Sharma has gone through all films and taken a piece from each to create his own original script. However, Satyaprem Ki Katha gets nowhere as it fails to make its identity stand out. The first big flaw is Kiara's so-called taboo secret, which is totally illogical. Why would an asexual girl ever engage in an affair with a guy when she knows that she isn't capable of carrying it along? The second big flaw is child-abuse hints that are quickly turned into normal, while the first impression clearly states it as "No, daddy no." What was that, then? A father-son duo having an open discussion about every funny thing suddenly starts hiding normal things like 'rape'? We read it every day in the newspaper and see it on news channels; then what's so taboo about it? The climax is a wholesome disaster put together, as Tapan's arrest is absolutely senseless. How can someone prove a rape case in court after a year? It's common sense, man, that you need to go through a medical test within 24 hours to prove it. How can one mess this basic thing up? SPKK is nothing but multiple taboos coming together to create a mess, and it's a damn lengthy one like your daily soaps.One good thing about Kartik Aaryan is that he is not getting typecast like he used to before the pandemic. Dhamaka, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Freddy, Shehzada, and now Satyaprem Ki Katha, he has at least kept variety in his roles. Sattu's smile is irritating sometimes, but defining a man is what everyone's going to love. I would not forgive him for keeping his trademark "Problem ye hai ki..." monologue incomplete for the second time this year. Kiara Advani's breathtaking moves start winning you over from her very first appearance, but later on she starts getting repetitive. I was like, I have seen this face and these expressions before in "Jugjugg Jeeyo" and "Good Newwz". Supriya Pathak hasn't been used well when there is so much scope for her character. She was the lady of the house and could have gone with some hard-hitting one-liners on her husband, but alas, they didn't realise her potential or her character. Gajraj Rao and Siddharth Randeria are fine as typical fathers, while Rajpal Yadav (that terrible first frame of his bum), Shikha Talsania, Bhumi Rajgor, Bhaumik Ahir, and Nirmiti Sawant don't have enough screenspace.Musically, Satyaprem Ki Katha is a winner, even though the timing of the songs isn't quite right. Naseeb Se, Gujju Patakha, Sun Sajni, and Aaj Ke Baar are good, while Pasoori is hardly decent. The cinematography and choreography of the songs are lavish and gorgeous. All the songs have good lyrics, too. If there is any misfire, then it has to be the film's editing. 146 minutes for this big mess.. Who approved it? Having 15 minutes of one daily episode cut down might have left me less angry. Sameer Vidwans started off with atrangi "YZ" and then went on to make a classic like "Anandi Gopal" (his best work ever and is likely to remain so), then again went down with chaotic "Dhurala". He couldn't get over Dhurala's mess with Satyaprem Ki Katha, I feel. This time on a larger scale and with a bigger budget, that's the only difference. It's quite funny that two films on the importance of Sex in Marriage life—having two completely opposite directions—are coming on the same day. Lust Stories Chapter 1 says, "Sex is the key to a happy marriage," and Satya Prem Ki Katha tells, "Sex is not the key to a happy marriage." Coincidentally, both don't make much sense after all. Overall, SPKK is a wannabe social and good film trapped in a messy screenplay. I wish they had been aware of their own motives. Feminism, manhood, sexual trauma, social taboos, romance, comedy, and family drama—it was just too much for one film with no senior face.