So, I recently watched one of the most talked about and iconic Barjatya Cinematic Universe (BCU) films, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, as a 24-year old. Mmhmm. Yes.
Directed by Sooraj Barjatya, the king of sanskaar and parampara, this coked-up fest was a journey like no other. I spent an excruciating 3 hours and 17 minutes of my life on this film, and man do I have questions!
The film is basically a remake of the 1976 Bollywood film, Chitchor. Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Abhishek Bachchan got together to create this "rom-com" in which Kareena falls for the wrong guy, only for the truth to be revealed later.
1. Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, a play on the names of the male protagonists, came out in 2003 and could be called a progressive film if you had watched it then. This rewatch made me realise that it tries very hard to be progressive but has the classic theme of Barjatya movies — modernity and feminism is only accepted before shaadi.
2. We're introduced to Sanjana in this examination scene with echoed whispers of "Sanjana...Sanjana...Sanjana" as the background score.
3. Why does this CGI created monstrosity turn into a toy bird? Poor guy. Keep in mind, this animated parrot has a majorrr role in the movie.
4. They also gave the cute cocker spaniel this face. What was the reason?????
5. This is Sanjana's sister who lives in the US and suggests Prem's rishta for her. Why didn't she attach a photo of the real Prem with all the emails she sends? I guess we'll never know.
6. Sanjana and her friends, who are freshly graduated adults, use swear words like "Poor jelly belly, toolbox, mint head".
7. This movie, as BCU movies usually do, shows us a lot of desh-prem. It was shot in New Zealand, btw. Just saying, hmmm. 🤷🏻♀️
8. What is Kareena doing here???
9. Why are there cars on an airplane runway? Irrelevant to the plot, but very irksome.
10. Why is everyone SO intense?
11. I mean, who has these many feelz for methi ke parathe? My mum's gonna love this guy!
12. So. Many. Feelz. For. Every. Thing.
13. How is this even allowed? 😩
14. How does Abhishek Bachchan manage to bring down the entire energy of the movie? Seems like someone *cough* NCB *cough* reached the sets before he did, na?
15. Why does she insist on playing the guitar like a sitar? Wasn't this all of us when asked to perform in front of guests? 😋
16. This is the very next scene. I would, once again, like to ask what Kareena is doing here.
17. Abhishek's mom is portrayed as a progressive lady who tells Kareena's mom off for being focused on shaadi and not her career. Cut to the rest of the film, where Kareena isn't even asked if she wants to marry Abhishek. Um?
18. When you wanted just the lehenga and ring, but they come with a boy as well:
19. Weren't there better ways to do this? Madam legit ripped his sleeve off.
20. How similar do these stills look? 😂
21. Is it over? Is it really over!!?? I feel as happy as Hrithik in this scene! 🥳
22. MKPDH made me realise that I should ponder more over the kind of movies I watch. I spent the entire 3 hours and 17 minutes questioning the movie and myself. One article is not enough.
I have had enough drama for the rest of my existence. Brain cells are 100% ded.
23. On that note, I would like to say one last thing.
