Rajeev Masand reviews Partner

Step into la-la land for director David Dhawan's Partner, a leave-your-brains-at-home comedy that's been blatantly ripped off from the Will Smith-starrer Hitch. In this desi version, Salman Khan stars as a love guru who doles out romantic tips to those who can't woo their sweethearts left to their own devices. Everything from how to charm a lady, to how to behave on a first date… Everything from dancing skills to bedroom manners… love guru is the one-stop problem-solver for geeks and freaks. But when dumpy Govinda shows up for advice on how to win the affections of his cute-as-a-daisy boss Katrina Kaif, even Love Guru can't seem to come up with a good enough plan. Clearly Govinda is aiming for the sky, evidently the dumpling has bitten off more than he can chew. But determined to find a place in her heart, gol-matol Govinda convinces Love Guru to take up his case. Now in between training his new student, Love Guru himself falls hook, line and sinker for tabloid photographer Lara Dutta, who's always on the run from a midget gangster whose pictures she's secretly taken. In the end, both men learn that it's only good old-fashioned sincerity and a big heart that it takes to woo your girl.

When David Dhawan's in form, there's nobody who can do comedy quite like him. But truth is the director's been slipping up lately. The problem with his recent films is fairly obvious – there's just no plot to speak of. Look at some of his most successful films – Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Judwaa – even if they were madcap movies, each had a very distinct plot and the actors performed within the framework of the plot. But his recent films – Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, Shaadi No. 1 and even Partner have wafer-thin storylines and the focus is not so much on telling a story as it is about actor-interaction.