REVIEW: Salman Khan's Yuvvraaj

Approximately three seconds before the much-needed 'Intermission' flashes on the screen during Yuvvraaj, an intoxicated Zayed Khan tells Salman over the phone, "It's over!" And that's when a voice from deep inside me cried, "I wish!"

But length and slack pace of the film is not the only problem with this week's Hindi film release, Yuvvraaj. It tells the story of three brothers separated partly because of the circumstances and partly because of their father's blind love for his autistic son Gyanesh (Anil Kapoor).

The middle son Deven (Salman Khan) walks out of the house and the youngest of the three, Danny (Zayed Khan) ends up being a spoilt rich brat. Their father dies and writes off all the wealth to Gyanesh leaving the other two in a lurch. His attorney friend Sikandar Mirza (Mithun Chakraborty) ensures all the loose ends are tied and Gyanesh's life is safe.

For their own reasons Deven and Danny team up and decide to steal Gyanesh of what he truly deserves. Danny of course needs the money to maintain his lavish lifestyle. However Deven's requirement is slightly skewed. Before entering his father's house, he has gone ahead and gallantly signed a contract with his girlfriend's (Katrina Kaif) father Dr PK Banton (Boman Irani) promising him to become a billionaire in the next 40 days.

The rest of the film basically deals with how Deven, Danny and Gyanesh realise the bonds of filial love.

Yuvvraaj, like most musicals has no particular story to boast of. But unlike them, it doesn't even seem to have the music to support it. While AR Rahman does deliver a few songs that are pleasing to the ears the others, which could have been salvaged with good picturisation, have been botched terribly.

Take for instance the first song – Tu Meri Dost Hai – where the special effects are so bad, you'd want to sack the people who did it. Ditto for that number Mastam Mastam, which comes just before the interval. Though you are spared of the special effects, the horrendous picturisation kills it.

MUSIC REVIEW: Join Rahman on his grand journey called Yuvvraaj

More so, not many of these songs take the story forward neither do they provide any insight into the characters' pathos or ecstasy as the case may be. Indeed, musicals can be fun – Mama Mia was a thoroughly enjoyable experience – but somehow the music in this film doesn't get the treatment it deserves. And it's not about the music or the lyrics. Why, Gulzar's lyrics and Vishal Bhardwaj's music was weaved in so beautifully in Omkara, it makes you want to call it a musical in the truest sense!

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