Film: Param Sundari
Rating: 2/5
Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Janhvi Kapoor, Renji Panicker, Sanjay Kapoor, Manjot Singh, etc.
Cinematography: Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran
Editing: Manish Pradhan
Music: Sachin–Jigar
Producer: Dinesh Vijan
Director: Tushar Jalota
Release Date: 29 August 2025
While love stories were considered outdated for the big screen until a couple of months ago, Saiyaara proved otherwise by becoming a massive hit. Riding on that wave, another love-themed film arrived, this time with Janhvi Kapoor in the lead.
Let’s see how it fared.
Story:
Param (Sidharth Malhotra), a Punjabi guy from Delhi, is the son of a wealthy businessman (Sanjay Kapoor). When someone pitches him a startup idea about finding soulmates online using AI and data analysis, Param convinces his father to invest Rs 5 crore in research and development. His father, however, challenges him to first find his own soulmate to prove the concept.
Taking up the challenge, Param registers on the platform and is matched with Sundari (Janhvi Kapoor), an orphan living in a Kerala village. Determined to win her over, he learns a Malayalam song and even attempts Kalari Payattu to impress her.
Just as their bond grows stronger, a twist arrives; Sundari’s childhood friend Venu (Siddhartha Shankar), with whom her late parents had arranged her marriage, re-enters her life.
The story then unfolds around Sundari’s dilemma; Will she choose Param, or fulfill her parents’ wish by marrying Venu? The suspense builds toward the climax.
Artistes' Performances:
Janhvi Kapoor shines as a Malayali girl. At times, her voice even carries shades of her mother, Sridevi. With subtle expressions and graceful screen presence, she delivers a commendable performance.
Sidharth Malhotra, at 40, tries hard to pass off as a man in his 20s. His fitness and agility are noticeable, but his humor doesn’t quite land. Still, he handles his role decently.
Manjot Singh, unfortunately, is wasted in a poorly written sidekick role. His dialogues fall flat, failing to generate any laughter.
Sanjay Kapoor does well within his limited scope as Param’s father, bringing energy to his role.
Renji Panicker is adequate as the village headman. The rest of the supporting cast is serviceable.
Technical Excellence:
Music is the biggest strength of the film. Sachin–Jigar’s songs are breezy and well-suited for a love story, keeping the narrative afloat. The background score is decent, though uneven in parts.
Cinematography has pleasant visuals, capturing Kerala’s beauty effectively.
Editing is neat and smooth.
Highlights:
Janhvi Kapoor’s performance
The music and songs
Kerala’s scenic backdrop
Drawbacks:
Predictable storyline
Amateurish writing and contrived scenes
Forced comedy that never clicks
Age mismatch between lead actor and character
Weak emotional depth
Analysis:
Bollywood has often attempted to blend northern and southern cultures for pan-India appeal. 'Chennai Express' worked brilliantly with Hindi–Tamil flavor, while Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan with its Hindi–Telugu mix flopped miserably. In the same vein, Param Sundari tries to merge Hindi with Malayalam culture; but as always, content is king.
Here, everything feels predictable from the start. Love stories, though cliched, can still work if the emotions are genuine. But that requires strong scene conception, meaningful dialogues and authentic chemistry; areas where this film falters.
The writing feels immature, with contrived developments and exaggerated setups. For example, the portrayal of Kerala women as easily swayed by outsiders feels problematic and shallow. While this might appeal to amateur audiences, it alienates those expecting depth and magic.
The comedy is forced and ineffective. Scenes like the church romance, ring-searching drama in the water and an elephant scene come off as superfluous and juvenile.
Ultimately, the film seems targeted at young audiences, banking mainly on Janhvi Kapoor’s presence. However, Sidharth Malhotra’s age mismatch and the weak writing make it difficult to connect. Despite the promise after Saiyaara’s success, Param Sundari fails to tug at the heartstrings, collapsing under predictability and contrived emotions.
Bottom Line: Too Predictable
