Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – A middle-class boy in Ahmedabad, Satyaprem falling in one-sided love with Katha, who is coping with her breakup with her ex. Through the journey, they discovers each other’s life and complement in accomplishing what was left halfway.

My Take – Gone are the days when epic romantic dramas like Veer Zaara (2004) and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) would dominate the big screens. It has been more than a decade since we have seen a classic romance grace mainly as the current generation of filmmakers don’t seem to have the right understanding to catch the nerve of the genre and hit the right spots for the audience.

Hence, this latest Sajid Nadiadwala production seemed liked the perfect lure to the audience, particularly those who still appreciate old-school cinema, with its romance plot, peppy music and the good-looking lead pair of Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani, who shared excellent chemistry in last year’s blockbuster, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2.

And while writer Karan Shrikant Sharma and director Sameer Vidwans‘ film seems to have the formula in place, with its pretty outfits, emotions, family, and colorful locations, what takes it a notch ahead is its intriguing twist and intention.

Using the canvas of a love story, the film sheds light on a well-known yet rarely discussed topic, serving a powerful message to a society bound by orthodoxy and the shame that middle-class lot has for long lived with. It tackles the subject matter with sensitivity and addresses them with utmost importance.

Sure, the film falters at places with its execution, though it’s never to an extent that it takes away from the purity of the story. The film’s heart is in the right place and that helps in making it an entertaining watch.

The story follows Satyaprem aka Sattu (Kartik Aaryan), a goofy, kind-hearted and good for nothing Gujarati young man, who has no job nor friends, and is particularly known for failing his LLB exams. Along with his equally good for nothing father Narayan (Gajraj Rao), Sattu mainly spends his time daydreaming about getting married and carrying out the household chores while his ill-tempered mother, Diwali (Supriya Pathak Kapur), and dismissive younger sister Sejal (Shikha Talsania) teach Garba and Zumba classes to keep the house running.

Though his life is far from ideal, Sattu’s doesn’t dim the toothy smile that he wears so confidently, mainly because he has a girl in his sight. A year ago, during a Navratri night, Sattu feel head over heels in love with the gorgeous Katha (Kiara Advani), the daughter of the city’s top snacks seller, Harikishen (Siddharth Randeria). And despite her being out of his league by many miles, Sattu approaches her, and though Katha clarifies that she is in a relationship with someone, he promises to wait.

However, Sattu’s chances with her soon rise, when he gallantly saves her from a suicide attempt and is promised her hand in marriage by her father. But once they are married, Sattu soon realizes that his love story isn’t as simple as he had imagined.

With a run time of 144 minutes, the film takes you back in time to the 80s and 90s era where simplistic love stories worked, and while narrating Sattu and Katha’s tale, director Sameer Vidwans keeps us thoroughly invested. There are no forced attempt at presenting a modern family setup with everything hunky dory, but we are shown a realistic scenario where parents and relatives in a middle-class family interfere by all means if their newly married son and his wife are not sleeping in the same room.

The biggest win for the story is probably in the fact that it fails to look preachy even when it could have easily been.

Framed as a complex and emotionally charged film that intertwines the themes of family dynamics, love and sexual violence. It delves into the challenging and often painful experiences of its characters, exploring the impact of trauma on their relationships and their journey towards healing. Amidst the turmoil, a love story emerges, exploring the power of love and the strength of the human spirit.

It treats Sattu as the charming, simple quintessential hero not afraid of being vulnerable on screen. It doesn’t ask Katha to drop being a happy-go-lucky girl, confident in her skin to prove her point as a strong woman.

It lets them be and writer Karan Shrikant Sharma does its own job, never confusing one with heavyweight dialogues. The film even gives its women a voice, by showing us an unconventional middle-class family where the ladies not only run the house but also ensure that the men are well aware of the deeply non-patriarchal dynamic.

Yes, there is a sense that it could have been better executed, particularly the climax which feels somewhat rushed and lacks the finesse that one would hope for in a satisfying conclusion, nevertheless, the film ticks most of the boxes in the checklist, and could very well become the much-needed love story that could revive the genre.

It helps that the film is backed by solid performances from both Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani. Aaryan once again wears his heart on his sleeve and plays a relatable boy-next-door with remarkable ease, making it easy to root for him. But it’s the complex portions in which he truly shines. Be it romance, comedy or even the emotionally heavy scenes, there is not even a single frame where he loses his grip.

Kiara Advani has a more difficult role to portray here. We already got a glimpse of her acting prowess in last year’s Jugjugg Jeeyo (2022) but with film, she takes it a notch higher. She proves that underneath the glam avatar lives an actor waiting to be explored.

In supporting roles, Supriya Pathak Kapur, Gajraj Rao, Siddharth Randheria, Anuradha Patel, Nirrmite Saawaant, Shikha Talsania and Rajpal Yadav, are undoubtedly effective. On the whole, ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’ is an entertaining love story which despite its imperfections never lets go of the sensitivity of the subject at hand.