Kartik Aaryan had his first release of 2023 coming out on February 17. Shehzada, directed by Rohit Dhawan of Desi Boyz and Dishoom fame, is the official remake of the Telugu blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, which had Allu Arjun in the lead. Whether remaking a popular film like Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo is a good idea or not is a good topic to debate, since the awareness of the film was increased after the pan India success of Allu Arjun's Pushpa. Still, Kartik Aaryan took the risk but it remains to be seen if that risk pays off well for the actor at the box office. Shehzada Movie Review: Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon's Remake of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo is a Joyless Facsimile.
(SPOILERS AHEAD) Shehzada also stars Kriti Sanon, Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Ronit Roy, Ankur Rathee, Sachin Khedekar, Sunny Hinduja and Rajpal Yadav. For most of its parts, Shehzada is a very faithful remake of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (including retaining many of the character names), albeit with some character changes and none of the Allu Arjun winsome swagger that made the OG entertaining even if flawed big time.
Some of those changes including changing Kriti Sanon's character from a tourism agency owner to a paralegal. The character of Raj is shown to be dumb than being just meek in the original film, and his fiancee character is not there in the remake. Otherwise, the plot remains the same. Oh I forgot, Shehzada also differs when it comes to its conclusion as well.
Before we get to that, let's brief the plot first - The rich couple Randeep and Yasu, and their employee Valmiki have their kids born in the same hospital. Out of jealousy, Valmiki switches the kids without the knowledge of his employers and his own wife. So while rich couple's real son grows up as Bantu at Valmiki's house, oblivious of his birth secret and getting second-hand treatment from his 'father', Valmiki's son Raj grows up as a pampered boy who is worried about handling their family's businesses.
Watch the Trailer of Shehzada:
As an adult, Bantu learns the truth about his parentage after rescuing his real father from a near fatal attack by the villain, Sarang. Instead of telling his real family the truth, he tries to solve their problems and bring them together, and endear himself to his family. In the meantime, he also romances his employer, Samara, who is engaged to Raj.
So What Happens in the Climax?
After Bantu helps in Randeep and Yasu talk out and solve their issues (and Raj puts his down on being forced into being CEO of their companies), the family celebrates their happiness with a party, where Bantu and Samara also openly display their relationship. However, Sarang kidnaps Yasu to coerce Jindals into going back to their deal in using their toys to transport drugs. Raj goes to the villains to save his mother, but Bantu beats him to it. He bashes up all the villains and rescues his mother and gets her back home
Later, Bantu's grandfather Aditya reveals to Randeep that Bantu is his real son and that he had already known of this after overhearing the nurse's revelation to Bantu at the hospital. He also confronts Valmiki and asks Bantu why he didn't tell the truth to his parents. Bantu says he would rather want his family be happy than claim his inheritance. He also promises his father and his grandfather that his mother and Raj should never know the truth as it would break their hearts for no fault of theirs. Shehzada Box Office: Kartik Aaryan Delivers His Lowest Opening Day Collections Since Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety.
When Yasu comes down to join them with Raj, she tells Valmiki that Bantu is like her son now and is given shares in their company, and asks him to 'train' Raj to be as capable like him. Now here's where things be different from the original...
Shehzada vs Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo
For one it is not Yasu who is kidnapped in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo but Raj's fiancee Nandu. Since that character doesn't exists in the remake, that unfortunate tasks falls on Yasu. Secondly, the hero in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo manages to mend bridges with the villain, which is not the case in the remake.
Watch the Trailer of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo:
Then there is the matter of the film's conclusion. In Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Raj begins staying at Valmiki's modest lodgings, where he finally feels that he is at home, and even suggests to Valmiki that he should have switched them as babies, much to latter's chagrin. And to add insult to injury, Valmiki also has to see Bantu living the life king-size.
However, Valmiki in Shehzada, for some reason, get a fairer treatment. Not only does Bantu patch up with his foster father, he also buys him a new scooter, and they are seen driving together away in the night while riffing off each other. Which begs us to ask, why does Valmiki in the remake deserve such a good treatment? He had robbed two kids from their rightful families that would have ideally caused them lifelong traumas, as well as for the parents, he was responsible for the coma and later death of a nurse and isn't ever shown to be repentant. Only the makers of Shehzada can answer that.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 18, 2023 07:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).