Prem Keetanu Review: Veer Pahariya’s Rom-Com Is Long on Formula, Short on Freshness

Love, friendship, college memories and the confusion of figuring out life — these are ingredients that have worked countless times in Bollywood. Prem Keetanu tries to bring them together in a youthful romantic comedy, but while the film has a few genuinely funny and charming moments, it struggles to develop them into a consistently engaging experience.

Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, the film is the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam hit Premalu. The attempt to recreate its easy-going romantic energy is visible, and the first half occasionally manages to capture that youthful madness. However, once the story moves deeper into its romantic conflict, the screenplay becomes predictable and loses much of the freshness it initially promises.

Director: Apporv Singh Karki

Cast: Veer Pahariya, Aafiya Sayed, Aparshakti Khurana, Nikhil Vijay, Rakesh Bedi

Where to Watch: In Theatres

Run Time: 2 hours 18 minutes

Rating: 2/5 

The story revolves around Vishal Thakur (Veer Pahariya), a 23-year-old BTech graduate who is struggling to figure out his career and future. He is unemployed, unsure about his ambitions and dealing with a complicated equation with his family. His life changes when he crosses paths with Suhani Sharma (Aafiya Sayed). Their first meeting is far from romantic, but years later, their paths cross again at a wedding. This time, Vishal falls for her.

The problem is that Suhani has very different expectations from her future partner. She wants someone mature, professionally settled and successful. And that creates a problem for Vishal because he doesn't quite fit the checklist. Enter Ranjeet Singh (Aparshakti Khurana), Suhani's boss, who appears to have almost everything Vishal lacks. What follows is a familiar romantic triangle, with Vishal trying to win Suhani's heart while also attempting to find some direction in his own life.

The film also brings friendship and family into the equation, particularly through Vishal's relationship with his roommate and best friend Magan (Nikhil Vijay). The first half has some enjoyable situations and conversational humour. Unfortunately, the second half becomes increasingly predictable. The romantic conflict doesn't develop enough surprises, and several situations feel stretched rather than naturally funny. With a runtime of around 138 minutes, the film could certainly have benefited from tighter writing and editing.

Veer Pahariya makes a sincere attempt to carry the film. He brings a likeable, boy-next-door quality to Vishal and is more comfortable in the lighter and comic portions. However, the emotional scenes don't always have the required impact, partly because the writing doesn't give his character enough depth. Aafiya Sayed, making her Bollywood debut, brings freshness to the film. She looks comfortable on screen and gives Suhani the confidence required for the character. Her chemistry with Veer works in several portions.

Nikhil Vijay is arguably one of the film's biggest positives. His comic timing and easy chemistry with Veer provide some of the most entertaining moments. The friendship between Vishal and Magan feels more natural than much of the central romance. Aparshakti Khurana brings his familiar comic energy to Ranjeet. While the character has potential, the writing doesn't give him enough material to make the romantic rivalry truly memorable. Rakesh Bedi is dependable as Suhani's father, though his talent feels underused.

The biggest problem with Prem Keetanu is its screenplay. The film has a simple premise that could have worked beautifully with sharper writing, but the narrative becomes uneven as it progresses. The first half has better energy, while the second half loses momentum and settles into predictable romantic-comedy territory.

Apoorv Singh Karki's direction does show flashes of the filmmaker's ability to create natural interactions and grounded characters. However, the uneven writing limits the impact of his treatment, particularly in the latter half.

Arjun Kukreti's cinematography gives the film a pleasant visual texture. Banaras and Lucknow are captured beautifully, adding some local flavour to the otherwise familiar rom-com setting. The editing by Ritesh Soni is one area where the film needed more tightening. At 2 hours and 18 minutes, some portions feel longer than necessary, especially when the story begins to lose momentum. 

Prem Keetanu has the right ingredients for a fun youthful rom-com — romance, friendship, college nostalgia, career confusion and plenty of comic situations. The problem is that the film rarely brings these elements together with enough freshness. The first half has some enjoyable moments, Nikhil Vijay provides solid comic relief, Aafiya Sayed makes a promising debut and Veer Pahariya shows potential. But the predictable love triangle, uneven second half, stretched runtime and inconsistent screenplay prevent the film from becoming the breezy romantic entertainer it wants to be. There are moments when Prem Keetanu feels charming, but they remain scattered rather than forming a consistently satisfying whole.