Katrina is radiant. She is at once the sparkle of the Sun and the mellowy softness of the moon. She is easily the most stunning presence of  Bollywood in the recent times and also in this otherwise somewhat mediocre movie.

This movie has already been declared a hit and I saw it mainly with the idea of watching the pairing of akshay katrina, the story of the princess and the frog prince. Yes Akshay is like a revelation at the end (much like the frog prince) but for the better part of the movie he acts and looks like a toad. His mannerisms are very clichéd, he has this expression of "bechargi" hanging around him and is easily the most passive character in the movie.

His acting didn’t really impress me but who steals the show is Katrina. This role is so perfectly tailor made for her that she carries it off like a diva. Her accent, her vulnerability, her genuine confusion and disgust at some of the indian customs( simple because she has never been exposed to doodh and dahi anywhere except the uk supermarts, let alone a lallu prasad yadav haircut wala  akshay milking a real cow and drinking straight from the udders) make her rise above the rest of the movie.

You look at katrina not because of her feminine body and not because she dresses skimpily most of the times but because there is the angelic curve to her smile, an added sparkle to her eyes and an overall persona that shines across.   The music of the movie is hummable and the cinematography is also top class. Together they make the viewing experience very pleasing and smooth. The movie tackles some significant issues - British still regard India as so backward and the Indians as illiterate and religious fanatics; the distrust of all things Islamic (Upen patel track), the quick to marry and quicker to divorce cult of aristocratic british . These elements have been subtly dealt with, there is no sermonizing apart from the rather enjoyable translated retort at Katrina’s engagement. 

     The supporting cast does a good job. Rishi kapoor has lost weight and looks classy as the bride’s father. The mother sadly is strange to look at and acts even more obscurely. Her character fails to leave a mark. Upen has improved and his father Javed sheikh brings back the nostalgia of the elegant pakistani dramas of the 1980s.   Its a love story and remains that way, sometimes meandering slowly and losing focus. First half set in the indian village has some interesting moments, nothing memorable though.Akshay has the moony eyed expression throughout and its rather a relief really when kat decides to go for him and spare us the monotony.  

The film is visually enchanting, but the story line has no content to propel the film forward . Such a film should have had moments that stay in the viewer’s mind but sadly that does not happen. So its fine if you have an empty afternoon with nothing else to do. Recommended for 1 time viewing only, that too only for the effervescent and radiant Katrina. 

Plot Revealed In The Review:	Not revealed
Best to watch with:	Spouse / Partner
Movie Genre:	Family Movie
Best part in the movie:	Duration