How Original is Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo?

The much awaited trailer of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is out. But we at The Quint wonder how original is the film.

Move over Rahuls, it’s time for Prems to rule the Box Office. Salman Khan aka seedha-saadha Pawan Kumar Chaturvedi of Bajrangi Bhaijaan is back with one of his favourite directors, Sooraj Barjatya in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP).

Rajshri Productions decided to have some fun with bhai’s fans, and released a ‘royal’ teaser showing his back, his broad shoulders stretching a la aa gale lag jaa pose. Following the teaser, the production house released the first poster of PRDP on Wednesday.

Looking at both the posters, we got thinking how original Barjatya’s PRDP actually is.

Baho Mein Chale Aao

Ab peeth peeche kya kehna, but Sallu bhai, the arms-wide-open pose belongs exclusively to the badshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan. Even a fool will notice the similarities between the poster of PRDP and the SRK-starrer Fan. Salman Khan plays a double role in PRDP, and guess who plays a double role too? Yes, Shah Rukh Khan in Fan. No brownie points for guessing that.

Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. The third time it is PRDP.

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon

Not one, not two, not three, but 15 – that’s how many times Salman has played characters called Prem. By now we all know it’s Salman and only Salman who can best play Prem. And out of 15, four times Sallu has played Prem in Barjatya’s films, which all have been super-duper hits. In Maine Pyar Kiya, rich Prem falls in love with a mechanic’s daughter. In Hum Aapke Hain Koun, rich Prem falls in love with the chirpy Madhuri Dixit Nene, his brother’s saali. And in Hum Saath Saath Hai, rich Prem falls in love with a black buck (Ouch!).

Phata Poster Nikla…

It’s old news that Salman and Sonam Kapoor have recreated the famous and adorable braid scene from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. A little bit of snooping around reveals that Barjatya ji not only refashioned the braid scene from Sanjay Leela Bhasali’s iconic film, but also recycled a few scenes from his own films (ghar ka maal hai!). We understand Mr Barjatya that the long hiatus must have taken a toll on the creativity quotient – after all the last film you directed was way back in 2006 (Vivah). But even some old fashioned recycling can be done subtly.

So, what are you guys waiting for? Go catch your favourite sanskari and agyakari Prem in the much awaited trailer of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Non-originality alert!