Karan Deol Fails to Impress in ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’

The film has been directed by Sunny Deol.

Karan Deol in Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas.

(Photo Courtesy: YouTube screengrab)

Yet another star kid being launched! Yet another PPT presentation for a film! This time Sunny Deol is helming the project to launch the Deol khandaan’s gen next – son Karan Deol. He is cute and easy on the eyes. The actor opposite him is also being launched – Sahher Bambba. Rest it’s business as usual!

The name of the film brings to mind dada ji Dharmendra’s timeless song from the 1973 movie Blackmail. ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ is a beautiful number and that one scene in the film when the female lead sings the first stanza of the original song – it does feel good. And then the realisation dawns that one was better off listening to the song on loop than sitting through this “launch the son” project!

‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’, therefore, has established the fact that Sunny’s son can smile and punch. In that order, ladies and gentleman.

I have nothing against Karan Deol. He is quite cute but the only problem one will have is to distinguish between his smiling face and his crying face. Since Karan is meeting the audience for the first time, he seems to have been briefed to be nice and polite like a true khandaani ladka. So that’s what he is . Smiling always! Throughout! Sometimes even when a poker face could have done the job! Then, as an afterthought, when he is asked to show the gabru side and justify his Deol DNA, he gives a strong menacing punch and literally knocks the villain out. It might be out of character for the role that he is playing but Karan seems relieved and so are we. One had to get the dhai kilo ka haath emotion out of the way! Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, therefore, has established the fact that Sunny’s son can smile and punch. In that order, ladies and gentleman.

The film’s story is your typical love story with a neat hero, heroine, villain demarcation, where the plot flows like stale muscle memory.

The debutant actress Sahher Bambba is energetic and a little more expressive than Sunny’s son. But she has been pitched in a particularly shrill territory. So the screaming shouting avatar will get some getting used to.

The film’s story is your typical love story with a neat hero, heroine, villain demarcation, where the plot flows like stale muscle memory. The only moments when the film feels true is when we have some other actor apart from the lead taking centre stage. For me, it was either Kamini Khanna as the funny daadi or Meghna Malik as the political mother.

Just when the makers felt like the audiences were made familiar with Karan’s smiling and punching routine, they pull the plug and the end credits come in! An abrupt denouement but I’m glad for it nevertheless .

1 Quint out of 5. Best to be viewed if you are the Deol family representative. Could be particularly tough to watch otherwise. And one thing must be said – Sunny’s son doesn’t quite have the same dhai kilo ka haath! Papaji is still great!