Radhe Shyam Review: A visually stunning love story worth watching on the big screen

Radhe Shyam Movie Review Rating: 3.5/5

After a long wait and numerous delays, Prabhas’ much-awaited pan-India film Radhe Shyam is finally in theatres. The superstar is returning to the big screen after almost two and a half years as he was last seen in Sahoo in 2019. Written and directed by Radha Krishna Kumar, Radhe Shyam features Pooja Hegde opposite Prabhas. Set in Europe during the 1970s, the film narrates the story of a palmist who is conflicted between destiny and his lady love. If you are planning to watch the film over the weekend, here is what our reviewer has to say about it.

STORY: Vikram Aditya (Prabhas) is a world-renowned palmist whose predictions never go wrong. He does not believe in love but when his path crosses with Dr Prerana (Pooja Hegde), he falls head over heels in love with her despite his best efforts. While he predicts a bright future for her, destiny seems to have not so pleasant surprises in store for her. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

HIGHS: When Prabhas is headlining a project, you can expect it to be mounted on a huge scale. Radhe Shyam is no different. The makers seem to have spent like a sailor on the making of the film and you can see that in each and every frame. It is a visual splendour.

Prabhas as Vikram Aditya looks suave. He suits the character really well. Unlike his previous outings in the recent past, there are no jaw-dropping action sequences to give you an adrenaline rush, but the actor scores well in emotional scenes. In some of the emotional scenes, he outdoes himself. Also, his towering personality adds a lot to his character. Talking about Pooja Hegde, she is stunning in every frame and does a brilliant job as Prerna. She has got some really interesting scenes and nails them well. While Sachin Khedekar as Hegde’s uncle leaves his mark, other supporting actors do not rise above average.

Cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa is excellent. Art Director Ravinder deserves praises for his brilliant work. The music by Mithoon, Amaal Mallik and Manan Bhardwaj is one of the major highlights of the film. It segues really well into the narrative.

LOWS: Though Radhe Shyam is a well-made romantic drama, what is lacking here the most is sizzling chemistry between the lead pair of Prabhas and Pooja Hegde. It is mostly missing between the two and that is one of the major drawbacks. It seems the makers focused more on creating a visual spectacle than investing more in writing characters that have depth and lend authenticity to the entire setting. With a runtime of almost 140 minutes, Radhe Shyam feels insufferably long after a point.

FINAL VERDICT: Though Radhe Shyam will not exceed your expectations, it will not disappoint you either. The breathtaking visuals, grand set-up, and great music will keep you invested in the film. Having said that, a tauter screenplay and shorter runtime could have made it a far better watch.

Watch Radhe Shyam trailer:

Movie Credits

Banner: UV Creations, T-Series Films

Director: Radha Krishna Kumar

Cast: Prabhas, Pooja Hegde

Runtime: 140 Minutes