Phulrani Review :
Release date: 22 March 2023 (India)
Cast : Subodh Bhave, Vikram Gokhale, Priyadarshini Indalkar, Milind Shinde, Sushant Shelar, Ashwini Kulkarni, Gaurav Ghatnekar, Gaurav Malankar
Director: Vishwas Joshi
Producer: Jaee Joshi and Swanand Kelkar
Ratings : **
Synopsis:
Vishwas Joshi’s adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, titled Phulrani, has received negative reviews. While this is not the first Marathi adaptation of the classic story, it is considered one of the worst. The film begins with Vikram Rajadhyaksh, played by Subodh Bhave, a beauty pageant groomer, taking up the challenge of transforming a florist girl named Shevanta, portrayed by Priyadarshani Indalkar, into the next Pretty Princess after a journalist’s argument with him. However, it is revealed that this is just a publicity stunt to make a viral video. Shevanta’s natural habits create a lot of issues in the academy, and she gets bullied by the other urban girls, causing her to run away. Vikram goes to her village and convinces her to return, and they fall in love. However, it is unclear if Vikram is genuinely in love with her or if he is manipulating her again.
The film fails to modernize the premise, resulting in an outdated love story. The dialogues are predictable, and the actors’ performances are unimpressive. Priyadarshani Indalkar’s portrayal of Shevanta may be liked by some but may also be irritating to others. Subodh Bhave’s performance as the flirtatious Vikram is decent, but it is not enough to make up for the film’s shortcomings. The cinematography, camera work, and production design are below average, and the dialogues are sometimes cheap, mundane, or cringeworthy. The background music is loud, and the soundtrack is one of the worst in recent times. The songs start playing at random times with no meaning. The dubbing is also poor.
Phulrani Final Verdict :
In conclusion, Phulrani had the potential to be a groundbreaking adaptation, but the film ultimately fell short. The subject matter could have been better executed, but the film ended up being a stretched, outdated, and demolished version of a classic. It is recommended to wait for the TV premiere and to avoid the disappointment of watching it in the theater. A sequel was also announced after the credits, which may not be worth looking forward to.
