Vikas Prasad Films and Saakshat Entertainments’ Welcome Wedding (UA) is the story of a family in which the son vows to earn Rs. 100 crore in three months just because he doesn’t want to join his father’s business.
Daljit Khurana (Darshan Jariwala) is a stingy man. He is a widower and lives with his mother (Farida Dadi). His son, Prem (Sahil Kohli), returns to India after completing his education in the US. Daljit wants his son to join him in business but Prem has other plans. He tells his dad that he has a scheme to earn Rs. 100 crore in 90 days.
Meanwhile, Prem’s grandmother approves of Lavanya (Komal Jha) and is keen that Prem marry her. Lavanya is the daughter of Daljit’s office manager, Satyanarayan Pande (Raju Kher). Suddenly, one day, news breaks that actress Rakhi Sawant (Rakhi Sawant herself) would be marrying Daljit. The news also mentions that the wedding and the suhagraat are to be telecast live. Of course, Daljit is flabbergasted as he knows nothing about his own wedding. Even as the wedding preparations are on, Lavanya and Prem fall in love with one another.
What is the truth about Rakhi Sawant’s impending wedding ceremony and suhagraat?
Sachindra Sharma has written an implausible story which exposes his complete lack of knowledge of how businesses work. Nothing could be more ridiculous than to think that a television channel would pay Rs. 120 crore to Prem just because his father and Rakhi Sawant’s wedding and suhagraat would be aired live on television. After all, who is Prem and who is Daljit for the TV channel to pay such an obscene amount of money to them? Is Daljit a celebrity? Of course, not! Yes, Prem may be the producer of the TV show but from where will the money come? Why would the sponsors back such an expensive project starring a nobody like Daljit? This premise of the story — that Prem will earn Rs. 100 crore in 90 days — is so idiotic that the entire screenplay (also written by Sachindra Sharma) falls like a house of cards. Although the story is silly, the screenplay has some funny moments, at least. But other than a few good comic scenes, there’s precious little to sustain the audience’s interest. Even romance is very little. Sachindra Sharma’s dialogues are average.
Darshan Jariwala is so-so as Daljit. To think that he, along with the other actors in the cast, can carry any film on his shoulders is nothing short of foolhardiness. Sahil Kohli is ordinary as Prem. Komal Jha does an average job as Lavanya. Rakhi Sawant acts ably as herself. Her dance is also impressive. Raju Kher lends ordinary support as manager Satyanarayan Pande. Farida Dadi is okay as Daljit’s mother. Rajpal Yadav’s (as Chaman) comedy is good but it is also repetitive and, therefore, a bit irritating. Aroon Bakshi hardly gets any scope in the role of the film producer. Others are just about passable.
Aanand Raut’s direction is just about average, thanks also to the weak script. Raaj Aashoo’s music is alright. Two songs — Pyaar ki local chali and Patati hai toh pat — are alright. Lyrics (by Saeed Quadri, Sudhakar Sharma, Amitabh Ranjan and Krishna Bhardwaj) are okay. Sanjeev Sharma and Santosh Malwankar’s choreography is functional. Laxmikant L.K.’s background music hardly deserves separate mention. Naren A. Gedia’s cinematography is routine. Manisha Naik’s art direction is commonplace. Parth Y. Bhat’s editing ought to have been sharper.
On the whole, Welcome Wedding is a non-starter.
Released on 29-3-’24 at Gem (daily 1 show) of Bombay thru Iamplex Digital. Publicity & opening: poor. …….Also released all over. Opening was very weak everywhere.