Produced by: Pradeep Sharma
Directed by: Pankaj Prashar
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Farida Jalal, Reena Roy,
and Naseerudeen Shah
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Reviewed by Avinash Ramchandani
avinash@indolink.com
Rating : 
(out of 
)
Rajkumar is supposed to be an elemental film in both, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit's career. After almost five years in development, the movie almost went "in the cans" as the producer couldn't pay Madhuri. The producer spent extreme amounts on wonderful sets and costumes while he should have directed more attention to the director and the script. Sets are incredible in "Paayal Meri" and "Tu Bijali Hain", including one computer created background with Kapoor and Dixit superimposed on it. Even with such sets, all songs lacked good choreography. Most eye-catching costumes came the way of Naseerudeen Shah's elaborate villainous yet childish costumes and Dixit's expensive yet skimpy outfits.
Rajkumar carries a "Robin Hood" mood. Anil Kapoor's "Robin Hood" image was portrayed well although it lacked the childish, teasing image that the original Robin Hood carried. If the movie focused on Anil Kapoor more and less on Naseerudeen Shah's villainous plans, it may have been more enjoyable. Even though the story suffers because of this, Shah tries to save the story with his comical relief and wonderful acting.
Apart from the acting and the story, many non-sensical items throws the viewer off. Madhuri Dixit is characterized as a Rajkumari and dances along with servants and is wearing clothes similar to cheap dancer. The portrayal of this Dixit's role is not good at all. Towards the end of the film, Dixit's dances also start to get boring as Laxmikant-Pyarelal's music and the choreography starts to become a repeated motif.
To sum up the story, Rajkumar (Anil Kapoor) is the son of a queen (Reena Roy) whose kingdom was demolished by Rajkumari's father's kingdom. While Rajkumar is escaping from jail, Rajkumari's father is killed and the blame is put on Rajkumar's father who is framed by the Mantri (Naseerudeen Shah). Rajkumar's ideal in life is to get revenge from the Mantri. While he does this, he falls in love with Rajkumari and takes her to his kingdom. The rest of the movie is a jumbled mess as he finally kills the Mantri. The Mantri has a twin brother (also Naseerudeen Shah) who provides with many comical scenes and another interesting character.
This movie, in a similar way to Subhash Ghai's Trimurti, ends up to be a movie with no value to it. The only difference is that Rajkumar has better music and acting. Anil Kapoor is above average, Naseerudeen Shah is hilarious and excellent at the same time, and Madhuri is astonishingly beautiful as well as a wonderful actress. Reena Roy has a well-suited role and Farida Jalal has a short but nicely played role. LP's music is his best in a while. Direction is terrible. Dances and choreography are okay. Cinematography is outstanding.
Would you like to contribute? Please contact assteditor@indolink.com to send in a review.