April 9, 2010 (Sampurn Wire):Prince - Paisa Vasool action thriller

Rating: 3 out of 5*

Starring: Vivek Oberoi, introducing Aruna Sheilds, Neeru Bajwa, Nandana Sen, Isaiah and Sanjay Kapoor

Director: Kookie V. Gulati

The film begins with a huge diamond heist by master thief Prince (Vivek) and his associates followed by few more such high profile robberies. Three months are shown passed by and Prince wakes up with a gun shot wound on his hand and amnesia as well. His butler PK (Mayur Puri) reveals to him that he works as the right hand man for an underworld don in South Africa named Sarang and that he has a girl friend, Maya. But then things start getting complicated as he is also being hunted by a special Indian intelligence agency I-Grip headed by one Colonel Khanna (Dalip Tahil), by Indian CBI officer Khan (Sanjay Kapoor) and also by Sarang who desperately wants the coin that is in Prince’s possession. The coin carries the power to threaten the future of the Human Race. What leaves Prince further puzzled are the three gals (Aruna Shields, Nandana Sen and Neeru Bajwa) he encounters time to time, all claiming to be Maya, his girlfriend. What follows as Prince decides to unravel the mystery with a death threat at every turn forms the rest of the plot.

If you are willing to suspend your belief then Prince is a complete paisa vasool action thriller for you. Slickly shot, this debut directorial venture of Kookie Gulati has been made on par with many popular International action thrillers. Some may find many twists of the plot implausible especially the one involving brain mapping and memory being erased and regained back again using computer softwares. But if one can enjoy movies like Face Off then Prince deserves better. The first half is racy and keeps you guessing what will happen next as a new twist and turn unfolds at regular intervals. The second half gets more action heavy and carries a good twist in the pre-climax. The film however lacks good one-liners. Amongst the best action (Allan Amin) high points of the film are the chase sequences on the Durban highway and Aruna Shields’ gun totting entry and then finally the climax. Music by debutante Sachin Gupta is already a chartbuster with the two numbers Tere Liye and O Mere Khuda on the top of the charts.

Vivek Oberoi seems to have given it his all and its results are visible. He is not only excellent in the action sequences but good in the dramatic and confrontation sequences as well. Isaiah has terrific screen presence and fits the part perfectly well. Amongst the gals, Aruna Shields is the most impressive followed by Nandana Sen. Neeru Bajwa doesn’t get much scope as her character gets sidelined. Dalip Tahil, Sanjay Kapoor and Mayur Puri (also the dialogue writer of the film) provide adequate support.

After a long drought, a good action flick has hit Bollywood, don’t miss it.

-Sampurn Wire