The prince film by Sivakarthikeyan might be classified as an experimental comedy. I use the term experimental since it isn’t as thoroughly entertaining as some of his previous films, but it does succeed as a quirky attempt to introduce a new form of humor. In Anudeep’s most recent film, Jathi Ratnalu, you may even call it ridiculous humor, which worked splendidly. It works to a considerable amount in Prince as well, which is what makes the comedy refreshing, if not enormously engaging. The film succeeds when it is not taken seriously.
The plot is basic. It’s about a Tamil kid from a fictional town near Pondicherry (Sivakarthikeyan plays Anbu) who falls in love with a British girl (Maria plays Jessica). Anbu’s father (Ulaganathan), portrayed by Sathyaraj, is an ardent anti-casteist who wants his son to marry outside of their caste. When Anbu, a social science teacher, falls in love with Jessica (British), an English teacher colleague, he believes his father will be pleased with him for falling in love with someone from a different nation. As a result of his father’s death at the hands of the British during the freedom war, Ulaganathan does not endorse their relationship. Therefore, he does not want a member of that nation in his household.
The movie mostly focuses on witty one-liners and wordplay. The comedic style of Anudeep is not for everyone. If you enjoyed his work on Jathi Ratnalu, Prince will not disappoint. Even though the film is not as consistently hilarious as Jathi Ratnalu, the gags succeed everywhere they are employed.
Sivakarthikeyan is the only one who could have worked Prince to this level. The film is held together by his charismatic screen presence, and his talent for comedy is unparalleled. Sathyaraj performs admirably as the father and complements Sivakarthikeyan in numerous instances. The chemistry between them comes alive on screen, making it a pleasure to observe.
As advertised, Prince turns out to be a harmless romantic comedy. The comedy generates sufficient laughter to maintain your interest. The monotonous passages are an obstacle in an otherwise breezy narrative that touches on the topic of bogus nationalism.
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