Param Sundari movie review: Janhvi Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra's rom-com about soulmates has no soul

PAram Sundari film reviewCast: Janhvi Kapoor, Sidharth MalhotraDirector: Tushar JalotaRating: ★.5In single shot in Param Sundari, Janhvi Kapoor (Sundari) narrates the mythological tale of Onam to Sidharth Malhotra (Param). When he calls it quite an a story, she corrects him, "Story nahi, fable. Isme seekh chhupi hoti hai." Ironically, the only seekh I carried home was that romantic comedies are hard to make and even harder to perform with conviction.For weeks, the film’s buzz was built around its promise to bring back the Sonu Nigam era of soothing romantic ballads. Pardesiya, to be fair, is a catchy track and has that nostalgic charm. But the film? It does not come close to the breezy, rom-coms we remember- Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania to name a few. Instead, it leaves you oddly unmoved, searching for moments that never quite arrive.What is the plot of Param Sundari?The story follows Param, a rich brat who loves investing his father’s (Sanjay Kapoor) money in startups. He stumbles upon Soulmates, an app designed to use advanced technology to find one’s perfect match. In the process of testing the app to prove a point to his father, it points him toward Sundari, a homestay owner in Cochin. What follows is meant to be playful, heartfelt... But lands as flat as a poorly told joke.The main problem is the lead pairing. There is no spark that makes the romance believable. Janhvi tries hard to sell her character, often carrying scenes single-handedly, but her efforts crash against Sidharth’s static, one-note performance. Even when they are simply looking into each other's eyes, Janhvi's eyes meet a wall. The first half drags through gags that never land and scenes that might have worked with stronger chemistry. The second half slows down even further, wandering toward an ending you could predict in your sleep.Performance report cardJanhvi is in a comfortable space, showing promise, but she is stranded without a co-star who can lift the energy. Sidharth proves that good looks have nothing to do with charm. Sanjay Kapoor, cast as Param’s father, has his moments but never fully convinces as a doting parent. Two of his energetic bits in the second half did earn two out of the four times I laughed in the film's entire runtime.Technically, the film scores in one aspect, its visuals. Shot across Kerala, the frames have a natural beauty that feels real minus any heavy VFX. The music by Sachin-Jigar is serviceable, with Pardesiya being the only song that lingers after the credits roll.Overall, if rom-coms are meant to sweep you off your feet, Param Sundari barely manages a polite handshake. Sometimes, technology may help you find a soulmate, but no algorithm can save a film that forgets to make you feel.