Prince And Family Movie Review : A relevant issue marred by old-fashioned treatment

Story: Prince is on the lookout for his perfect match, but his very popular bride might not be ideal for him

Review: Prince and Family, helmed by debut director Binto Stephen, is yet another social comedy, that tries to use Dileep’s ‘vintage charm’. Maybe it is time for Dileep to move to more contemporary characterisations, particularly when the issue discussed is very topical. And it is definitely not a Dileep-Dhyan Sreenivasan movie; why the latter actor makes an appearance in the bit part is puzzling.

It is a typical good guy marries ‘bad girl’ story. Dileep is the titular Prince, a small-town, but very popular boutique owner and the oldest of three brothers. The bane of his life is that he, with his various conditions for what his wife must be like, remains unmarried, while his brothers are married and start families.

After a couple of missteps, Prince takes the plunge, or is rather just thrown, into a strange marriage that leaves him confused and unsettled. Will the partners, who are complete opposites, make it through?

The film looks at some important, pertinent issues of today, namely the use and abuse of social media, particularly in light of the recent suicide by influencer Misha Agarwal. It shows how tied youngsters are to public opinion and how this has a bigger hold over them, than family, community and even basic etiquette and morals.

Writer Sharis Mohammed builds up some satirical scenes that are comedic for being true to life. But the writing and direction feels choppy in quite a few areas, with some situations not playing out in full, such as when the young bride’s grandfather passes away. Also, the climax feels so typical.

The most standout thing about Dileep is Sameera Saneesh’s costumes. Otherwise, he plays that typical good guy, responsible husband, caught in 'humorous' situations. Also, the actor is a less energetic version of his old self. And, there is the mandatory allusion to his real-life situation, where Johny Antony’s character, who plays Prince’s friend, says something about how everyone will believe what they hear on social media.

A special mention to the female lead. She has done a vibrant, no-holds barred portrayal of her character.

For those who enjoy the typical Dileep brand of comedy, Prince and Family will provide enough laughs. But it might not be enough to engage everyone.