Sooraj Barjatya’s highly-anticipated Diwali release Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, starring Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor, is pretty much a rehash of Barjatya’s previous work and nothing in this confused, derivative film is meant for the Indian audience of 2015, says The Indian Express. The script is unbelievably thin and the director’s by-now popular emotional hooks don’t make up for an outlandish, improbable plot. Read more here

NDTV Movies warns that the over-long and bloated film is meant strictly for Salman Khan fans. The screenplay has been completely neglected in favour of the ornate sets and the laboured song situations only add to the tedium. Read more here

The Mint review agrees that it’s an endlessly long saga burdened by its sluggish pace and feels much longer than its running time of three hours.

Attempting to brave the Prem Ratan onslaught is Marathi film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli, starring Sachin Pilgaonkar, Subodh Bhave and Amruta Khanvilkar, and directed by Bhave himself. A remake of a classic Marathi play by the same name, the film is the best Diwali treat possible, says Bollywood Life. The performances are brilliant and the music—to complement the plot that revolves around Marathi Natya Sangeet— absolutely unbelievable. Read more here

Another Marathi film Mumbai Pune Mumbai – 2 Lagnala Yaychach, starring Swapnil Joshi and Mukta Bharve and directed by Satish Rajwade, is a perfect family entertainer, says Zee Talkies. Portions of the movie may seem unnecessarily stretched but the crisp dialogues and wonderful performances make it worth the time. Read more here

In the south, romantic Kannada film Ram-Leela, directed by Vijay Krishna and featuring Chiranjeevi Sarja and Amulya has opened to positive reviews. Chitraloka.com says that lavish production values and great performances set this mass entertainer apart. A laugh riot, the film can be watched with the entire family. Read more here

Some other releases this week haven’t inspired any reviews yet. These include Kannada film Namagagi, directed by Raghu Ram and featuring Vijay Raghavendra and Radhika Kumara Swamy; and Ram Gopal Varma’s Telugu action thriller Attack, starring Manchu Manoj and Surabhi.

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