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Prem Keetanu Review: Veer Pahariya and Aparshakti Khurana’s banter is hilarious. Aafiya Sayed shines in debut.
Prem Keetanu Movie Review: This is a fun, light-hearted watch.
Prem KeetanuU/A
3/5
Starring: Veer Pahariya, Aafiya Sayed, Aparshakti Khurana, Rakesh Bedi, Nikhil VijayDirector: Apoorv Singh Karki
Prem Keetanu Review: Prem Keetanu feels instantly familiar- college boys, hostel madness, first love, heartbreak, friendship, job search and the inevitable confusion that comes with growing up. The film doesn’t try to reinvent the coming-of-age romantic comedy. Instead, it leans into the messy, occasionally silly, and often endearing chaos of being young.
Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, Prem Keetanu stars Veer Pahariya, Aafiya Sayed, Aparshakti Khurana, Rakesh Bedi and Nikhil Vijay. The narrative follows Veer Pahariya’s Vishal, a carefree college student whose life revolves around his friends, college antics and finding love. However, after college, when the unemployed Vishal falls for Suhani, played by debutant Aafiya Sayed, things become complicated.
Suhani’s ‘well-settled’ boss, Aparshakti Khurana’s Ranjeet, is also interested in her and leaves no stone unturned to woo her. What follows is a familiar romantic triangle, mixed with friendship, heartbreak, family dynamics and the growing pains of young adulthood.
At its core, Prem Keetanu is about youngsters who are still figuring out what they want from life. Vishal is not particularly ambitious or academically inclined. He is a backbencher, a little reckless and more interested in enjoying his college years than planning his future. However, his dynamic with Suhani forces him to reflect on his life.
The film is the official Hindi remake of Girish AD’s 2024 Malayalam blockbuster Premalu, which starred Naslen and Mamitha Baiju. Viewers familiar with the Malayalam original will inevitably compare the two films. But even beyond this, the film heavily borrows the broad romantic-comedy DNA and the idea of an imperfect young man caught in a complicated love story.
However, Veer Pahariya is easily the most pleasant surprise in Prem Keetanu. After making his debut with Sky Force, Pahariya takes on a dramatically different part here. Vishal requires him to be casual, goofy, romantic, immature and vulnerable without making the character completely irritating. He largely manages that balance.
He looks comfortable in the college-boy environment and does not appear to be trying too hard to convince the audience that he is funny or charming. His emotional scenes also reveal a softer side that was less explored in his debut. His performance is at its strongest when Vishal is simply hanging out with his friends or getting himself into ridiculous situations. There is a boyishness to the performance that suits the character.
Aafiya Sayed gets a character that is somewhat less fleshed out than Vishal’s. She brings freshness and a sense of realness to Suhani, although the film could have given her more opportunities to establish the character beyond being the centre of a romantic rivalry. Despite this, Sayed lights up every time she’s on screen and is a delight to watch.
Aparshakti Khurana as Ranjeet gets several of the broader comic moments and brings his familiar energy to them. His banter and rivalry with Pahariya provide some of the film’s more entertaining exchanges. Rakesh Bedi and Nikhil Vijay especially shine in the emotional portions of the story. It’s hard to take one’s eyes off Vijay, and he is a master of his craft. Bedi, meanwhile, proves why he is a veteran with his natural ease on screen.
Director Apoorv Singh Karki is an interesting choice for a film like this. His earlier work, particularly Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, established him as a filmmaker comfortable with serious material. Prem Keetanu falls on the opposite end of the spectrum. It is loud, youthful and deliberately unserious for large portions of its runtime.
Karki creates an easygoing atmosphere, and the friendship between the boys is more convincing than some of the romantic portions. There is a sense that the director understands the rhythm of young friendships- how jokes, arguments and emotional conversations can exist within the same group. However, some romantic scenes feel half-baked, while the emotional transitions can be abrupt.
Prem Keetanu also falters when it comes to its soundtrack. The songs strangely distract from the narrative. Several songs feel inserted because a Bollywood romantic comedy is expected to have them. It is noticeable because the film itself moves at a fairly brisk pace. The music is better as an album than as a storytelling device.
However, the film never loses track of its identity. It understands that while there is nothing radical about this story, the audience returns to these themes because they are relatable. As such, Prem Keetanu benefits from not taking its characters too seriously. It allows its young protagonists to be foolish, dramatic and occasionally ridiculous. That is precisely what makes the better moments feel authentic.
Prem Keetanu may not match the freshness that made Premalu such a beloved romantic comedy, but it has enough youthful energy, likeable performances and nostalgic chaos to make it an occasionally enjoyable watch. Its heart is in the right place. It just needed a screenplay and soundtrack that trusted that heart a little more.
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Ask News18Prem Keetanu is the official Hindi remake of Girish AD’s 2024 Malayalam blockbuster Premalu, which starred Naslen and Mamitha Baiju.
Ask News18About the Author
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentar…Read More
October 02, 2026, 12:00 IST
