There is much that’s beautiful in Sunny Deol’s debut film for his son, the handsome and earnest Karan Deol. Scenic Manali, for one. The cinematographers Himman Dhameja and Ragul Dharuman love the landscape. The camera captures the natural unspoilt beauty of Manali and Himachal Pradesh as the relationship between Karan (Deol) a local adventure-sports guide and a visiting tourist Saher (Sahher Bammba) develops.
Their relationships grows. The narrative doesn”t. The first half, though marked by some excellent shots of the couple climbing down valleys. Wading through crystal waters and going up rocky mountains, is struck by a chronic case of inertia.
Nothing happens. Except that we see the young couple bicker and flirt. Oh yes, somewhere in the midst of this meet-cute boredom Saher bursts into the classic Kishore Kumar song ”Pal pal dil ke paas”. It is the only reference to the film”s title. Come to think of it, the film could have been titled Pal Pal Hill Ke Paas, because that”s where the plot remains, unmoved unmoving, till midpoint when in a cloudburst of characters the screen is flooded with screaming shouting grandmoms, aunts, nephews, nieces, not to forget a hammy rick spoilt suitor (Akaash Ahuja) who can”t take rejection.