Wonderful to irritating: Critics divided over Sonam Kapoor in 'Khoobsurat'

The remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s classic film, Khoobsurat releases in theatres today. While the audiences are yet to pass their verdict on this film, which features Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan in lead roles, the critics have already given it a mixed response. Raja Sen of Rediff.com is full of praises for Sonam Kapoor’s performance in the film. In his review he writes, “Kapoor, also the film’s co-producer, has chosen well, playing a clumsy character and tossing aside vanity to essentially play a clown in a baseball cap.” “In many ways, this role of a long-limbed girl who doesn’t often know what to do with her hands and feet suits her well. She spends the film making overdone gif-worthy faces — be it when laughing inappropriately or when she’s bawling uncontrollably sitting between her father and a poster of Cary Grant — and that is just what Disney heroines should do,” he adds. [caption id=“attachment_1720619” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Courtesy: Facebook[/caption] In fact, it seems Sen is quite pleased with Fawad Khan’s performance as well. “Khan, as a Prince who doesn’t even bother to say bless-you to a nearby sneezer, is a great find, an actor who doesn’t need to overplay his smugness, one who wears royalty lightly and well.” However, Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Reuters warns you about the film in the first line of her review and says, “If you are looking for a modern version of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s much-loved film of the same name, then Shashanka Ghosh’s Khoobsurat may disappoint you.” Jamkhandikar has very few good words to say about Kapoor’s performance as well. “The problem isn’t so much with the premise of Khoobsurat – the main character is the weakest aspect of this enterprise. Sonam Kapoor as Mili is loud and exasperating, rather than the vivacious, klutzy do-gooder she is portrayed as,” observes Jamkhandikar. However, Prajakta Hebbar in the end of the CNN IBN tweet review concluded, " The cast for #Khoobsurat has been chosen perfectly. Especially, Ratna Patha-Shah, #FawadKhan and Kirron Kher." She also recommended the film as a fun weekend watch. Hebbar writes, “A light, weekend watch, #Khoobsurat is a typical #Disney fare. Don’t expect anything else, and you’ll have a good time.” Sweta Kaushal of Hindustan Times says that Khoobsurat is certainly not worth a watch. Kaushal writes in her review,“Sonam’s act is more irritating than convincing. Maybe Anil Kapoor should plan investing in her training rather than keep producing films like Aisha and Khoobsurat for her.” However, Fawad Khan seems to have impressed the reviewer. “Pakistani actor Fawad Khan effortlessly steps into the shoes of the boring prince fighting internal battles after he falls in love with the doctor (Sonam) visiting his house.” “Women and girls who have been swooning over him in the TV show Zindagi Gulzar Hai have a shirtless Fawad for treat.” she adds. Comparing the old Khoobsurat, with the current Sonam Kapoor starrer, Sarita A Tanwar of DNA writes, “The Rekha starrer has universal appeal, while the 2014 is more of a chick flick, which may not necessarily be a bad thing. While the romance is bang on, the comic scenes could have been more sparkly.” “Shashanka Ghosh’s Khoosurat is an all-round disaster,” says Sanjukta Sharma’s review for Live Mint. “It reminds me all over again how confident a film-maker Hrishikesh Mukherjee was, and how sympathetic he was to his characters.” she adds.