In Prince and Family, debutant director Binto Stephen achieves something few filmmakers have in recent years—crafting a watchable Dileep movie. But this comedy-drama, which follows the emotional and comedic highs and lows of an aging bachelor caught between family responsibilities and unexpected romance, often falters due to its transparent attempts to whitewash its lead actor’s public image.
Plot Summary
Prince (Dileep) is the eldest of three brothers from a middle-class family. He owns a bridal shop and bears most of the family’s financial responsibilities. However, he is still a bachelor when his siblings are getting married and having children. When a marriage proposal from much younger Chinju Elsa Rani (Raniya Raanaa) comes, Prince is flattered as well as cautious. He marries her without fully comprehending her celebrity life as an online influencer. The actual story starts after marriage, as the cultural and generational gaps between them surface.
A Veiled Narrative Beneath the Surface
One of the most glaring flaws of the film is its undertone of covert propaganda. Phrases such as “people only want to believe what they hear first and not the very truth” sound more like obligatory innuendo of Dileep’s own real-life legal issues rather than organic spilling of words. These are not there to advance the storytelling but come across as forced, perhaps to elicit sympathy from his loyal fan base. A montage to start, along with the wistful “Therirangum Mukile,” makes this even more obvious.
Surprising Restraint and Decent Execution
Even with this, Prince and Family fares better than most of Dileep’s recent films. Binto Stephen resists the tendency to overuse slapstick and lewd jokes. Malapropisms and spoonerisms that characterized Dileep’s previous comedies are gone. Instead, the comedy is situational, emanating from character interactions. Writer Sharis Mohammed succeeds in writing natural, slice-of-life scenes in the first half that come across as relatable and real.
Dileep, for a change, works within his means. The role of Prince suits his age and height, and the emotional moments are executed with astonishing maturity. His rapport with seasoned actors like Siddique, Bindu Panicker, and Manju Pillai gives the film solid footing. Dhyan Sreenivasan also has impressive on-screen bonding with him.
The Chinju Conundrum
But with the entry of Chinju, the tone of the movie changes. While Prince tries to comprehend and keep up with his wife’s influencer world, the movie goes into a miscast emotional drama. Chinju comes across as a stereotypical representation of Gen Z influencers rather than an actual character. This one-dimensionality renders her journey flat, and Raniya Raanaa’s overacting, while largely the writer’s fault, brings little depth to an otherwise one-dimensional character.
Cringe Moments Still Creep In
The film might eschew Dileep’s habitual problematic tropes, but not completely. Prince talking about women as “products,” dismissing would-be partners for being too old, and casting himself as the helpless victim of marital disputes while making questionable decisions—these scenes are cringeworthy and uncomfortable. Worse still, the film makes Prince out to be the misunderstood hero, while brushing over his refusal to accept glaring generational and lifestyle differences.
Technical Aspects and Performances
Technically, the movie is faultless. Sanal Dev’s music, Sagar Dass’ editing, and the make-up and costumes departments are quite good. The understated but effective performances from Bindu Panicker, Siddique, and Manju Pillai are welcome. Urvashi makes a memorable impact through a short yet impressive cameo.
Final Verdict
Prince and Family toes a line—between being an effective family entertainer and being a gentle PR exercise for its lead. While Dileep gives a controlled and good performance, and the film remains afloat based on the merits of its first half, the second half collapses under narrative changes and half-baked characterizations. The whitewashing attempts are discreet but obvious.
Nevertheless, for viewers who enjoy feel-good family dramas and are willing to turn a blind eye to its underlying agenda, Prince and Family is by no means the worst way to spend an evening or two.
Stay updated with all the insights.
Navigate news, 1 email day.
Subscribe to Qrius
