Chote Nawab

Chote Nawab (Little Prince) is more a family drama than a coming-of-age film that the title and the promos would have you think. The prince (from London) has a small, inconsequential role and is overshadowed by the adults who have got together for a wedding in Lucknow. It's a mess really because there's a lot the writer has tried to add here - romance, mystery, familial melodrama - that it becomes tiring to follow. The low production value is evident across which further affects the viewing experience, and I ended up feeling down. Chote Nawab has some moments but if you expect anything more from it, you are bound to end up disappointed. Grade D.

(Reviewed during its Australian premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).)