Review: Star-crossed search for suitable girl

What's Your Rashee? (U/A)

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker

Cast: Priyanka Chopra x 12, Harman Baweja, Darshan Jariwala

Rating: **

A handful of contemporary filmmakers draw audiences into Indian cinemas based on their resume and popularity. Ashutosh Gowariker is certainly one of them. So when the director or Lagaan and Jodha Akbar mounts a rom-com based on the potentially amusing premise of astrology and matchmaking with Priyanka Chopra in 12 roles, you believe you're in for a joyride. Alas, What's Your Rashee? is star-crossed.

NRI Gujarati boy Yogesh Patel (Harman Baweja) is cornered into marriage in order to inherit his maternal grandfather's estate and bail out his brother from debt. Yogesh dutifully agrees and spends the next ten-odd days meeting one girl from each rashee in the hope of finding a potentially suitable girl. Enter Priyanka Chopra in 12 avatars.

You can see why this story, adapted from a Gujarati novel, might have worked as a TV series 'Mr Yogi' (as done by Ketan Mehta 20 years ago), but as a film, without enough depth, distinction between the girls and the hero's complete lack of charisma, Rashee just does not come together. It is further hampered by side-plots like a local goon and his henchmen, a cheating husband being spied on and forcibly inserted songs.

Though Priyanka Chopra rises to the challenge of playing 12 parts within one film, using body language, voice modulation and attitude. However, the writing does not give her enough to bite on. The only real difference in appearance is big and bouncy hairstyles and over-the-top costumes. Besides Capricorn, all the girls have the same body type and the personality traits are not clear enough to distinguish star signs. Only the pretty, glam girls appeal to Yogesh, which makes his interaction with each suitor even more unrewarding, shallow and unfunny.

Though there are a few palpable moments between rashees and Yogesh, however his conflict and dilemma are too easily resolved making the end even more frustrating after a 200-minute plod with repetitive set-ups, myriad prospective in-laws, a hamming supporting cast, dull cinematography, editing and art direction and poor writing - departments Gowariker usually excels in. Wonder what the stars foretold about the future of this enterprise?