This film may work for those who miss old-fashioned melodramatic entertainers, but I was bored. I’m going with one-and-a-half out of five for director Nikhil Advani’s ‘Patiala House’. Decide for yourself if it’s your cup of tea.

The writing is smart, the lines are life-like, the characters feel right. The supporting cast is especially good, keeping things moving when the rest threaten to stop in their tracks.

Patiala House may not match up to his debut film, Kal Ho Na Ho, but director Nikhil Advani does make amends for the disastrous Chandni Chowk to China. Watch this family drama for its redefinition of patriotism in a going-global age, dominated by the growing Indian diaspora.

This picture of hers does have a back-story. Whether it matters at all, is the point. Or, maybe not. The Brit-Indian cricketing hero never faces the Indian team in the world cup either. A real conflict in a story can be avoided too. It’s all good, this Patiala peg. Just chug de phatte! We’re all about Bollywood and cricket ‘n’ all, innit?

Quite conveniently, a politically correct Advani never shows Akshay playing against India. Predictably, the men in blue do march to victory; it’s just a few shades darker than I would have liked to cheer for.

Patiala House never soars but it is a notch better than the mediocre fare that we see every week. If you have patience and not much else going on, check it out.

For a Bollywood- and cricket-crazy country, Patiala House seems like a dream that marries both off with aplomb… patialvi style.

On the whole, Patiala House is an ordinary fare which will face an uphill task at the box-office. It has taken a very dull start and that will tell on its ultimate tally at the box-office.

On the whole, PATIALA HOUSE is a film about attachments, affiliations and familial bonding. It’s a compelling watch, more for its drama and histrionics than anything else. It’s a film that explores the father-son relationship and not just those in India, but around the world should be able to relate to the predicament depicted in this film. The hallmark of the film is the merging of its engaging drama with cricket and that’s what makes this product stand out from the earlier Akshay starrers. Especially its penultimate 30 minutes, which is the brightest spot of this enterprise. If the movie succeeds in pulling the heartstrings of the moviegoer, it would propel Akshay back in the same position he once was after the victory of NAMASTEY LONDON and SINGH IS KINNG.

PATIALA HOUSE is a heart-warming drama. Do pay a visit to this house with your family. A fun time is guaranteed.

Overall, Patiala House makes for an interesting watch. It is the first family drama this year and well, Nikhil Advani is a Karan Johar prot