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Janhvi Kapoor breaks silence on Param Sundari's comparisons with SRK-Deepika Padukone's Chennai Express: 'Our characters are from...'
Janhvi Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra addressed comparisons between their upcoming film Param Sundari and Chennai Express, saying the stories, characters and settings are completely different.
Janhvi Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra have pushed back against claims that their upcoming film Param Sundari is similar to the 2013 hit Chennai Express. In a recent interview with Mirchi Plus, both actors said the comparison overlooks key differences in setting, characters and intent.
Param Sundari vs Chennai Express
Janhvi Kapoor said, “It’s a hit movie, and it is an iconic movie. But Deepika played a Tamilian in the film, which if you think about it is a generalisation happening from the people who are comparing the two films.” She added, “I am from Kerala in the film, and not all people from the South can be grouped together. It’s a different milieu altogether, and it’s not like that this is a repetitive thing at all.”
Talking about similar films, Janhvi said, “2 States was similar, but it came before Chennai Express, and these kinds of films aren’t being released every year.” She concluded, “Anyways people aren’t comparing us to something that needs to be forgotten. Chennai Express was an iconic film, with iconic characters and actors.”
Sidharth Malhotra added, “We don’t mind the comparison at all, I think it is a compliment. I love that film, and I am a fan of Rohit Shetty films. People remember certain things due to the nostalgia factor that is connected to them, even though I don’t think that the two films are the same. Shah Rukh sir didn’t exactly play a guy from Delhi, and they were definitely not in Kerala, and Janvhi is playing a half Malayalam half Tamilian in the film, but it is definitely a compliment being compared to it.”
Here’s how Param Sundari differs from Chennai Express
The film, directed by Tushar Jalota, centres on a North-meets-South rom-com setup that the makers describe as rooted in specific regional identities. Janhvi’s character is explicitly part Malayali and part Tamilian, while Sidharth’s character is drawn from a different background. The actors say this regional specificity separates Param Sundari from broader North vs South caricatures. The movie also aims to revive the classic Bollywood rom-com vibe.
Will Param Sundari revive the rom-com?
Sidharth said the film hopes to bring back the charm of earlier hits. “Films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Tum, and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge are iconic, and we want to bring that back,” he told Mirchi Plus. The cast also includes Sanjay Kapoor, Manjot Singh, Aakash Dahiya and Rajeev Khandelwal.
Param Sundari releases on August 29. As debate around representation in Bollywood continues, the film’s release will test whether audiences accept its attempt at a regionally specific rom-com, while also comparing it to well-known mainstream hits like Chennai Express.
