PRDP
Subhash K Jha (DNA; November 1, 2015)

It can now be told. Sooraj Barjatya’s Diwali release Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP) is actually a variation on Mark Twain’s The Prince & The Pauper, where two lookalike heroes — one a commoner, the other royalty — exchange places to see what the other one’s life feels like. In PRDP, Salman Khan plays the two roles.

Revealing this, a source close to the project says, “More than Mark Twain’s novel The Prince & The Pauper, Sooraj is a fan of the 1968 film Raja Aur Runk, which was based on the same classic novel. The film is also inspired by the Dharmendra starrer Yakeen and the Shashi Kapoor starrer Haseena Maan Jayegi, where the leading lady’s beloved is replaced by his double. That explains Salman’s look of discomfort and guilt as Sonam Kapoor dances all around him in the song Jalte Diye.”

Raja Aur Runk was produced by the legendary LV Prasad. Sanjeev Kumar plays the lead roles in RAR. The film was popular for its music composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal. There was also news that Salman’s PRDP was inspired by the book, Prisoner Of Zenda.