Indra Kumar makes another of those typical romances that he is so known for. His previous films, Dil and Beta, for all their cinematic flaws and shorcomings, provided fresh entertainment, but no hat-tricks for him here. Ironically, Raja is named after male lead Sanjay Kapoor's character, but it's all about Madhuri Dixit, who clearly this film was made for. It showcases Dixit at the top of her beauty, splendor and dramatic form. It's all about her powerful screen presence, and what a presence it is - her gorgeous smile lights up the screen, her stupendous dancing skills set every musical number on fire, and even in a film that doesn't offer her much acting-wise, she manages to shine through.
Indeed, the film itself is just not up to the mark - it's a rehash of different romantic films, and sadly it just gets worse and worse as it goes on. The amount of Hindi rom-com tropes used here is alarmingly and amusingly inartistic. The exaggerated melodrama is embarrassing, so is the stagy dialogue, and the story just goes nowhere. Dixit is supported by her leading man Kapoor, who bears a striking resemblance to his older brother Anil (a frequent costar Dixit's) just with less acting talent, although a refreshing casting choice. The only one here close to leaving a mark as an actor is, for whatever little it may be worth, Paresh Rawal as the mentally challenged brother.
To conclude, there's nothing to look here for except for its sole redeeming quality, its leading lady. Like many potboiler films of the era that were made solely to cash in on the moviegoing public's demand to watch their undisputed screen idol, this film relies exclusively on Dixit's star power. Just watch the songs of the hit soundtrack (all melodious and catchy) - "Phool Mangoo Naa Bahaar", "Akhiyaan Milaoon Kabhi", "Kisi Din Banoongi", "Nazrein Mili Dil Dhadka", for evidence of her indelible charisma. The film lets her do what she does best, but sometimes she is just there, and if you ask movie fans, sometimes it's reason enough to watch even poor films like this one.
