A pleasant walk in the park, a refreshing swim on a hot summer’s day; these are the feelings that come to mind when thinking of the movie ‘Albela’. It is a fairytale with a very predictable ending. It does not claim any intellectual feats or earth shattering themes or any touch of reality. It is just a simple love story.

A princess, Sonia (Aishwarya Rai), daughter of an Austria Ambassador visits India to find the grave and the story of her Indian mother. She meets a local guide, Tony (Govinda) who shows her around and promptly falls in love with her. He thinks that she reciprocates his feelings and is ready and willing to leave his home and friend Nina (Namrata Shirodhkar) who had been in love with him since childhood, to go to Austria.

Now enters the real prince, ex-boyfriend of Sonia, Prem (Jackie Shroff),a sophisticated Indian journalist. Sonia’s father, the Ambassador was dead against the alliance between Sonia and Prem. They are reunited again in India and resume their relationship. The ambassador visits India and wishes to drag his daughter back to Austria minus Prem.

At the last minute, Tony realizes that his love for Nina is greater than his newfound infatuation and refuses to leave India. The prince and princess remain in India with papa’s blessing.

The theme is as old as time but is refreshingly told. Aishwarya shines in her role and is a true princess; breathtakingly beautiful and classy. Shroff as a prince looks dashing and sophisticated. Govinda does an excellent job as a simpleton guide and the role seems to be tailor-made for him. But the father is unconvincing as an Austrian-born Ambassador. The songs are beautiful and picturised well.

This really is a pleasant, unpretentious, entertainer.