Saawariya is a romantic fairy tale about unrequited love. Much has been made of the fact this film, based on Dostoevsky's short story, White Nights, is a co-production between Hollywood and Bollywood. Less has been said about how very slow it is.

A prostitute named Gulabji (Rani Mukerji) narrates the beginning of the story, which is set in a magical, make-believe place. Enter Raj (Ranbir Kapoor), a musician, who wanders into the fantasy town to become a singer in a club. Raj is funny, naive and entertaining, and his presence cheers everyone he meets. Gulabji, against her own better judgement, falls in love with him.

One night Raj sees a beautiful girl standing on a bridge. She is crying. She avoids Raj, although he eventually gets her to speak to him and he finds out her name: Sakina (Sonam Kapoor).

For Raj, it is love at first sight. Sakina, alas, loves someone else -- the mysterious Imaan (Bollywood star Salman Khan), who has promised to return to Sakina after one year has passed.

The year is almost over, and Sakina pines for him.

Raj goes out of his way to make Sakina love him, but the best she can do is friendship.

Slowly, slowly, Sakina seems to warm to Raj, however, and his hopes wax and wane.

Okay, let's keep score: Sakina loves someone who's off the scene, not sure if he loves her back.

Raj adores Sakina, but she loves another.

Gulabji loves Raj, but realizes he loves another.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all that unrequited passion, there are other types of love on display. There is mother-son love between Raj and his old landlady, plenty of friendship among the prostitutes and a loving relationship between Sakina and her grandma.

Saawariya has plenty of singing and dancing, but there is something flat about the film that makes it drag, badly, after the 90-minute mark. We'll do the math for you: That leaves an hour of foot-tapping and boredom.

Raj gets the girl, loses the girl, gets the girl, loses the girl, gets, loses, gets, loses, gets, loses; you'll want to slap all of them.

The sets are very beautiful -- if unrelentingly blue in colour -- and the characters are charming and easy on the eyes. Up to a point. Saawariya is lacking in story, and that's the problem.

Saawariya and another big Bollywood movie, Om Shanti Om, were both in theatres yesterday. Om Shanti Om is bursting with energy.

Saawariya, not so much.

Rating: 2/5