Film

Partner

Name: Partner
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 2007
Cast: Salman Khan, Govinda, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif, Rajpal Yadav

Romantic comedy
Light-hearted

A Bollywood romantic comedy where Salman Khan's charming love guru teaches his hapless best friend how to win women, then discovers his own heart isn't as invulnerable as he thought. Broad, energetic, and built on chemistry between its leads—pure escapism with songs, laughs, and enough romantic chaos to keep things moving.

TMDb rating

2.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love loud, big-hearted Bollywood comedy built on a scheming client and a leading man's bravado, and the sillier the setup gets, the happier you are.

Skip it if you find big-star Bollywood excess hard going, since the jokes lean on mugging, repetition and a runtime of well over two hours that wears thin.

What it asks of you: It runs nearly two and a half hours, is loud and rarely still, and wants you to ride its noise from first frame to last.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Dil To Pagal Hai1997

Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit in a film that understands romantic comedy as a dance—funny, romantic, visually alive, with that same spirit of characters learning what love actually means beneath the flirtation.

But Nearly three hours and the plot occasionally stops for extended song sequences that don't move the story, which can feel indulgent if you're not in the mood.

Hera Pheri2000

Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal in a comedy thriller that nails the buddy dynamic Partner leverages—two guys working together, escalating schemes, genuine affection underneath the mayhem, and energetic pacing that never lets up.

But It's plotting-heavy and relies on your patience with increasingly absurd coincidences; if you need tight logic, this will frustrate you.

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro1983

Kundan Shah's masterpiece about two photographers entangled in a murder mystery and romance. Sharp, witty, with a real brain under the comedy—the gold standard for Hindi cinema's comic intelligence and emotional depth.

But It's from 1983 and shot on film stock that shows its age; black-and-white sequences and video quality might feel like watching a relic if you're not prepared.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Partner

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Andaz Apna Apna1994

Both films build their entire emotional architecture on the male friendship and how it survives romantic competition. Partner is the more sophisticated version, but Andaz Apna Apna is where the DNA comes from.

Aamir Khan and Salman Khan together in a comedy where they're both chasing the same woman, creating a perfect symmetry of chaos, physical comedy, and genuine friendship underneath. It's the blueprint Partner builds on, but wilder and more inventive—structured almost like a cartoon.

But Early-90s Bollywood comedy can feel deliberately absurd to modern eyes; it's not trying to be realistic, which some viewers mistake for bad filmmaking instead of style.

Chup2022

Balaji Mohan's modern thriller wears a romantic comedy mask while interrogating obsession and art. Stylish, darkly witty, and moves at Partner's energy level but with genuine stakes underneath.

But It's a genre hybrid that doesn't fully commit to either romance or thriller, which might leave you wanting it to be one or the other instead of straddling both.

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa1994

Shah Rukh Khan in a romantic comedy where he's chasing someone who doesn't want him—it plays earnestly with romantic delusion and builds to genuine character growth, all wrapped in songs and humor.

But The central premise (persistent pursuit of an uninterested woman) reads differently now and hasn't aged well in terms of what it's celebrating.

Main Khiladi Tu Anari1994

Akshay Kumar navigating comedy, romance, and action in one breezy package. It has Partner's lightness and won't overstay its welcome—designed purely for entertainment with no pretense.

But It's disposable entertainment with a paper-thin plot; there's nothing here if you want substance or surprises.

Mujhse Dosti Karoge!2002

Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor in a young, high-spirited romance about mistaken identity and finding love in unexpected places. Playful, colorful, and built entirely on charm.

But It trades entirely in surface-level appeal—if you're looking for any real emotional complexity or growth, it's not there.

Judwaa1997

Salman Khan in a double role, goofy comedy, romance, and enough physical humor to remind you why he's built for this. It's Partner's spiritual cousin: silly, energetic, unashamed of its own absurdity.

But The gender dynamics and some of the humor haven't aged well; it's aggressively of its moment and assumes a casual attitude toward consent that's uncomfortable now.

Rang De Basanti2006

Both use the buddy dynamic as their engine, but Rang De Basanti asks: what if that friendship had to mean something? It's Partner's darker shadow self.

Aamir Khan in a film that starts as a lighthearted buddy comedy but transforms into something with genuine political and moral weight. The first half is Party—the second half asks what those friendships mean when they matter. Watching both modes in one film is extraordinary.

But The tonal shift is jarring and deliberately so; some find it brilliant, others feel it's two films fighting each other. The second half's politics are also specific to Indian context.

Badhaai Ho2018

Both are fundamentally about men learning that their self-image is incomplete, but Badhaai Ho does it through vulnerability while Partner does it through romantic comedy logic. They're asking the same question from opposite directions.

A modern Hindi comedy that trusts its audience's intelligence while remaining warmly funny. About a man learning his parents are having a child, it's concerned with masculinity, shame, and growth—same emotional territory as Partner but approached with real tenderness and specificity.

But It's deliberately low-key and small; if you're coming from Partner wanting constant energy and chaos, this will feel slow and domestic.