India, Sept. 13 -- I thought I was watching a toothpaste commercial until the interval. The lead of Heer Express flashes a fit-for-endorsement toothy grin in every situation, even mid-conversation. That is exactly how saccharine the film feels.

The story follows Heer (Divita Juneja), a Punjabi girl who loves cooking and runs a dhaba started by her late mother Preeto. When two guests offer her the chance to run their restaurant in London, rechristened as Preeto Da Dhaba, her uncles (Gulshan Grover and Sanjay Mishra) encourage her to take the leap. Soon she is in London, face to face with the restaurant's owner (Ashutosh Rana), unaware of the history they share.

The screenplay is as straightforward as they come: Punjab to London, a token ...