This movie with Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh has huge sets, a blingy song called “Nach-Gaana,” and a lot of feelings, but it’s not very original. Rocky, the multi-millionaire mithai-Wala’s scion, has a fleet of luxurious SUVs that match his daily attire, a personal trainer who doubles as his best friend, protein powders, and facial hair.
He speaks ‘Tooti-Phooti’ English, but he has a good heart. After watching “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,” I must admit that I am torn between two options: either I reject this brand-new movie from Karan Johar because it is loud and melodramatic in the same way that mainstream Hindi family dramas used to be and still adamantly.
Refusing to budge from broad-brush-stroke-y conventions, 2023 be damned; or I choose some of the better. At least the movie contains these sections, right? Or are there braver parts of the movie that get big because the movie platforms them so big?
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Review
Ranveer Singh joins a host of Bollywood stars for a dance performance, including Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Ananya Pandey. This gives us a fast preview of what to expect from this family drama. There is a deeper message and purpose hidden behind the surface of this colorful, amusing, glitzy, and glossy movie.
It delicately addresses ingrained problems in our society like patriarchy, gender bias, misogyny, fat shaming, and the cancel culture. However, all of this is discreetly and clearly conveyed in the story without losing the sense of humor or demanding to be the center of attention.
Due to this, he meets the educated and sophisticated Rani. Despite their vastly different personalities, they fall in love with music, dance, and clever one-liners. The film explores contrasting cultures and personalities as well as how dismissive and critical people can be of one another.
Plenty of melodrama and tears are present, all in KJo’s grandiose fashion. A pure musical, with a mix of Bollywood oldies masterfully woven across an old-world rendezvous and Rocky-Rani’s new-age romance serving as one of its highlights.
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Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Cast Performances
As Rocky Randhawa, Ranveer Singh excels. He plays a character that is quite close to his true nature and is a firebrand throughout the entire movie. It’s a loud, outrageous character who could have gone horribly wrong, but it lands safely thanks to his aura.
The portrayal of Rocky actually determined the outcome of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and few people in the industry have the talent to pull off such a bizarre performance with ease. From the very first frame to the very last, Alia Bhatt’s screen presence makes up for all the film’s shortcomings.
She is the heart and soul of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. She is given the opportunity to express a variety of emotions, including fearlessness, emotion, and humor, and she excels in the role. The two stars’ performances really make the movie more entertaining, especially throughout the slow parts.
Jaya Bachchan does admirably in the role that was written for her as Dhanlakshmi Randhawa, but her character suffers from being a clichéd mother-in-law that one has gotten accustomed to seeing in the daily soaps. Others who do well in their parts include Aamir Bashir, Kshitee Jog, Anjali Anand, Namit Das, Churni Ganguly, Tota Roy Choudhary, and Abhinav Sharma.
What Works?
After a while, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani works as a proper love story with family in the foreground. In the middle of all the action-packed dramas, this genre resonated with filmmaker Karan Johar throughout his formative years and feels like a breath of fresh air.
The plot and conflict of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani have a far wider and more relatable potential than those of Karan Johar’s previous films, which appealed to a certain audience demographic. This is due to the film’s size, color, music, comedy, and drama.
The movie features a few genuinely entertaining scenes with hilarious dialogue. Every time the action slows down, someone tries to lighten the mood with a brief joke. Although the amorous scenes between Alia and Ranveer in the early half move a little too quickly, they nonetheless make you grin.
The opening acts by Rocky and Rani are very brilliantly done. Parts of the drama in the second half are effective, particularly the pre-climactic act centered on Dharmendra’s role. The correct emotional note is also struck in the climax. The drama that follows the Dhindhora segment also impacts positively.
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Verdict
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is viewed by Karan Johar as an entertaining film that will undoubtedly find an audience in the major cities. It could have gone badly, but it turned out well because of the director’s determination to make some of the most absurd passages work, particularly for his audience.
Even though some of the humor doesn’t land well and both halves could need some editing, Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt make the movie into respectable family entertainment. Ranveer and Alia’s performances in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani are a perfect example of Karan’s teamwork, which should be praised by the urban public and result in a profitable endeavor.