My Friday was nothing like the usual mornings. It kicked off with rain, racing to the theater to make it in time for my Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani review date. Karan Johar was back at the helm as a director with this romantic saga and well, I had to watch it. With a phenomenal cast including Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani had a lot to prove. And, prove he did with this stellar flick.
So, without further ado, let me start my Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Review and give you all the reasons why the fans of true blue Bollywood films should NOT MISS THIS FILM!
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Review: Karan Johar Delivers His Best Film!
When the back is against the wall, one tends to deliver their best. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is that one proof all true blue Bollywood fans needed that they even still got it. With this film, Karan Johar didn’t just show us that he is a phenomenal filmmaker with a great vision, but also tipped his hat off to the legends of Bollywood. Be it the romance of Yash Chopra’s films, the magical music of retro Bollywood, the grandeur of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movies or the signature value of family bond in Karan Johar’s flicks, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani celebrates everything that Bollywood has been and can be in the future!
Storyline: (Without Any Spoilers)
What happens when two different worlds come together and try to create their own space? Well, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani shows us exactly that but with several plot twists and different perspectives thrown in. Rocky Randhawa, the future heir of Dhanlakshmi Sweets empire, is everything a ‘Dilli Ka Launda’ should be. He is buff, flamboyant, extravagant, hot and most of all respects (read scared of) his father, Tijori Randhawa (Aamir Bashir) and dadi Dhanlakshmi (Jaya Bachchan). He adores his mom Poorna (Kshitee Jog), sister Gayatri (Anjali Anand) and Bade Papa Kanwar (Dharmendra) who has a flailing health and memory post an accident. His family is a typical Punjabi household where the women need to take care of the house and the man has to go to work. A typical Punjabi boy from Delhi, Rocky one day stumbles upon his Bade Papa’s secret and lands up on Rani’s doorstep.
Rani Chatterjee, a Bengali senior news anchor who is opinionated, independent, gorgeous and most of all adores and loves her family. She has no scared bone in her and represents the fiery independent woman of today. Rani’s grandma Jamini Chatterjee is an admirer of poetry and loves old Bollywood songs. Rani’s dad Chandon Chatterjee (Tota Roy Chowdhury) is a professional Kathak dancer, while her mom Anjali Chatterjee (Churni Ganguly)is a senior English Literature professor at Delhi University. They are a progressive bunch of people who love art and culture. Their worlds are different and their thinking is different. But what’s common is how much they love and respect their family.
So, when Rocky lands at Rani’s office after discovering his Bade Papa’s secret, they both are attracted to each other. After the first meeting, Rani sums up Rocky as toofaan when she’s narrating their conversation to her family and bringing up his Bade Papa in front of her grandma Jamini. And that opens a ‘yaadon ka dabba’ and what transpires from there on is a sweet dose of nostalgia, love and friendship.
Now, let me just stop here and talk about everything that’s good in Alia and Ranveer starrer Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani!
A True Blue Bollywood Entertainer With Karan Johar’s Signature, A Twist & Whole Lot Of Nostalgia!
With Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham, Karan Johar schooled us that ‘It’s all about loving your family’. And keeping up with those values in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, Karan gave everyone a fresh perspective on how to deal with those teachings in the modern world. A phenomenal job at that, Karan, in his signature style gives us beautiful love stories in the film. At first it seems to be Rocky aur Rani’s tale of love. But, at the heart, it showcases another love story which never got a chance. And while highlighting the beauty of those love stories, Karan weaves a tale of how relationships within a family impact the family members. In the midst of it all, he gives us beautiful music, a touch of nostalgia and lots of humour.
In Rocky’s house, Dhanlakshmi is the head of the family and her word is the ‘patthar ki lakeer’. Once she says, “Keh Dia Na, Bas Keh Dia,” everyone has to adhere to it. She’s raised her son Tijori (Rocky’s dad) to be a typical man who doesn’t respect his wife, doesn’t respect his daughter and doesn’t approve of his son’s outlandish dance moves or style. He only listens to his mom and even ignores his bond with his ailing father, with whom as a child he shared a connection.
Karan perfectly portrays how the Randhawas are orthodox, patriarchal and don’t believe in giving women or kids any freedom. And, well the actors support Karan’s vision to the T. Jaya Bachchan as Dhanlakshmi is the perfect tyrant grandmother, who is proud of having established the entire empire based on her talent of making ladoos. It is so refreshing to watch Jaya Bachchan back on the screen and this time, as a flawed character and not the doting mom. Trust me, you’ll enjoy Jaya Ji’s expressions so much when she disapproves of anything.
Coming to the other veteran star of the film, Shabana Azmi. She is the epitome of beauty, grace and love as Jamini. As a mother to a son who wants to learn Kathak, she is encouraging and respects her son’s choice and even takes a stand for him in front of the cruel dad. As Rani’s dadi, she is the voice of reason and love. In the most critical scene after Dhindhora Baje Re, she shines so beautifully and showcases her mettle as an acting legend. And her scenes with Dharmendra will leave you smiling from ear to ear.
From one legend to another, Dharmendra. Oh man, what a delight to see this handsome he-man as the doting dadaji on screen. In the limited screen time he has, he is one of the most crucial characters in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani. And, he is still so good at doing what he’s known for, charming his way into our hearts. A legend for a reason.
Talking about the leading man, Ranveer Singh, all I can say is that this role was meant to be his. No one else in Bollywood could have, would have nailed Rocky Randhawa like Ranveer. He nailed the Dilli ki accent, style and looks to the T. He is an absolute thirst trap in his entry scene and what follows from there on is his interesting journey. And, as a lover, he is just the guy you want in your life. At first, he too is uptight and orthodox, considering his upbringing in such a household, but once he meets the bongs, he sees the world in a whole new light.
And, in the midst of all of this, his love for Rani is pure, pious and true. “Jo khatam ho kisi jagah, yeh aisa koi silsila nahi,” this line sums up Rocky’s love for Rani and Ranveer has done a phenomenal job at bringing this to life. And, while doing all of that, Ranveer’s comic timing is impeccable. He has followed Karan’s conviction to the T and that surely shines through. He makes you laugh, cry, get angry, hurt and experience every emotion with his perfect performance. Well done, Ranveer!
Talking about Alia Bhatt who is truly the Rani, she is elegance personified. Those sarees, open hair, nose pin and kohl eyes are just too damn beautiful and make it hard for you to notice anyone else when she’s in the frame. In Rani, Alia brings to life that modern Independent Indian woman, we should all aspire to be. She’s a feminist through and through and is not afraid to call out elders when they are wrong. She doesn’t let elders get away with wrongdoings under the garb of respecting them and calls them out for the emotional trauma they’ve been inflicting on their loved ones. She empowers other women too, and when she does, it makes you root and cheer for her.
And, her love for Rocky is as pure as his. At first, she treats it like a fling and hides it under the garb of family differences, but when she falls for Rocky, she falls hard and isn’t afraid to apologise to him in full filmy style. In Rani, Alia once again shows us that she is a phenomenal actor with the ability to bring to life any character that she’s given. Truly, she is the best female actor of our generation and I could bet my life on it. Alia deserves all the praise for killing it in a saree in ice cold winter, showcasing what true empowerment means and portraying an authentic woman who is imperfect and relatable.
And all those who thought Alia and Ranveer have no on screen chemistry, you’re in for a surprise. There is so much fire, love and chemistry when they come together and light up the screen. They are fun, loving, respectful, flawed and beautiful work-in-progress people who we all can relate to. And, truly the stars of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kii Kahaani.
Another star of the film is music. The ode to retro Bollywood numbers will leave you smiling and overwhelm you with emotion. Whenever they release the full album, it is bound to become a hit. The songs come so organically and take the story forward. Kudos to the music composers, singers and musicians who managed to retain the soul of music while bringing to life several old Bollywood classics. So proud I am that Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is everything Bollywood movies were for me as I was growing up.
Prinkled’s Parting Thoughts:
To sum it up, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is a film for all ages. Oldies will love it for a different reason while the millennials and Gen-Z will enjoy it for totally unique reasons. But, they will love it. This gem by Karan Johar is a must watch and should be on your list this weekend!
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