movie review of rocky and rani

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‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ Is the First Bonafide Bollywood Blockbuster in Years

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Twenty-five years ago, I — and millions of Hindi film fans around the world — saw our first Karan Johar movie. “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” — which currently holds the top spot in IndieWire’s list of the best rom-coms on Netflix — was a superhit and instant classic, a story of love and friendship that stood the test of time and charms audiences to this day.

And it’s just a damn good time.

As much as it tracks the blooming romance of Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) and Rani Chatterjee (Alia Bhatt), “Rocky Aur Rani” starts with the pair reuniting Rocky’s grandfather Kanwal (Dharmendra) and Rani’s grandmother Jamini (Shabana Azmi), who spent a week together back in 1978. Both relationships intertwine the dichotomous Randhawa and Chatterjee families, who go together about as well as oil and water.

That’s not because the families are so drastically different — though the film feels the need to explicitly stress this repeatedly — but mainly because of the iron fist of Rocky’s grandmother Dhanlakshmi (Jaya Bachchan), who runs both the household and a business empire with steely authority. She doesn’t take kindly to her husband openly reigniting an old flame despite their loveless marriage, and even less kindly to Rocky’s idea that he and Rani switch homes and live with each other’s families for three months.

Apart from the tauted hero and heroine, “Rocky Aur Rani” is a knockout showing for Bachchan. A staple of Hindi cinema since the 1960s (her first film was Satyajit Ray’s “Mahanagar”), Bachchan rose to stardom in a time when women’s roles were still constricted, yet still managed to create indelible female characters along with her peers. Her mother figure is the anchor of Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” but still relegated mostly to warm smiles and lots of crying. “Rocky Aur Rani” gives her free reign with comedy and villainy, and she commands the screen with both. Her comedic timing rivals Singh’s, and Dhanlakshmi’s death glare belongs in the Hall of Fame right next to any role played by Amrish Puri.

Two things that make an immediate and wonderful impression are Eka Lakhani’s costuming and Ishita Moitra’s dialogue writing, both of which quickly piece together who these characters are in a film that doesn’t have much time to spend on their lives beyond family drama. Bhatt is draped in one gorgeous sari after another, and Singh appears in a range of designer tees and printed shirts, buttoned as low as public decency will allow.

Though it purports to be a tale of two houses, “Rocky Aur Rani” takes fairly obvious sides, painting heroes and villains and points of view as right or wrong. The Randhawas are portrayed as old-fashioned, conservative, and oppressive, while the Chatterjees, though somewhat snobbish, are liberal, open-minded, accepting. They warm to Rocky far earlier than any of the Randhawas to Rani. The film rarely attributes this to cultural differences between the Indian states of Bengal and Punjab (and why would it, when “Vicky Donor” centered the same conflict so delightfully in 2012?) — but still relies on those stereotypes — and as such becomes a matter of class and education. The themes are less heavy-handed than “Barbie,” even though they grow repetitive (and include a left field connection to cancel culture).

Pritam’s songs are serviceable as always, but no longer the groundbreaking hits he used to deliver; the catchiest track is “What Jhumka?” mainly because of its riff on the 1966 classic “Jhumka Gira Re,” and “Ve Kamleya” for its emotive function.

What remains to be seen is if “Rocky Aur Rani,” like so many modern Bollywood blockbusters, will have any longevity compared to the classics of the past. What makes Johar’s early work so indelible — what his imitators, and even his own later projects, have failed to emulate — is how they keep the audience coming back. I’m part of a generation that grew up watching, rewatching, quoting, and copying “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.” Nostalgia is nostalgia for a reason, finding comfort in films from childhood, but I can’t imagine young children who see “Rocky Aur Rani” having the same relationship with this film, or with most recent commercial successes.

Then again, the themes skew older, targeting not only Rocky and Rani’s generation but their parents and grandparents stuck in time. For “Rocky Aur Rani,” the true measure of success will be outside of Rockyland (yes, I’m invoking Barbie Land) and out here in the real world.

“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” is now playing in select theaters.

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Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani movie review: Karan Johar packs a few surprises in Alia Bhatt-Ranveer Singh’s melodramatic film

Rocky aur rani kii prem kahaani movie review: this alia bhatt-ranveer singh film has ginormous sets, blingy naach-gaana and a lot of emotions, but little originality..

Having finished watching ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, I have to confess I am conflicted: do I turn my back on this brand new film from Karan Johar because it’s loud and melodramatic in the way mainstream Hindi family dramas used to be and still determinedly are, refusing to budge from broad-brush-stroke-y conventions, 2023 be damned; or do I cherry pick some of the better, braver parts of the film which go big because of the film platforms them so large, and be happy about that in the at-least-it-has-these-bits-too way?

Rocky Randhawa ( Ranveer Singh ) from Karol Bagh is the kind of over-the-top Punjabi lunk that Ranveer Singh can do, and has done, in his sleep. Singh’s endearing energy is never to be denied, but we’ve seen this template oh-so-many-times before. The scion of a multi-millionaire mithai-wala, Rocky is accessorised with straining ‘dole sholey’, a personal trainer cum BFF, protein shakes, facial hair, and a fleet of fancy SUVs which match his outfit-of-the-day. His English is ‘tooti-phooti’, but he is good-at-heart. Rani Chatterji ( Alia Bhatt ) is an ‘ekdum mishti’ Bengali girl who has gone the LSR-American liberal arts college route, and is now a bleeding heart liberal media professional, who loves pulling up dodgy netas indulging in whataboutery around women’s safety.

Rocky lives in a palace, which looks like a set, with his sweet Dadaji ( Dharmendra ) who lives in a world of his own, an ultra-stern Dadiji (Jaya Bachchan), Daddyji (Aamir Bashir), mummyji (Kshitee Jog) and choti behen (Anjali Anand). Where in madly crowded West Delhi could that sprawling house exist? Silly question. Rani’s family consists of an English-spouting mommy (Churni Ganguly), an unconventional father (Tota Roy Choudhury) who is a Kathak dancer-cum-teacher, and a ‘thakuma’ (Shabana Azmi) who has once loved and lost. What kind of TV channel allows feisty truth-seeking anchors a free rein these days? What did I say about silly questions?

Rocky and Rani fall in love. You know, first sight and all. And while they are at it, we are given a very ‘Kabhie Kabhi’ vibe in Kashmir where there is snow, and swirling chiffons and songs. This segment seems to exist only because the movie wanted a song-in-Kashmir, not because the plot has any use for it. The two Rs may ostensibly be chalk and cheese, but their hearts are one. But their families differ wildly in culture and values, and scowl and demean each other: so very ‘Two States’, right? Cliches abound. Bengalis love roshogolla and Rabindra Nath Tagore, do adda, and are scornful of uncultured Punjabis. Talk about stereotypes. Punjabis, especially the kind that the Randhawas represent, believe in squashing their women, and throwing their weight around. Finally, you lose count of Johar’s own films, as well as the much-loved Yashraj romances, and a zillion other family dramas, which keep getting referenced, with characters bursting into old Hindi film songs to keep us doused in nostalgia.

In between this mesh of how to pour palatable wine in bottles which should appear new, but not startlingly so, the film keeps wanting to throw a surprise or two. And this is where it scores, even if it has to do in a severely explanatory manner: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani has no place for nuance, or subtlety; it’s the kind of film where every note is hammered in. The harried, bullied women of the Randhawa household finally find their voice (follow your heart!), the overbearing grandma (women can also be patriarchal!) discovers the error of her ways, and the men (both Singh and Bashir!) learn that respecting the elders is one thing, but no one has the right to be nasty to the ladies. Down with misogyny and patriarchy. Up with feminism. But wrap them all in on-the-nose dialogues. It’s same old, same old: romance between the rebellious young, but loving their families, and everyone living happily after.

One of the most striking sequences is shared by Ranveer Singh and Tota Roy Choudhuri whirling about on ‘Dola Re’ at a Durga puja pandal: the subversion involved in men being flagrantly sexually fluid is smack in-your-face, but is effective. Another one features Ranveer and Churni Ganguly in a lingerie shop, where a bra becomes a hook to hang a feminist lecture. You can look at it as a great progressive step, or a huge gimmick; it is, at least, different. But couldn’t it have been done without getting into lecture mode? And those are about the only things we can celebrate in this film, which has too much drama, and whose beats we thought we were done and dusted with.

Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt , sparkling, eyes lined in dark kohl, owns this film, the irrepressible Ranveer giving her good company. But where’s the jumping-your-bones-spark despite the kissy-kissy scenes? Certainly not enough to overlook the tired saas-bahu games being played out in the Randhawa parlour. Jaya Bachchan gets a lot of screen space, but is given, unforgivably, not even one chance to relax her frown and un-purse her lips. Dharmendra, playing a man who has lost his memory (of course Rocky has to pronounce it as ‘mammary’), is made to spend too much time looking spaced out. I really enjoyed Shabana’s against-type casting, and her instantly sinking into an old-style heroine who has fortified herself with a brief interlude with a handsome poet when she, and he, were young. And both Roy Choudhury and Ganguly leave an impact.

Karan Johar has always worked with the adage that describes a typical Bollywood potboiler– ‘iss film mein emotion hai, colour hai, aur bahut saara loud background music hai’– but in his better outings, he has managed to fuse those elements in his own individual stamp– an unapologetic cheesy aesthetic which goes hand-in-hand with moments of real heart, designed to make us melt. But in Rocky and Rani, that Johar is seen too rarely. You want big sets? Here, take ginormous. You want shine? Naach-gaana? Pretty funerals? Overdressed mansions? It’s all there. And you want originality? That’s asking for too much.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Director – Karan Johar Cast – Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Aamir Bashir, Tota Roy Choudhury, Churni Ganguly, Kshitee Jog, Anjali Anand Rating – 2/5

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Parents' guide to, rocky aur rani kii prem kahaani.

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Common Sense Media Review

Bollywood romantic comedy-drama touches on adult themes.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a Bollywood romantic comedy-drama with some adult themes. The two central characters, Rani (Alia Bhatt) and Rocky (Ranveer Singh), come from utterly different social and cultural backgrounds, and subsequently must win over each other's families so…

Why Age 13+?

Someone falls down the stairs and is injured. Characters playfully smack each ot

The film has a lot of romance with song and dance sequences. There is cheesy fli

A character drives luxurious cars and lives in a palace-like property.

"Witch," "moron," "bloody," "damn," "shut up," "fool," "hell," "mad," "crazy," a

Characters are seen drinking on numerous occasions.

Any Positive Content?

Rocky and Rani are supportive of each other and other members of their family, d

All characters are Indian; the film pans across Delhi and Kashmir. The film acti

Despite different upbringings and lifestyles, people can still foster healthy re

Parents need to know that Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a Bollywood romantic comedy-drama with some adult themes. The two central characters, Rani ( Alia Bhatt ) and Rocky ( Ranveer Singh ), come from utterly different social and cultural backgrounds, and subsequently must win over each other's families so that they can be together. There are multiple verbal disagreements and heated arguments between characters over the course of the movie. People threaten to hurt each other. There are also prolonged conversations about rape, domestic violence, and child abuse. A character accidentally falls down the stairs and they are hurt. People are slapped and smacked. In one sequence, characters drive dangerously and there is a small collision between two cars; no one is injured. After falling ill, someone is taken to the hospital where they die. There is romance, flirting, and heartbreak, and sexual jokes are made. Characters kiss and make out numerous times. Throughout the film, characters are seen drinking alcohol. Language includes "witch," "moron," "bloody," "damn," and "loser." The film is in Hindi with English subtitles.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Violence & Scariness

Someone falls down the stairs and is injured. Characters playfully smack each other. Threats of violence are made. There is one prolonged discussion about rape. Individuals drive recklessly causing two cars collide; no injury. There are heated verbal arguments between characters. A conversation surrounding domestic violence and child abuse takes place. Someone is slapped and another person's arm is smacked at. A character passes out and has to be rushed to the hospital, eventually dying.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

The film has a lot of romance with song and dance sequences. There is cheesy flirting and heartbreak. Sexual jokes and innuendoes are present. Characters are seen kissing and making out on multiple occasions.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

"Witch," "moron," "bloody," "damn," "shut up," "fool," "hell," "mad," "crazy," and "loser." "God" is used as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Rocky and Rani are supportive of each other and other members of their family, despite their cultural differences. They work toward being accepted by each other's family. Gayatri, Rocky's sister, and Punam, Rocky's mother, find their own voices and overcome the restrictions imposed on them.

Diverse Representations

All characters are Indian; the film pans across Delhi and Kashmir. The film actively challenges ideologies of misogyny and body-shaming. Characters perform the Kathak, a classical Indian dance form. A character suffers from memory loss and is a wheelchair user, but they are not reduced to their condition.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update .

Positive Messages

Despite different upbringings and lifestyles, people can still foster healthy relationships if they put in the effort. Patriarchal ideologies are flawed, orthodox, and toxic.

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What's the Story?

In ROCKY AUR RANI KII PREM KAHAANI, Rani ( Alia Bhatt ), a successful and self-reliant journalist, falls for the flamboyant Rocky ( Ranveer Singh ). But Rani and Rocky come from very different family backgrounds. Can they overcome their social and cultural differences and be with one another?

Is It Any Good?

This Bollywood romantic comedy-drama initiates serious conversations by poking at themes such as patriarchy, misogyny, and body-shaming. Directed by Karan Johar , Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani stands out as one of the director's most transgressive films, challenging ideas that dominate Indian society. Yet despite these heavy themes, and a runtime of nearly three hours, the film delivers a fun, flamboyant, and funny romance between its two leads Bhatt and Singh, with some feet-tapping Bollywood bangers to boot.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani 's messages of courage , empathy , and communication . Why are these such important character strengths to have?

Various characters are trapped under social obligations based on stereotypes of gender and patriarchal codes. Talk about how they deal with and overcome them.

How did the film deal with body-shaming through the character of Gayatri? What is body image?

Movie Details

• In theaters : July 28, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : September 22, 2023
• Cast : Alia Bhatt , Ranveer Singh , Dharmendra
• Director : Karan Johar
• Inclusion Information : Indian/South Asian directors, Female actors, Indian/South Asian actors
• Studio : Phars Film
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Music and Sing-Along
• Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Empathy
• Run time : 168 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : November 20, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani review: Karan Johar brings a preachy, never-ending saga of romance

Rocky aur rani kii prem kahaani review: the way karan johar blends emotions and humour is what remains the backbone of the film..

Rich families, over-the-top settings, family values, emotions, love, heartbreak topped with flashy costumes and beautifully choreographed dance numbers... Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (RARKPK) is your typical, if not ideal, masala film. Marking Karan Johar's return to direction after seven years since Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the excitement and expectations are palpable in the air. But, it all comes crashing down when the film takes too long to take you in, and eventually turns out to be a never-ending saga of romance and preachy lessons. Yes, it does bring back the grandeur of Karan Johar cinema that we missed for long, but not without its fair share of flaws. Amid several other things, what bothered me the most while watching RARKPK is the stereotypical portrayal of Punjabis as loud and uncivil people and Bengalis are overly educated and supremely intellectual lot. Come on, it's such a killjoy to see Bollywood being stuck in these cliches. No women in Punjabi households cover their heads with dupattas. And what's with the unapologetic objectification of the film's hero when for the longest time the audience have called out Bollywood films for sexualizing its female characters? Also read: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani box office prediction: Alia Bhatt-Ranveer Singh could open to ₹ 8-10 cr haul

The film begins with a smashing entry for Rocky Randhawa ( Ranveer Singh ) in his low neckline printed shirt and oily chest, with a over-the-top song set against the backdrop of Punjabi of the Year contest. Rani Chatterjee (Alia Bhatt), on the other hand, gets a much better written introduction scene where she is schooling a politician on rising rape cases. From the very beginning, we are told about the contrasting families that Randhawas and Chatterjees are. The story, pretty much given in the trailer, revolves around Rocky and Rani, whose love story begins when they are trying to reunite their respective grandparents Kanwal (Dharmendra) and Jamini (Shabana Azmi), who had an affair in 1978 that ended owing to their marital status. While the old-world romance is reviving, Rocky and Rani don't have it easy coming from different backgrounds. To convince their families, they decide to switch households for three months and live with each other's families only to realise things aren't as easy as they may seem. What follows next is a series of ups and down, hardships, insults, fights, self-realisations and regrets.

At 168 minutes, the film is unnecessarily stretched and it took me almost an hour to find my grip. The first half, especially, is such a drag that I literally struggled to sit through it while watching the initial few sequences. God knows what was happening there on screen. How did Rocky and Rani fall in love? I still don't know. It was so rushed that I almost went on a rewind mode to think if I missed anything. Alas! it actually is very abrupt. How come Rocky's grandmother, Dhanlakmi Randhawa (Jaya Bachchan) was okay with her husband meeting his ex-lover? We never get to know that either.

Predictably, the story picks pace in the second half and there are enough emotionally-charged scenes that are noteworthy and keep you hooked. The scenes where Rocky is bonding with Rani's family are moving and carry wit and humour, while Rani's portions with Randhawas are most intense and not too pleasant. I liked that balance that KJo tried to show while switching between the two households. With his on-point and near-perfect direction, KJo yet again proves that he knows the strength of his actors and how to make the most of it through the characters they portray. The way he blends emotions and humour is what remains the backbone of the film.

Written by Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan and Sumit Roy, RARKPK has some dialogues that are extremely lame and double meaning words and one-liners that seem forced. Guess we've had enough of Bollywood writers trying to make people laugh with wrongly pronounced words -- inter-caste as intercourse and organise as orgasm --we need something cleverer than this please!

Another thing that looks unsettling for most part of the film is the endless preaching sessions. From slamming patriarchy, calling out misogyny to rubbing feminism in our faces, there's no dearth of messaging. There's a whole sequence that stresses on 'talent transcends the boundaries of gender' ideology and I liked that inclusion at first. But, it gets problematic when it's stretched beyond a point and when it's conveyed in a poor taste by ridiculing a classic dance form like Kathak. I doubt many would laud the scene when Rocky tells Rani's father, 'Inko Madhuri chadh gayi hai'. There's another portion where Rani's mother takes Rocky 'bra-shopping' and then lectures him on respecting women but first being comfortable to touch the bra. It comes and goes without any context. Next in the line was a debate on racism where a Rocky has been told all his life by his grandmother to avoid drinking tea as it darkens the complexion, whereas the Bengali household call it extremely racist. This is followed by a mention of #BlackLivesMatter, Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye West and the Punjabi song Kaala Shah Kaala in the same breath. Oh, there's more. Alia is like a textbook on feminist dialogues, and while I'm all for gender equality and women's rights, I don't understand why in a so-called family entertainer, you would insert so many social messages and take away its essence? RARKPK should have stuck to being a love story and family drama rather than enter these territories and try to send out so many messages.

Saving the day are some decent and convincing performances with very little to complain there. Ranveer as the flamboyant and boisterous Punjabi 'Karol Bagh ka launda' delivers an effortless act, more so because he is playing himself. Not that I'm complaining, but I didn't see much of acting or prep there. Watching him do all those funny antics, it didn't feel any different from the times we've seen him walk the red carpet at events or going overboard during his film promotions. And why isn't he educated despite his family having all the money? Not that there's anything to not knowing English, but there was no reason for KJo to show him as a school or college dropout. In contrast, Alia, as the educated and ambitious TV journalist, looks gorgeous in every single frame and is a sight for sore eyes in those lovely Manish Malhotra chiffon sarees with backless blouses. She delivers equally brilliantly in the acting department. Though there are a couple of scenes where you sense the overacting, thankfully, they don't bother much. In the emotionally charged scenes, both Ranveer and Alia put their A-game forward and convince you that such altercations still happen in the most educated families.

As the strict and orthodox matriarch of the family, Jaya Bachchan is the best of the lot. Even with her own share of eccentricities and strict demeanour, she manages to trigger some genuine laughs at places. She is quite unlike her characters in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham or Kal Ho Na Ho, and KJo makes sure to give her enough scope to let people enjoy her on-screen. Dharmendra has a pleasant screen presence, but sadly, he barely has two dialogues in the film and one song that lights up the mood in the entire theatre. Shabana Azmi, with her finesse, adds the gravitas she's known for and doesn't disappoint. She has enough to showcase and charms with her scenes with Dharmendra. Churni Ganguly and Tota Roy Chowdhary as Rani's parents are on-point with their performances. Aamir Bashir and Kshitee Jog as Rocky's parents are convincing and bring the Punjabi flavour alive in their accent and gestures. Adding a breath of fresh air to all these stereotypical characters is Anjali Anand as Rocky's sister. With enough scenes to showcase her acting prowess, she looks confident and has a great screen presence.

What stood out in RARKPK has to be its music. While Jhumka and Dhindhora Baje Re are full-on party tracks, Tum Kya Mile and Ve Kamleya are soultouching. The film also pays an homage to classics by Mohd Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar and that ode to the old world charm of Bollywood music is what I truly enjoyed. Oh, and there's also Baba Sehgal's famous track, Aaja Meri Gaadi Mein Baith Jaa, played more than once. Watch the film to know why it is a crucial one in the story. And KJo has not forgotten his nepo starkids (hint: watch out for starry cameos).

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra, Churni Ganguly, Tota Roy Chowdhary, Aamir Bashir, Kshitee Jog

Director: Karan Johar

• Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani
• Ranveer Singh
• Jaya Bachchan
• Shabana Azmi
• Karan Johar

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Home » Movies » Bollywood Movie Reviews

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Movie Review: It’s Exactly What Would Transpire When Ranveer Singh’s Crazy Makes Some Steamy Love With Karan Johar’s Eccentric

This is the most 'ranveer singh' ranveer singh could ever be..

Star Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Kshitee Jog, Abhinav Sharma, Anjali Anand, Aamir Bashir,  Churni Ganguly

Director: Karan Johar

What’s Good: A whimsical display of emotions in the most ‘KJo-marries-Ranveer’ way possible

What’s Bad: Every character gets an emotional backdrop adding to the overall drama

Loo Break: Yep, it’s close to 3 hours and you’ll find yourself gulping Colas to optimally enjoy the theatrics on-screen

Watch or Not?: Are you someone who thought Bollywood was losing its identity in order to mimic other industries? Well, here you go! Watch this asap.

Language: Hindi

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 2 hours 48 minutes

At the core, it’s all about the clash of two contrasting Desi families – the ‘Crazy Rich Indians’ power-packed Punjabis ‘Randhawas’ & the classy Bengali babus ‘Chatterjees’. But, it’s not Rocky (Ranveer Singh) & Rani ( Alia Bhatt ) who fall for each other to give birth to this emotional & entertaining carnage between two groups, it’s their grandparents.

Yep, an important sub-plot made me think about Golmaal 3, but sooner than enough Karan Johar adds his twists and turns to mould this into Rocky & Rani’s ‘Prem Kahaani’. Following a ‘switch’, both decide to live with each other’s family for a while to decide if they would be able to adjust after getting married. What transpires next forms the major crux of the film.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Movie Review: Script Analysis

With the screenplay & story divided amongst all three Shashank Khaitan (Humpty Sharma, Badrinath Ki Dulhania), Sumit Roy ( Gehraiyaan ) & Ishita Moitra (Four More Shots Please, Unpaused), the latter is also responsible for one of the most colourful one-liners we’ve heard in Bollywood. This feels like an event film from frame one, and the feeling remains constant throughout. The story, despite the predictable route it takes, packs in a lot for lovers of Hindi films like us.

The breezing fun in the first half gets a bit weighed down by the emo-heavy second half, but Karan doesn’t restrict himself from trying everything and anything to give multiple high points. He uses the ‘tribute to Hindi cinema’ card with all his smartness, resulting in a few of the most epic sequences. Backed by Manush Nandan’s striking camerawork, KJo manages to keep the scale to its optimum best throughout.

Karan does something he rarely has done before, starts breaking out his emotional sequences infusing a funny line or action, and it works wonders. This is something Rajkumar Hirani has nailed over the years, and it’s amazing to see KJo coming up with his quirky ideas to do so. Yep, the film could’ve been 15-20 minutes shorter, but I relate to overstuffing things when you’ve so much material to pack in.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Movie Review: Star Performance

This is the most ‘Ranveer Singh’ Ranveer Singh could ever be. He’s everything one would expect him to be in a Karan Johar film. He would have you at ‘Helllllo Bebz, this side Rocky Randhawa!’ Be it a simple ‘scuuuuze!’ or the dramatic poignant dysfunctional family monologues, Ranveer masters each and every single thing proving there’s no limit to this man’s range. You just can’t put a pause on what his talent could do with scripts like these.

Alia Bhatt’s earnest presence blends in extremely well with all the craziness happening around her. It’s a tough task to match the towering madness of Ranveer in this film, but she does it with such ease. Yep, her character falls into the trap of being a part of a bit flaky side of the narration, but it’s okay because of the balance the script maintains throughout.

Dharmendra, majorly, has one dialogue throughout the film, and it comes at a juncture where you’d shed a tear or two for the crazy Randhawas & no one could’ve done better than Dharam ji. His track with Shabana Azmi is both emotionally satisfying & a bit stretched in parts. But, yes, you wouldn’t have gotten to see these veteran stars in such a style in any other film apart from this, and I’m not complaining at all. It’s Shabana who would take your heart away once again with all her charm & eternal beauty.

Many of us won’t realise how smart Karan Johar is, not just as a director but as a filmmaker writing his characters. He didn’t just keep in mind Jaya Bachchan’s social-media presence of being the angry old aunt who’d snap out at things she won’t like in front of the whole world, he used that to mould her character ‘Dhanlaxmi’ in a way that you feel Mrs Sr B is playing an extension of her social-media character in the film.

After a couple of failed attempts, I’m glad Bollywood could give Tota Roy Chowdhury (Rani’s father) a role to be remembered for. It’s not remotely as depth as his body of work in Bengali films, but it’s something really touchy and would be personal for many. His character utters, “Hunar ka koi gender nahi hota!” & you’d cheer for him like you know him personally. Kshitee Jog as Rocky’s mother gets a beautiful arc to finish the film with despite a shaky start.

Abhinav Sharma as Rocky’s friend is forgettable and a typical KJo-film friend who vanishes in a couple of scenes once the emotional drama kicks in. Anjali Anand as Rocky’s sister & Aamir Bashir as Rocky’s father are just about okay, both acting-wise and script-wise. Churni Ganguly as the ‘in-house Shashi Tharoor’ is electric and gets the essence of being Bengali better than everyone else.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Movie Review: Direction, Music

From what I could count, Karan Johar has used a little over 20 on-the-face references to classic Bollywood films through songs, dialogues & each one of them is masterfully blended in the screenplay. A sequence in the second half received an unimaginable amount of hooting and cheering, and I’d love to see how the regular viewers would accept that. I still can’t stop laughing at Ranveer’s Rocky designing a beautiful place with stars & moons to propose Alia’s Rani and call it ‘Garden Of The Galaxy’; it just couldn’t get lamer & funnier, and I didn’t get a place to fit the above feedback anywhere in the review, so I’m just placing it here even though I know it doesn’t fit but mah review mah rhulz.

I would’ve never thought Pritam would be one of the weakest links in a Karan Johar directorial. There was no scope for him to go average in this one. The songs are better when placed in the film, but the die-hard Pritam-da fanatic in me wanted tracks that would sit in my playlist forever. All the songs seem to be created only for their hook lines, and nothing apart from that works in any one of them. A better track Heartthrob (giving major Heyy Babyy’s title track vibes visually), wasn’t even released before the film’s release. Even the signature song Tum Kya Miley doesn’t reach the Pritam-Amitabh Bhattacharya-Karan Johar levels.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Movie Review: The Last Word

All said and done, this has everything that the Bollywood family entertainers were missing; it is exactly what would transpire when Ranveer’s CRAZY makes some steamy love with KJo’s ECCENTRIC.

Three and a half stars!

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Trailer:

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani releases on 28th July, 2023.

Share with us your experience of watching Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.

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Must Read: Bawaal Movie Review: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor’s Film Stay True To Its Title Making A Chaotic Mess Of Everything!

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Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani movie review and release LIVE Updates: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt starrer has a decent start at the box office

Manish Malhotra decodes Alia's saree look from Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani

"Working on 'Rocky and Rani....' with Karan was pure fun as it always is. Karan had this idea of having Alia in sarees to portray her character of a bright Bengali journalist, and everyone knows how much I adore chiffon. Bringing back that old school cinema vibe into her look was the aim - the drama, the romance, all of it. With the play of colours and chiffon sarees, I wanted to showcase not just her journey but also the golden era of rom-com cinema," he said.

Friends, R and R ki prem kahani Film ???? … please see the film…..and inform .. ..how successful is your Dharam in playing his role …. at this age….????

There have been some minor cuts that have been asked by the board and we respect that completely and that has been coordinated but whatever cut (of 'Khela hobe') you're talking about is not the case.

Alia Bhatt on cuts suggested by the CBFC

Fan hails Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt's chemistry!

— versatilefan (@versatilefan)

Javed Akhtar calls RARKPK a Must Watch!

— Javedakhtarjadu (@Javedakhtarjadu)

Internet user reviews Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

And no one should ever doubt the direction of karan johar he brings out best on screen and some critics were right that #RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani is on KKKG level maybe better and he brought the cancel culture in such a unique and emotional way and not a single boring scene

'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' box office day 1 early estimates: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt starrer has a decent start

RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani reports are GOLD!! As twitter often puts it.. BLOCKBUSTER loading!! Massive congratulations to @RanveerOfficial @aliaa08 MrsB. Dharam-ji, @ipritamofficial and above all, Karan! Big boost to the film business!

Vishal Dadlani congratulates team RRKPK.

Do watch Rocky and Rani..funny. Moving. Wholesome, entertaining with cracking performances. The dialogue writing needs a special mention too.

Farhan Akhtar

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is winning hearts!

— AChandna10 (@AChandna10)

This film has a dream star cast .. @aapkadharam ji, Jayaji, @azmishabanal8 ji -ufff can't ask for more, I was such a thrilled audience last night.. @aliaabhatt there's a reason why you are -where you are, because you are so damn good, @ranveersingh -phenomenal, had my heart throughout the film .. Congratulations to the entire star cast too I @manishmalhotra05 you are a magician who just makes everything look so good .. Congratulations @inritamofficial and @apoorval972 and to everyone who is a part of this beautiful film. Absolutely loved it.

Genelia Deshmukh

Sriti Jha spills the beans on her cameo in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sriti Jha (@itisriti)

Raveena Tandon, Kajol, Atlee, and others shower praise on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

So much to say.This movie isn't K3G of my time it's a freshly made family drama. It's Rocky aur Rani ki prem kahani.This movie is EVERYTHING this includes laughter,cries,masala and what not... My Bollywood heart is so happy after longggg time????#RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani

Netizen hails Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh's performance in RARKPK

Kajol reviews Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani: Must watch! @karanjohar u are BACK!

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Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Reviews

This is a long movie, but it never feels like it. It’s a movie that makes me smile even when thinking about it. Do yourself a favor, find this movie and watch it.

Full Review | Feb 29, 2024

Karan Johar delivers one of the best Bollywood films of 2023 in the form of Ranveer Singh & Alia Bhatt's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 20, 2023

The film is a shiny but shallow family drama that uses disappointingly obsolete methods to serve up contemporary, pertinent theories about the need to be mindful in love, loyalty and language.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 20, 2023

The rich pool of talent led by Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt is let down by shallow writing that gains momentum only in the second half.

Full Review | Dec 20, 2023

Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt face off as two unlikely lovers whose families clash over progressiveness and tradition – culminating in a finale that out-pinks Barbie.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 20, 2023

Directed by Karan Johar, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani stands out as one of the director's most transgressive films, challenging ideas that dominate Indian society.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 22, 2023

[It] marks a tectonic shift in mainstream Hindi cinema’s perception and representation of gender dynamics...

Full Review | Nov 17, 2023

Jaya Bachchan as the angry old matriarch is a masterstroke in casting.

Full Review | Sep 14, 2023

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a complete entertainer, having something for everybody. Watch it for its funny as hell storyline and some cracking performances from the entire ensemble cast.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 14, 2023

The patriarchy gets a takedown that is about as believable as an attempt to embrace imperfection in a landscape where no impeccably styled character ever repeats a costume.

Full Review | Aug 14, 2023

It has elements of a stereotypical romantic comedy/drama, but there's also some clever satire, as well as plenty of interesting commentary about society's gender role restrictions. The movie's production design and cinematography are visual treats.

Full Review | Aug 2, 2023

A movie that simultaneously embraces everything that Karan Johar stands for, and in one fell swoop, dismantles the very foundation upon which he has built his career.

On the surface, it appears to be a boisterous parody in the body of a soap opera and the soul of a musical. Dig deeper and you'll discover a shrewd subversion of traditions and values by the same man who popularised and glamorised its virtues to the hilt.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 1, 2023

Karan Johar wins hearts and updates the Bollywood spectacle.

Full Review | Jul 31, 2023

The central love story is backed by the sadder story of the grandparents, all played by giants of Hindi cinema, with a respect for life’s complications and disappointments that has almost entirely vanished from American movies.

Rocky aur Rani kii Prem Kahani is very much its own movie. It’s delicious eye-candy with a rebellious core. Despite the flabby portions, I exited with a smile, wishing that Rocky was real and wanting to give my family a jhappi.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, though, never snaps. It soars, endlessly, because it energises — not defines — itself with these references.

This Alia Bhatt-Ranveer Singh film has ginormous sets, blingy naach-gaana and a lot of emotions, but little originality.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 31, 2023

The way Karan Johar blends emotions and humour is what remains the backbone of the film.

Two things that make an immediate and wonderful impression are Eka Lakhani’s costuming and Ishita Moitra’s dialogue writing.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jul 31, 2023