Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Review: Directed by Karan Johar, the film stars Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Churni Ganguly, Aamir Bashir, Kshitee Jog, Anjali Anand and others. The romantic comedy is written by Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan and Sumit Roy. The music is composed by Pritam. Manush Nandan has done the cinematography, and the editing is by Nitin Baid. The runtime of RRKPK is 168 minutes.

Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) is a super cool Punjabi Munda of Delhi, controlled by his father, Tijori Randhawa (Aamir Bashir), and a super strict grandmother, Dhanalakshmi Randhawa (Jaya Bachchan). Due to an incident in the past, his grandfather, Kuwaljit (Dharmendra), has trouble remembering names and struggles to speak. But one day, Kuwaljit kept saying the name Jamini (Shabana Azmir). Rocky takes up the mission to find out who Jamini is, and she turns out to be Rani Chatterjee’s (Alia Bhatt) grandmother.

As Rocky and Rani join hands to bring together Kuwaljit and Jamini, things start to spice up between them too. Well, here begins Rocky and Rani’s love story, filled with lots of romance, differences, and drama.

I will start with a confession: when the Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Trailer dropped, I wasn’t impressed. I felt like there was a passion for romance missing that makes Karan Johar’s movies so delightful and memorable. After watching the movie, I realised the trailer doesn’t justify how wonderful it is!

The first half of RARKPR is supremely entertaining. Whether it’s the introduction to the Randhawa family, Rocky’s bizarre self-introduction to Rani, or the entire set-up to help Kuwaljit and Jamini meet, the narrative amuses you comprehensively. Every joke, even the silliest one, makes you laugh out loud. It is packed with great nostalgia—the amalgamation of good old Hindi songs, the reunion of old lovers, and the blossoming of new love. Every scene that features Ranveer Singh makes the first half thoroughly enjoyable.

There’s always been a discussion of how characters in Hindi movies fall in love quickly. The same happens in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahanii. But Karan has explained it quite well. Sometimes some people make us feel things deeply within a short time. Trust me, the dialogue sounds much better in Hindi in the movie. Isn’t that true? We click with certain individuals in no time, and they greatly impact our lives.

In the second half, the plot becomes intense and dramatic and works most of the time. Rocky and Rani stay with each other’s families to impress and win their trust and acceptance. It’s fun initially until situations get out of hand for our lovebirds. What starts as slight differences between Rocky and Rani and their families intensifies as they call out each other for their mindsets, values, and ways of living. I was intrigued whenever the premise got heated up due to these disputes. But at times, there was too much melodrama – in a Laddu scene and a kitchen scene.

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Karan Johar truly believes it’s all about loving your family, as that sentiment takes the upper hand in the last hour. The ups and downs between the families, the leading couple, and the tragedies help shape the conclusion gratifyingly. Dhanalakshmi Randhawa is the female Yashvardhan Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), with 10 times more bitterness in her heart. I sometimes feel bad for her but also wonder why Dhanalakshmi never shows affection for anyone. Even her equation with the family is all about control and dominance. So is love enough to cast away the deep-rooted resentment? You will be amazed to see how Karan makes things right.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a full-family entertainer. But what makes it special are some key sequences that deserve applause. A scene featuring Rani’s father (played by Tota Roy Chowdhury) and Rocky regarding career and cancel culture is brilliant. I do not want to reveal anything else in detail because these sequences emphasising body shaming and patriarchy are best seen, felt, and relished. The credit for making these conversations seamlessly a part of the story goes to the impeccable writing by Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, and Sumit Roy.

Another thing I liked is how the makers handled the entire discussion of changes a girl has to make when she gets married. In Tu Jhooti Main Makkaar and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, the women are manipulated into accepting that being with the men’s families is the best way to live a happy married life. In RARKPH, I love the equal efforts taken by both Rocky and Rani to understand each other’s choices and families. It’s good to see a girl not burdened with guilt for voicing out what she wants.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a romantic movie by genre and a musical at heart. Music composer Pritam has feasted us with some comforting and mesmerising songs. Ve Kamleya, sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, stayed with me. But what I didn’t expect was the addition of some iconic old Hindi melodies. As someone who loves cheesy romance, it was good to see characters expressing feelings using these Hindi songs, even with an eccentric track like Aaja Meri Gaadi Mein Baith Jaa. Music is one of the driving forces of this endearing love story. Be ready to hoot and marvel over the Dola Re Dola performance with a twist!

It isn’t the first time Ranveer Singh has played a Delhi Boy. As Bittu Sharma, he was fantastic in his debut film, Band Baaja Baaraat (2010). But brace yourself, because you aren’t prepared to see what he brings to the screen as Rocky Randhawa. He gets into the skin of the typical Delhi boy, wearing flashy clothes with a loud personality and broken English, so convincingly as if these are his real qualities. Ranveer is remarkable with his comic timing and captures your attention in every emotional scene packed with dialogue that hits you hard.

Alia Bhatt plays the fierce, ambitious, and passionate Rani Chatterjee incredibly well. Intense scenes with breakdowns or monologues are her strong suits. What I liked about Rani is how relatable she is when she talks to herself. Alia and Ranveer’s chemistry is winsome, and the actors uplift each other’s performances, making you root for their love story from their first flirtatious glance.

It takes guts to play a cold-hearted person in a world full of lively people, and Jaya Bachchan has done it exceptionally well. Her character, Dhanalakshmi Randhawa, is not likeable, and the actor hasn’t shied away from bringing on screen every mean expression she knows. But I wish the makers had given us a deep insight into why she’s so bitter and resentful towards others. Actors Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Aamir Bashir, Kshitee Jog and Churni Ganguly are important pillars of this Prem Kahaani and make the movie even more splendid.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Review: Final Thoughts

Overall, get ready for lots of fun, excitement, and tears, and relive the good old Bollywood charm we have all grown up watching. There’s immense love, laughter, and drama in Karan Johar’s latest directorial. The superlative performances and music make the movie a complete entertainment package.

The movie is releasing in theatres on July 28, 2023.