The film “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” is the ideal remedy for the troll culture that has crept into the movie business. Alia Bhatt, Karan Johar’s go-to muse and someone who detractors frequently use as a target for hurtful remarks, makes her directorial debut on the big screen. Social media may have branded him as the Kingpin of the movie mafia, who has the power to build or break careers, and her as the poster child for nepotism. But their love and enthusiasm for the art of filmmaking is what has endured and is unbreakable.
So much has changed when Karan Johar returns to directing after a seven-year break. His leading actors, Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, were most recently seen in the Mumbai slums of “Gully Boy,” a brutal rustic environment. They weren’t enhancing the lustre of their already dazzling stardom with designer labels and chiffon sarees. Is RARKPK a failure or the return of the ol’ 70mm larger-than-life blockbuster theatre experience? Let’s find out.
Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) is a flamboyant, OTT (over-the-top), noisy Delhi lad who embodies all the actor portraying this role has come to represent. Like Rocky, Ranveer portrays the boisterous, campy, boombox-clutching kid whose cleavage gives the fairer sex a run for their money in the public eye. Sparks ignite when Rocky meets Rani (Alia Bhatt), who is the complete opposite of him and seems like an improbable fit. These flames don’t take long to ignite the embers of the past.
Grandmom Jamini (Shabana Azmi) and grandpa Kanwal (Dharmendra), Rocky’s amnesiac grandfather, are acquainted. A lot of cultural differences and funny awkward encounters in this fusion of two states, where North (Delhi) meets East (Kolkata), make for a fast-paced and crisp first half. Rocky’s grandmother, played by Jaya Bachchan, is a vamp who stands in the way of Rocky and Rani’s ability to experience true love. She upholds all of the morally correct behaviour expected of women in the home. She has retrograde morals and a fiery temper that could roast any YouTuber who considers himself to be the Ricky Gervais of his generation.
Films by Karan Johar have established a legacy and given rise to a genre that is frequently imitated yet infrequently reproduced. As a result, you can tell that the OG is coming prepared with plenty of ammunition when he enters the game. His wit, sarcasm, dark humour, sense of humour, and rebuttals are all in tact. The tone for some of the funniest sequences is created by the matchup between the refined Chatterjee family and the boisterous Randhawas.
The fact that the correct performers have been cast in these roles is a big factor in the delicious performances. The casting is perfect, from Tota Roy Chowdhury, who plays Rani’s father, to Aamir Bashir, who plays Rocky’s father. The use of Jaya Bachchan as the vampire dadi is brilliant. Her portrayal of the CEO of the Randhawa ladoo plant and her expressions come at a time when the veteran actress sparks a meme frenzy every time she leaves the house.
Ranveer Singh is the main attraction; his Rocky will make you think of the charming and amusing Bittoo Sharma from his first movie, “Band Baaja Baarat.” He seems to be acting himself because he fits the role like a glove. In the sequences with Alia, his comedic timing and delicate tenderness are really great. Rani, played by Alia, is a charming Bong girl with a strong personality who can breathe.
The second half has several messages and commentaries on subjects including racism, fat shaming, defining toxic masculinity, and cancel culture, while the first half is lighthearted and entertaining. KJo has so masterfully woven the “Dola re Dola” performance into the story, which is a pivotal event for the LGBT community, that you have to applaud him for his pure brilliance. Shabana and Dharamji’s song sequence, which is based on classics from the late 1970s and early 1980s, has a strong nostalgic value and feeling.
The film “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” also frequently alludes to KJo’s own productions. You’ll be thrilled for hours by the Gen-Z stars Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Panday, and Janhvi Kapoor’s cameos in the title song and by some dialogue that pays homage to Karan’s earlier work.
Near the end of the second half, things start to sag, and KJo starts to exhibit some of the clichéd symptoms of having too much on his plate. But ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ is a family-friendly film that serves as a subtle reminder of Karan’s history and his fondness for blockbuster films.
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