With the release of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, Karan Johar is once again behind the camera. Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt play prominent roles in the movie. Pritam composed the score for this film which also stars Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi, and Jaya Bachchan.
In this movie, you’ll visit Delhi. Both Ranveer Singh’s Rocky Randhawa and Alia Bhatt’s Rani Chatterjee come from different backgrounds. They naturally fall in love, but it takes some doing to win over their respective families. In order to persuade them, they devise a plan to live with other families temporarily. The Bachchans have Jaya, the Azmis have Shabana. Another surprising narrative is being cooked in the background if this one isn’t enough. The film chronicles Rocky and Rani’s journey to persuade their respective families and ultimately triumph in love.
Performances
Ranveer Singh is convincing as the brash young man from Delhi. He fits the part like a glove, and Ranveer gives it his all. However, there are also a number of instances when Ranveer hams it up for no apparent reason. Karan Johar may have acted more naturally in his character if he had toned it down a touch. The film is led by Alia Bhatt’s fantastic performance as the lead protagonist. Legends like Jaya Bachchan star in pivotal parts in the film. The loud, rigid personality of the renowned heroine might grate on your nerves. Dharmendra provides a powerful performance and adds a new layer of meaning to the picture. When Shabana Azmi performs, she excels. The problem, though, is in the supporting characters. Karan Johar, known for casting major actors in little parts, had a number of miscast newcomers in this film.
Analysis
Even though Karan Johar movies are famed for their catchy soundtracks, only Tum Kya Mile and What Jhumka manage to have you tapping your toes. The remainder of Pritam’s contributions are standard fare at best. The film’s elaborate production design is one of its strongest points. The costuming, by Manish Malhotra, is excellent, and each scene looks lavish. Many intense situations in the second half are drawn out needlessly, making for some stale editing. Karan Johar’s storytelling is problematic on many levels, and the drama presented here fails to make its mark.
After a time, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani becomes a traditional love tale with a focus on the couple’s respective families. It’s a style that filmmaker Karan Johar has identified with throughout his life, and it seems like a breath of fresh air among all the intense tragedies. The potential audience for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is far larger and more relatable than that of the past several Karan Johar movies, which targeted a certain portion of the public riding on size, color, music, humor, and drama.
The movie features numerous hilarious scenes and lines of speech; whenever the action slows down, someone says something witty to try to perk up the audience. Despite being a little hurried, the early part of the film has some sweet love scenes between Alia and Ranveer. One of the film’s high points is the birthday scene itself, followed by Kashmir and the restoration of the characters’ chemistry. The opening performances by Rocky and Rani are also excellent. The second half’s drama is hit or miss, but the pre-climactic act revolving around Dharmendra’s character is really effective. The conclusion is also effectively dramatic. The drama after the Dhindhora segment also succeeds in making an impression.
The ensemble as a whole delivers strong performances, and the incorporation of familiar works into the story works effectively.
Leave a Reply