Having completed observing ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, I have to confess I am conflicted: do I flip my lower back on this company new movie from Karan Johar due to the fact it’s loud and melodramatic in the way mainstream Hindi household dramas used to be and nevertheless determinedly are, refusing to budge from broad-brush-stroke-y conventions, 2023 be damned; or do I cherry choose some of the better, braver components of the movie which go massive due to the fact of the movie systems them so large, and be completely happy about that in the at-least-it-has-these-bits-too way?
Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) from Karol Bagh is the form of over-the-top Punjabi lunk that Ranveer Singh can do, and has done, in his sleep. Singh’s endearing electricity is by no means to be denied, however we’ve considered this template oh-so-many-times before. The scion of a millionaire mithai-wala, Rocky is accessorised with straining ‘dole sholey’, a non-public coach cum BFF, protein shakes, facial hair, and a fleet of fancy SUVs which suit his outfit-of-the-day. His English is ‘tooti-phooti’, however he is good-at-heart. Rani Chatterji (Alia Bhatt) is an ‘ekdum mishti’ Bengali lady who has long past the LSR-American liberal arts university route, and is now a bleeding coronary heart liberal media professional, who loves pulling up dodgy netas indulging in whataboutery round women’s safety.
Rocky lives in a palace, which appears like a set, with his candy 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 may want to that sprawling residence exist? Silly question. Rani’s household 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 as soon as cherished and lost. What type of TV channel permits feisty truth-seeking anchors a free rein these days? What did I say about stupid questions?
Rocky and Rani fall in love. You know, first sight and all. And whilst they are at it, we are given a very ‘Kabhie Kabhi’ vibe in Kashmir the place there is snow, and swirling chiffons and songs. This phase looks to exist solely due to the fact the film desired a song-in-Kashmir, no longer due to the fact the plot has any use for it. The two Rs may additionally ostensibly be chalk and cheese, however their hearts are one. But their households range wildly in subculture and values, and scowl and demean every 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, specially the form that the Randhawas represent, trust in squashing their women, and throwing their weight around. Finally, you lose be counted of Johar’s personal films, as nicely as the much-loved Yashraj romances, and a zillion different household dramas, which hold getting referenced, with characters bursting into historic Hindi movie songs to preserve us doused in nostalgia.
In between this mesh of how to pour palatable wine in bottles which need to show up new, however no longer startlingly so, the movie continues looking to throw a shock 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 vicinity for nuance, or subtlety; it’s the form of movie the place each and every notice is hammered in. The harried, bullied female of the Randhawa family subsequently discover their voice (follow your heart!), the overbearing grandma (women can additionally be patriarchal!) discovers the error of her ways, and the guys (both Singh and Bashir!) analyze that respecting the elders is one thing, however no one has the proper to be nasty to the ladies. Down with misogyny and patriarchy. Up with feminism. But wrap them all in dialogues leached of all nuance. It’s identical old, identical old: romance between the rebellious young, however loving their families, and absolutely everyone residing fortunately after.
One of the most putting sequences is shared via Ranveer Singh and Tota Roy Choudhuri whirling about on ‘Dola Re’ at a Durga puja pandal: the subversion concerned in guys being flagrantly sexually fluid is smack in-your-face, however is effective. Another one facets Ranveer and Churni Ganguly in a lingerie shop, the place a bra turns into a hook to grasp a feminist lecture. You can seem to be at it as a extraordinary revolutionary step, or a big gimmick; it is, at least, different. But couldn’t it have been carried out barring getting into lecture mode? And these are about the solely matters we can rejoice in this film, which has too a good deal drama, and whose beats we concept we have been finished and dusted with.
Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt, eyes lined in darkish kohl, owns this film, the irrepressible Ranveer giving her true company. But where’s the jumping-your-bones-spark notwithstanding the kissy-kissy scenes? Certainly no longer ample to neglect the worn-out saas-bahu video games being performed out in the Randhawa parlour. Jaya Bachchan receives a lot of display space, however is given, unforgivably, no longer even one threat to loosen up her frown and un-purse her lips. Dharmendra, taking part in a man who has misplaced his reminiscence (of direction Rocky has to pronounce it as ‘mammary’), is made to spend too lots time searching spaced out. I surely loved Shabana’s against-type casting, and her immediately sinking into an old-style heroine who has fortified herself with a short interlude with a good-looking poet when she, and he, had been young. And each Roy Choudhury and Ganguly depart an impact.
Karan Johar has usually labored with the adage that describes a normal Bollywood potboiler– ‘iss movie mein emotion hai, color hai, aur bahut saara loud history track hai’– however in his higher outings, he has managed to fuse these factors in his very own person stamp– an unapologetic tacky aesthetic which goes hand-in-hand with moments of actual heart, designed to make us melt. But in Rocky and Rani, that Johar is viewed too rarely. You favor huge sets? Here, take ginormous. You desire shine? Naach-gaana? Pretty funerals? Overdressed mansions? It’s all there. And you prefer originality? That’s asking for too much.