Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Review: Ranveer, Alia shine bright like diamonds in KJo’s return to form

'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' is the perfect rebuttal to the troll culture that has seeped into the crevices of the film industry. Karan Johar returns to the director’s chair with Alia as muse - Alia Bhatt, who often becomes instant fodder for naysayers to pinpoint and make toxic comments about. Call her nepotism’s poster child and him the godfather of the “Bollywood mafia” all you want, but there’s no denying their time-tested, unbreakable, unshakeable love and passion for their craft. So, when Karan Johar returns to direction after a hiatus of seven years, there is a lot that has changed. His lead pair, Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, were last seen in a gritty rustic setting in the underbelly of Mumbai in 'Gully Boy'. No designer labels and chiffon sarees were adding to the glamour of their already radiant stardom.

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Ranveer as Rocky Randhawa is every bit the flamboyant, boisterous dude he is in real life. Rocky’s persona mirrors the loud, camp, boombox-clutching boy, whose cleavage routinely gives the fairer sex a run for their money. When Rocky meets an unlikely match in Rani (Alia Bhatt), who is the polar opposite of him, sparks fly. It doesn’t take too long for these sparks to ignite embers from the past.

Rocky’s grandpa Kanwal (Dharmendra), who slips in and out of amnesia, and Rani’s grandmom Jamini (Shabana Azmi) have a history. In this amalgamation of two states where North (Delhi) meets East (Kolkata), a lot of cultural differences and hilarious awkward exchanges fill in much for a fast-paced and sharp first half. Jaya Bachchan plays the vamp (Rocky’s granny), who becomes a hurdle for Rocky and Rani to manifest their true love. She stands for everything that is traditionally righteous for women in the family to do. Her values are regressive and she has a temper that could roast any YouTuber who thinks he’s the Ricky Gervais of his universe.

Karan Johar’s films have become part of a legacy and spawned a genre that has often been imitated but rarely duplicated. So, when the OG comes to play, you can tell that he’s come loaded with some serious ammo. His sense of humour, sarcasm, wit, dark humour and rebuttals are all in place. The playoff between the cultured Chatterjee family and the loud Randhawas sets the tone for some of the most hilarious scenes.

Here's the trailer:

Performances are delicious and that has a lot to do with the fact that the right actors have been cast for these parts. Right from Tota Roy Chowdhury, who plays Rani’s dad, to Aamir Bashir as Rocky’s father, the casting is on the money. Jaya Bachchan as the vampish dadi is a master stroke. At a time when the veteran actress spurs a meme fest each time she steps out in public, her character and expressions as the CEO of the Randhawa ladoo factory are just brilliant. The star of the show is Ranveer Singh, whose Rocky will remind you of the likeable and playful Bittoo Sharma from his debut film, 'Band Baaja Baarat'. He is a perfect fit for the part, almost as if he were playing his real self. His comic timing and the sensitive vulnerability he brings in the scenes with Alia are just brilliant. Alia, as Rani, can breathe and do ample justice as the charming Bong girl with a mind of her own.

While the first half is light and fun, the second half has multiple messages and commentary on topics like cancel culture, body shaming, defining toxic masculinity and racism. The ‘Dola re Dola’ performance is a definitive moment for the LGBT community and KJo has weaved it into the narrative so beautifully that you have to give him an applause for the sheer genius that it is. There is a huge nostalgic value and sentiment attached to Shabana and Dharamji’s song sequence that is borrowed from hits of the late 70s and 80s.

'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' also has a lot of references to KJo’s own films. The cameos in the title track by Gen-Z stars Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Panday and Janhvi Kapoor and some dialogues that are an ode to Karan’s previous work are superb ideas to keep you entertained.

The second half does slow down towards the end and KJo feels a bit caught up in the trope of having too much on his platter. Nevertheless, 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' is a family entertainer that is a gentle reminder of Karan’s legacy and his love for blockbuster cinema. Go watch it at a theatre near you. Or in Jaya ji’s words - bas keh diya so keh diya!

4 out of 5 stars for 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani'.