Ginormous sets, lots of colour, loud people, tons of emotions, family, songs in snowy settings — yes, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a Karan Johar film indeed. Everything about the film screams masala Bollywood, and expecting anything else is on the audience. With Rocky Aur Rani, you get what you came for.
And what does one get? Well stereotypes for one. The Punjabis are nouveau-riche, loud, uncultured, patriarchal and misogynistic. Case in point the Randhawa family. They live in Karol Bagh in a flashy ostentatious mansion (where is the space for this in Karol Bagh no one knows and how is there no traffic?! Don’t ask). There is the non-English speaking, garishly dressed, loud, protein shake-wielding, flashy car-driving Punjabi munda Rocky, a role Ranveer Singh can probably play in his sleep by now. He is crass, mostly funny and endearing.
All of his bravado, however, disappears in front of his grandmother Dhanalakshmi (a frowny Jaya Bachchan), matriarch of the household and laddu-maker extraordinaire, the source of the Randhawa wealth. She is mean, crotchety and always firmly holding the reins of the house. Rocky’s dad Tijori (Aamir Bashir) is a man’s man who disapproves of his son’s dancing and singing, demands piping hot rotis at dinner, but is very much under his mother’s thumb. And if there is a saas like Dhanalakshmi, then there is always a bahu, because where is the drama otherwise. Rocky’s mother Poornima (Kshitee Jog) is a dupatta-clad, cowed homemaker, who has given up her dream of becoming a singer. The sister named Gayatri (Anjali Anand) is called Golu because she is overweight and constantly ridiculed for it. There is also grandpa Randhawa (Dharmendra), whose main role is to stare vacantly into space.
On the other side of the stereotype scale are the Bengalis of Chittaranjan Park. The Chatterjees have a pushton ki haveli, speak impeccable English, are very well educated, extremely cultured, have Rabindranath Tagore’s pictures in their house, host evening cultural addas, are liberal, intellectual and feminist. Take for example Rani, an absolutely standout Alia Bhatt, who is an LSR-Columbia University liberal arts graduate and a fire-brand media personality who takes uncouth leaders to task on camera about rape and the male gaze (which media channel today would let an anchor get away with what she does? Again, don’t ask). Her mother, Anjali (Churni Ganguly), is a professor of English and father, Chandan (Tota Roy Chowdhury), is a professional Kathak dancer! Then there is grandma Chatterjee, Jamini, played with utmost elegance by Shabana Azmi.
The other thing you get is romance, but obvio! Nope, Rocky and Rani’s prem kahaani doesn’t come first. It is the oddest of romances that begins the saga. Grandpa Randhawa and Grandma Chatterjee had an affair in the ’70s but went their separate, married ways. It is their romance that is rekindled by Rocky and Rani (how is Dhanalakshmi okay with her husband meeting someone he had cheated on her with? Once again, don’t ask) and it is during the course of this (and a lot of nostalgia-inducing retro Hindi gaane) that their own romance blossoms. Abrupt? Yes. But Ranveer and Alia’s chemistry makes the romance believable. And it isn’t a fiery chemistry but more one borne out of friendship. There is a level of comfort between the two, whether they are kissing, hugging or fighting, that just seems natural.
Alia looks absolutely stunning in the chiffon sarees with backless blouses and kohl-lined eyes, and she easily steals every scene. Ranveer provides her with the perfect platform to play off. Jaya Bachchan does a very non-KJo Jaya Bachchan turn and that in itself is a treat, not that she gets to do much but frown and purse her lips. Shabana Azmi is graceful, as expected, playing the probashi Bangali quite well. It is Churni and Tota who really catch your eye with their performances though, and who knew Tota was such a graceful Kathak dancer! Colour us amazed.
But just because most of the acting is great doesn’t mean that you don’t get the other thing you can expect from a KJo movie — melodrama. There is as much melodrama in Rocky Aur Rani as there is desi ghee in Dhanalakshmi’s laddus. Most of it comes in the second half when Rani and Rocky switch places to live in each others’ households. While Rocky’s week with the Chatterjees is coloured with some genuinely funny moments there is a lot of tear-jerking with all the emotional what-have-yous. Rani’s stay with the Randhawas unfortunately is all melodrama — shocked silences, angry glares, preachy dialogues, how-dare-shes and I’ll-show-yous.
What you might not expect, however, are some very relevant messages, even if they are hammered home with as much subtlety as Mjolnir would hammer a bad guy. Down with patriarchy, long live feminism is one of the main messages hammered in via thanda roti, bras and Mujhko Ranaji maaf karna. One of the best scenes of the movie, even if hammed up, is where Tota tells Ranveer how talent and passion have no gender. Two men dancing to Dola re with much sensuality, and not in jest, is truly a thing to watch. The film touches on racism — tea, Black Lives Matter, Beyonce, Rihanna, hiphop are all mentioned in one sentence. Breaking stereotypes (ahem!) is pretty much a central theme.
All in all, though 20 minutes too long, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is a sweet and fun film that entertains despite its flaws. A welcome relief after the disaster that was KJo’s last film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
