The teaser of Karan Johar's directorial 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani' was released on Tuesday. Although the one-minute teaser does not disclose much about the film, it sure does seem to have an overdose of everything a KJo/Bollywood fan can ask for. It is extravagant, over-the-top, melodramatic, and stylised.
Set to music composer Pritam's tune of 'Tum Kya Mile' (sung by Arijit Singh), the clip captures the essence of the love story between Rocky and Rani, played by Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. The on-screen couple was last seen on Gully Boy. Veteran actors Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi are also a part of the film.
Viewers can see snatches of a wedding, multiple festivals, Alia in many, many sarees, emotional family drama, grand sets, and much more. The sight of those chiffon sarees and actors dancing amidst snow-clad mountains makes us miss Yash Raj Chopra and even some of Dharma's iconic films.
Karan's fascination for Pyaar (love) and parivaar (family) seems to be the highlight of the film, judging from the teaser.
'Rocky Aur Rani...' marks Karan's return to director's chair after over six years. The 51-year-old filmmaker-producer completes 25 years as a director in 2023. The film will hit the theatres on July 28.
Dharma Productions and Karan have always received heavy criticism for making a certain kind of cinema only (grand romantic/family dramas usually about rich people.)
Karan in his defence has often brought up the fact that he has directed 'serious' films like ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…’ and ‘My Name is Khan’ and that Dharma has done the complex family drama 'Kapoor and Sons' as well.
He however continues to remain unapologetic about his love for grand and glamorous cinema.
In a 2012 interview with Digital Spy, he had said, "Cinema is escapism and I feel that when audiences come to see my films they need to venture into that world."
Incidentally, in a recent roundtable discussion for Galatta Plus, the ever-self-aware Karan while discussing how Hindi cinema, once considered a trailblazer for the entire country, let go of its roots and turned its back on the trendsetting duo Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar's films. “We, who should be very grateful to Salim saab and Javed saab, we let go of that cinema and went to Switzerland," Karan had quipped, indirectly referring to himself and Dharma.