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Raksha Bandhan Movie Review : A touching sibling bond story that turns into a social commentary
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Jyoti Limba 35 259 days ago
this movie is amazing , relatable and it totally made my whole family emotional . It literally gave me courage to study more so that my parents who are willing to educate me can be proud for what they did
Patel shivam 1 354 days ago
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Harshit Yadav 409 days ago
Masterpiece, outstanding, mind blowing, fabulous, marvellous, brilliant.
Shubh 565 days ago
this movie is awesome <br/>in this movie the example of dowry is perfect .<br/><br/>you don't collect money for dowry but you collect money for his daughter,sister's sister <br/>
Venkat 1592 578 days ago
Story line of the movie is a concern
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Raksha Bandhan Reviews
Raksha Bandhan is the cinematic equivalent of a man constantly talking over a woman and then wanting an award for it.
Full Review | Original Score: 0.5/5 | Aug 20, 2022
Raksha Bandhan is primarily a vehicle for Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, and its social purpose plays second fiddle to fanning his stardom.
Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 12, 2022
Raksha Bandhan is a regressive film that compresses the potentially most interesting plot point into a song montage (more on that later) and expands the melodrama.
Full Review | Aug 11, 2022
Akshay Kumar stars in a tone-deaf family drama that gets progressively regressive.
The film wants to cater to the lowest common denominator by regurgitating stale old lines and jokes, and still fails to elicit a laugh.
It is hard to believe that anybody would make a film such as this in 2022. The girls of Raksha Bandhan, like the film itself, are caught in a time warp.
Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Aug 11, 2022
Do the filmmakers truly believe that such low-rent family dramas, with their uneasy mix of humour and crassness, is the way out for a beleaguered Bollywood?
Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Aug 11, 2022
Akshay Kumar's film moves you to tears with a strong message on dowry and entertains with clean humour.
This highly emotional drama doesn’t fail to touch you, but it had the potential to be a far more entertaining watch.
Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 11, 2022
Irony, which might have lifted a movie that’s often as one-note as Himesh Reshammmiya’s songs, is nowhere in sight.
Three fourths of Aanand L Rai's so-called social drama glorifies misogynistic objectives and regressive ideals for the sake of fun and jokes.
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RakshaBandhan review: Akshay Kumar film moves you to tears with strong message on dowry, entertains with clean humour
Rakshabandhan review: akshay kumar's films delivers a strong message on dowry without trivialising the issue while managing to be an entertaining watch..
It's not for nothing that people say Akshay Kumar knows and understands the pulse of his audience and accordingly makes films. With his latest release, Raksha Bandhan, Akshay only proves that if a film has its heart in the right place, it will connect with the audiences. This is not the first time the actor has done a film that's relevant and has a strong social message — Raksha Bandhan touches upon the issue of dowry system in India. But it's the way director Aanand L Rai chooses to narrate the story, weaving together the most delicate threads to deliver a strong message, that does the trick. Also read: Akshay Kumar calls dowry ‘extortion’ ahead of Raksha Bandhan release
Set in the lanes of Chandni Chownk in Old Delhi, the film introduces us to Lala Kedarnath (Akshay), who owns a pushtaini golgappa shop which has been there for three generations now. Pregnant women queue up outside the shop and believe that eating panipuri from Lala's shop will help them deliver a baby boy. Meanwhile, Lala had promised his mother on her deathbed that he'll settle down with a girl only after he has married off his four sisters to suitable boys. And that's the big task at hand for the sisters, as described by matchmaker Shanu (Seema Pahwa), are a mixed variety. While the eldest of the four, Gayatri (Sadia Khateeb) is the ideal and sensible one, Durga (Deepika Khanna) is chubby and on the heavier side, Laxmi (Smrithi Srikanth) has dusky skin that doesn't fit the society's beauty standards, and the youngest, Saraswati (Sahejmeen Kaur) is tomboyish, who has grown up watching films like Ghatak, Ghayal and Ziddi, all starring Sunny Deol. Amid all this chaos, Lala's childhood sweetheart Sapna ( Bhumi Pednekar ) is desperately waiting to get married to him but only after his sisters are taken care of. How Akshay fulfills his promise and what hardships he faces on the way is the gist of what we see in Raksha Bandhan.
What I loved the most about the film is the beautiful balance it brings in terms of emotions. It's loaded with humour in the first half and there are some genuinely funny and heart-warming scenes including constant nudging from the sisters, teasing their only brother, Sapna's desperate attempts to lure Lala and so on. Cut to post interval, and the emotional arc of characters, as well as the storyline leaves you immersed, and gets you teary-eyed more often you'd expect.
Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon's story never attempts to overshadow an important subject like dowry in the garb of comedy. There are lighter moments which kind of address the trouble but there are also some extremely hard-hitting dialogue and scenes that are powerful and succeed in sending out a strong message. Groom's family demanding dowry or bride's family giving it concealed as gifts is a problematic arrangement that nobody really talks about. While many think it's a thing that's more prevalent in the rural sectors and the cities have advanced on this front, it's just not the case. In fact, richer the family, there's more exchange (willingly or forcibly) of these gifts. Raksha Bandhan calls out this practice in a very effective and emotional manner. For once, it's good that Bollywood hasn't trivialised an issue to make a point.
Consistency in the narrative is one of the biggest strengths of the film. The storyline rarely loses focus and is well-paced. We're told only that much backstory of these siblings that required to make a connection. Director Aanand L Rai doesn't go overboard taking us back and forth with flashbacks. At 110 minutes, the film is very cleverly edited and doesn't leave any room to look repetitive or boring.
However, the stereotypes attached to some of the characters might not go down well with everyone. The way some scenes normalise body shaming calling Durga 'double decker', skin shame Laxmi calling her 'amavas ki raat' who needs to be 'marinated in uptan', aren't really necressary. In one of the scenes, Shanu whose marriage bureau is called Saubhayashali: Beti aapki, chinta hamari, calls Saraswati 'Chota Shakeel' and says 'isko Sunny Deol se Sunny Leone banana hai'. (Ouch, that's a bit below the belt). Though, the sass with which these sisters reply, 'Big is beautiful' or 'Black is back' shows how girls are ready to hit back at the society that constantly judges.
Akshay is terrific as a doting brother. He is hilarious in the comic scenes and unbelievably vulnerable in the emotional ones. This is perhaps after a long, long time I've seen Akshay cry so much on screen for a film. His charisma, conviction, pain, passion and energy reflect throughout. Bhumi as the helpless lover is convincing and has a pleasant screen presence, though her chemistry this time around with Akshay wasn't quite as good as their previous outings.
The way Raksha Bandhan approaches the brother sister bond is quite unusual. We never really see these sisters open up to the only brother they have yet they have so much they expect from him. Knowing his sisters are the only reason he can't marry anytime soon, Akshay never shows any sense of annoyance or feeling burdened. While all the four girls get ample screen time (maybe not as many lines) to shine and perform — it's the camaraderie between Sadia and Akshay that stands out. Their scenes together are endearing, especially the one when she's getting married and the song that plays.
Raksha Bandhan is a family entertainer that takes the form of social commentary at some places, but not at the cost of losing its main essence of celebrating the sibling bond and its beauty. Watch it with your folks and definitely your partner in crime, your siblings.
- Raksha Bandhan
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Deepika Khanna, Smrithi Srikanth, Sahejmeen Kaur
Director: Aanand L Rai
- Akshay Kumar
- Rakshabandhan
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Raksha Bandhan review – women get a bad deal from dowry melodrama
Akshay Kumar is the noble-souled hero charged with marrying off his four sisters, while they are left mostly as figures of fun
I ndian film-maker Aanand L Rai gives his very mediocre melodrama a campaigning message about the culture of dowry-paying, though you’ll have to sit through a lot of un-feminist movie to reach it. In truth, Raksha Bandhan is primarily a vehicle for Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, and its social purpose plays second fiddle to fanning his stardom.
Kumar plays Lala, a chaat seller in Old Delhi. Like Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Lala is in the predicament of finding husbands for his four sisters. He promised their mother on her deathbed not to tie the knot himself until marrying them off. The financial burden of saving for four dowries is a strain, and although his childhood sweetheart Sapna (Bhumi Pednekar) is waiting devotedly for him, her father issues an ultimatum: he’s got six months to offload his sisters.
What follows is some painfully unsubtle comedy poking fun at Lala’s apparently unmarriageable sisters. The exception is the eldest (Sadia Khateeb), conventionally beautiful and obedient Gayatri. Next in line Durga (Deepika Khanna) is overweight; Lakshmi (Smrithi Srikanth) is dark skinned and thus deemed unattractive; the youngest, Saraswati (Sahejmeen Kaur), is a scrappy tomboy. The script throws out a line or two in their defence: in one scene Durga refuses to be bodyshamed. But mostly, it feels like the audience is being invited to laugh along at their expense. The film’s message about women being in control of their own destiny comes too late to rescue these four; they are more a collection of stereotypes than actual characters.
Really, all the development and character depth is reserved for selfless, noble-souled Lala. He hires a matchmaker (Seema Pahwa) and is willing to spare a kidney to pay for his sisters’ dowries. Late in the day there is a genuinely moving section featuring a woman in post-marriage life, harassed by her husband and in-laws who see her as a cash cow – with awful consequences. Here’s that message about the ills of the dowry culture, and a bit of sincerity – not quite enough, and too late.
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Raksha Bandhan
Lala Kedarnath promises his dying mother to marry his 4 sisters well. Owner of family chat shop, he has trouble finding suitors. His sisters take priority over childhood romance with Sapna. Lala Kedarnath promises his dying mother to marry his 4 sisters well. Owner of family chat shop, he has trouble finding suitors. His sisters take priority over childhood romance with Sapna. Lala Kedarnath promises his dying mother to marry his 4 sisters well. Owner of family chat shop, he has trouble finding suitors. His sisters take priority over childhood romance with Sapna.
- Aanand L. Rai
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- Trivia Akshay Kumar reveled that this was the quickest film signed in his career and dedicated it to his sister Alka Hiranandani.
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Raksha Bandhan Movie Review
Raksha Bandhan Devesh Sharma , Aug 11, 2022, 14:02 IST
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Raksha Bandhan movie review: A committed Akshay Kumar can’t save this mothballed, melodramatic film
Raksha bandhan movie review: do the filmmakers truly believe that such low-rent family dramas, with their uneasy mix of humour and crassness, is the way out for a beleaguered bollywood.
Within two minutes of Raksha Bandhan’s opening, you are confused: is this 2022, or 1962? A film featuring a man with four younger sisters, thinking of only one thing, How To Get Them ‘Married Off’, and the extent he has to go to that end, is the focus of ‘Raksha Bandhan’.
It’s not as if you do not have brothers who are completely devoted to their sisters’ welfare in this day and age. Sibling love has always been a strong element in Hindi cinema. But both the way the plot plays out, and even more importantly, how it is treated, pushes us back in time, and not in a salutory way.
Lala Kedarnath ( Akshay Kumar ) runs his ‘chaat-ki-dukaan’ in Chandni Chowk with a solo USP: all expectant women who eat his ‘gol-gappas’ will deliver sons. Boom. There goes your first gong; your jaw drops. This is just the beginning, of course. Within seconds, Lalaji waltzes into his house, ensconced in a narrow gali, labelling his unmarried sisters by their physical characteristics: one is overweight, the other is dark, the third is a hoyden; only the oldest, the ‘achcha bacchcha’ (good girl) is naturally the only one who is fair and demure. Nope, not kidding.
So, this is what we get. Lalaji negotiating the ‘burden’ of his ‘unbyaahi behens’ on the one hand, and on the other, trying to balance his filial duties with his own desires. A childhood sweetheart (Bhumi Pednekar), waiting in the wings, her loudmouth father (Neeraj Sood) hovering. When there are marriages to be arranged with cash and kind changing hands, there have to be marriage brokers (Seema Pahwa). And how can dowry deaths be far behind?
I’m not sure what made me more uncomfortable — the mothballed plot detailing, the contrivances, the high-pitched melodrama which used to be part and parcel of movies we thought we had deep-sixed decades back; or the conviction that low-rent family dramas, with their uneasy mix of humour and crassness, hugely popular at one time, is the way out for a beleaguered Bollywood.
Lalaji being much older than the women he is surrounded by, is given a reason when we are well into the film, leading to more sniffles. A funeral provides everyone a chance to have a good cry. Finally, once everyone on screen has been wrung out of the last tear, a few rays of positivity appear. Remember the standard method used to shove in a shard of progressiveness well after the film had bludgeoned us with its saccharine? Here too, once the three-fourth mark is safely over, after the loss of a young girl and, wait for it, a kidney, the film suddenly becomes a beacon for girls to stand on their own feet, and fight the evils of dowry.
Well, hurrah, but this better-late-than-never change of heart feels like a calculated after-thought, to keep the carping so-called progressives happy after the supposedly traditional types have had their fill.
What keeps us going, in as much as it does, is the absolute commitment that Akshay displays in his role of ‘bada bhaiyya’, not slipping out of his character even once. The ladies aren’t too bad either, whenever they get a chance to get in a word edgewise. When they are shown to be their own persons, owning their size and shade, the film shifts welcome gears. You wish there was more of this.
You end up asking, is this the only way that the ‘bhaiyya mere, rakhi ka bandhan toh nibhaana’ vibe can be top-lined for today’s audiences? Do, by all means, show us the horrors of dowry, and the other evils associated with this never-ending tradition of shaadi -vaadi, but how about also being aware of the responsibilty of an artist with such a large catchment? You start with a girl happy to go it on her own, insteading of hurriedly, almost aplogetically ending with it, and see how the world changes.
Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan movie cast : Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khatib, Sahejmeen Kaur, Neeraj Sood, Sahil Mehta Raksha Bandhan movie director : Aanand L Rai Raksha Bandhan movie rating: 1.5/5
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Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Akshay Kumar’s Humour Overweighed By Aanand L Rai’s Drama!
From a heartbreaking love story in raanjhanaa to an abstract father-daughter bond in atrangi re, rai has tried his hands with almost everything around this setup..
Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Smrithi Srikanth, Deepika Khanna, Seema Pahwa
Director: Aanand L Rai
What’s Good: Drama in the second half overweighs the humour in the first, thanks to some gem of songs by Himesh Reshammiya
What’s Bad: Though it addresses the evil practises of dowry, commenting on people preferring having a boy-child over a girl but the way it takes to do all this is too loud to accumulate your attention in one place
Loo Break: Choose any time for the same but not during the songs
Watch or Not?: Not necessarily a theatrical recommendation, can sit back, relax & watch on OTT
Available On: Theatrical Release
Runtime: 108 Minutes
Lala Kedarnath ( Akshay Kumar ) is that gimmicky ‘chaat bhandar’ owner of your area who claims his Gol Gappe helps pregnant women to have a baby boy. While living her life’s last moments, Kedarnath’s mother asked him to promise that he’ll get married to his childhood love Sapna (Bhumi Pednekar) only after he weds his four sisters away.
He promises without realising three out of four of them are a mess and no one in Delhi wants to get married to them without a colossal dowry. Being a middle-class man, Kedarnath tries to somehow arrange the dowry for one of his sisters but what about the rest 3? Sapna’s father gives him 6 months to fulfil the promise to his dead mother or he’ll get his daughter married to someone else. What will Kedarnath do? That’s what the story is about.
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Script Analysis
Himanshu Sharma & Kanika Dhillon’s regressive approach to the story isn’t the only issue with the film, it’s also the extremely over-the-top treatment given to its narrative. It feels like an old soul trapped in a young body at places. Though I’m not at all discounting the fact that it would surely connect with its target group but that hampers its universal connect.
Humour rarely worked for me, though there are some good dramatic portions, especially in the second half. But, one criticism about the drama in this film is it never arrives with a proper buildup. It’s just there. Suddenly something extremely sad or extremely happy will happen & you’ll be puzzled on how to react.
Side Note: I totally get the point of how the film is only about getting the sisters married somehow, that’s why their backdrop isn’t included & I’m okay with that as some reviews are criticising of why it’s ‘only about the wedding’ for the sisters because that’s the whole film.
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Star Performance
Akshay Kumar does what he’s best at, madcap comedy at command. This is a role tailor-made for Kumar and with his act, he proves how easy these kinds of roles are for him. Even while overdoing, he makes sure it somehow is entertaining. Kedarnath at times reminded me of his portrayal of Sachin Tichkule from Khatta Meetha.
Bhumi Pednekar gets a pretty uni-dimensional character of Sapna to portray. Her only motive in life is to get married to Kedarnath & nothing else. Bhumi controls the loud character without crossing any lines, thanks to her acting prowess.
All the four sisters Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Smrithi Srikanth & Deepika Khanna are just about okay with Sadia getting the maximum limelight. When I thought Seema Pahwa’s character will finally bring in some laughs, she disappears in the second half.
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Direction, Music
This is Aanand L Rai ‘s home-ground, the grassroots, heartland humour & we’ve seen a variety of attempts around this. From a heartbreaking love story in Raanjhanaa to an abstract father-daughter bond in Atrangi Re, Rai has tried his hands with almost everything around this setup. At this speed, he’ll have to bring aliens to North India to do something new in his world. But, this also remains to be one of his weakest attempts at entertaining the audience through the story. Yes, I know many will bring Zero to the debate & that’s fair enough but Zero’s first half > humour in Raksha Bandhan.
It finally seems Himesh Reshammiya is back to his elements with the music album of Raksha Bandhan. Nooran Sisters’ Bidaai, Nihal Tauro’s Tu Bichhde Toh adds tears & sobs to the drama in the second half. These songs are the reason why drama escalates to a good level in the second half & without these everything would’ve been below average.
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: The Last Word
All said and done, Raksha Bandhan celebrates all right things in the end, but it’s the journey to that celebration that doesn’t really intrigue you to stay invested.
Two and a half stars!
Raksha Bandhan Trailer
Raksha Bandhan releases on 11 August, 2022.
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Not into family dramas? Read our Samrat Prithviraj Movie Review for Akshay Kumar in a period drama!
Must Read: Laal Singh Chaddha Movie Review: Much More Than A Mere Tribute To Forrest Gump!
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I would like to request koimoi.com please be selective and understand the emotions of audiences Rakshabandhan is many times better than LSC , u can arrange vote from audience for the same. How bias can be a reviews?? At any respect LSC not deserve a single star as it spoiled a mater piece and on the other hand Rakshabandhan is so entertaining and heart touching. 0/5 for your critic.
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Raksha Bandhan Review: Akshay Kumar Has Enormous Workload In Tone Deaf Film
Raksha bandhan review: it is hard to believe that anybody would make a film such as this in 2022. the girls of raksha bandhan , like the film itself, are caught in a time warp..
A still from Raksha Bandhan trailer. (courtesy: Zee TV )
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Smrithi Srikanth and Deepika Khanna
Director: Aanand L Rai
Rating: 1 star (out of 5)
Let us get this out of the way without mincing words: Aanand L. Rai's Raksha Bandhan has no business to exist in this day and age. It is a shockingly regressive family drama that would have us believe that girls are worth nothing if they are not married and domesticated. Headlined by Akshay Kumar (Bollywood's poster boy of all things sanskari) in the guise of an Old Delhi chaat vendor who peddles golgappas to expectant women who desire a male child, Raksha Bandhan is aimed at warming the cockles of our hearts. It is, after all, the story of a 'heroic' man committed heart, soul and kidney to the well-being of a quartet of sisters, poor little clueless kids who cannot do without big bro's protective hand.
Happiness in this hero's Chandni Chowk household rides on the institution of marriage. Kedar Nath (Akshay Kumar) is forsworn to finding suitable boys for his sisters and doing whatever it takes to pool together the money needed for the weddings.
The poor man's plight is meant to leave the audience in tears. It probably will. One lot will certainly be moved by the predicament of a man 'saddled' with sisters for whom he must find life partners before he can marry his longtime girlfriend Sapna (Bhumi Pednekar).
It is hard to believe that anybody would make a film such as this in 2022. Both its feet are firmly planted in an era long gone. The girls of Raksha Bandhan, like the film itself, are caught in a time warp. Why would young women growing up in a part of India's NCR in this age of free-flowing information and abundance of opportunities make such a big deal about marriage?
Indeed, those that are bound to be appalled by the film's archaic assumptions will be tearing their hair out in despair. Raksha Bandhan peddles shockingly obsolete notions about women and their body type, skin colour and general demeanour.
Kedar, the ideal brother, 'manfully' carries the burden of his younger female siblings who, in turn, look up to the man for salvation. This guy's 'magic' golgappas have the power to deliver 'miracles', but his attempts to find matches for his sisters do not yield instant results.
Kedar's girlfriend is at her wit's end, having waited forever to wed him. Her father runs out of patience. He gives Kedar an ultimatum. He has eight months to go before he retires. He will wait no longer, the old man thunders. He intends to marry his daughter off before his superannuation.
That, in a nutshell, is the plot of Raksha Bandhan, an abjectly anachronistic tale that thinks nothing of emphasizing that a husband is all that a girl needs in order to complete her life. Which century do we live in?
Raksha Bandhan , written by Himanshu Sharma ( Tanu Weds Manu , Raanjhana , Zero ) and Kanika Dhillon ( Manmarziyaan ), is only 110 minutes long, which is about the only thing about the film that could be deemed passable. Yet, constantly frothing at the mouth as it spouts inanities, the film quickly careens out of control.
We know where Raksha Bandhan is headed, but the convoluted route that it takes to get there makes the journey awfully wearisome. It is an insufferably turgid tearjerker that delivers an anti-dowry statement but not before it has repeatedly underlined the regressive notion that women are the mercy of the men in their lives - fathers, brothers and husbands. It is loud, shrill and excruciatingly bombastic. Not for once does it pause to ponder over how insensitive all the noise it makes sounds.
It isn't only about the treatment that the film metes out to women. Men aren't spared either. Kedar, looking for husbands for his two middle sisters, is provided a lead by wedding planner Shanu (Seema Pahwa) - two well-off twins who stammer.
The two prospective bridegrooms become instant butts of ridicule. Kedar takes swipes at them without a care in the world. Nobody has obviously ever told him that there is nothing worse than poking fun at physical impairments. All this is supposed to be not only part of what Raksha Bandhan believes is a dash of humour, but also a measure of the onerous task that the dutiful frere has on his hands. Kedar's sisters, on their part, are a cantankerous lot with the exception of one, Gayatri (Sadia Khateeb). She is conventionally pretty, the demure one, cut out for marriage, and, therefore, the least of Kedar's worries.
The other three pose a far bigger challenge because they are different. Durga (Deepika Khanna) is overweight. Lakshmi (Smrithi Srikanth) is dark-complexioned. Neither of the two has an issue with the way they are, but big brother will not let them forget. One is repeatedly told to diet; the other is advised not to go out in the sun. Kedar's youngest sister (Sahejman Kaur), weaned on Sunny Deol action films, is a tomboy. She is still a student. The subject of her marriage is never broached. The audience isn't told whether Kedar will have to wait to be hitched until his sister grows up and is ready to marry.
Do not worry about such niceties of either psychology or logic because neither is sought to be brought into play. While a chunk of Raksha Bandhan hinges around Kedar and Sapna's now-on, now-off relationship, another key strand of the story rests on what the sisters have in store. The film moves from one to other, whipping up a mawkish muddle that never really sorts itself out.
Logically, Raksha Bandhan should have been about five weddings but cramming so many into less than two hours would have taken some doing. Eventually it is only about two weddings. The others are put on the backburner as the focus of the film shifts to the climax, which is as slapdash as anything else that the plot cobbles together. The performances, too, are unsurprisingly unsubtle. The humour is coarse and the emotions border on the strident. So, the actors have to go all out to complement the high-pitched, preachy nature of the storytelling.
One would have loved to discuss at length the work of cinematographer K.U. Mohanan, who vividly captures Chandni Chowk in all its chaos and clamour. It all seems wasted on a film that lets other things botch up the frames that the camera composes.
Akshay Kumar fans might not have anything to complain about. The star is in virtually every frame, raving and ranting. He has enormous workload. He is a shopkeeper, a dispenser of miracle water-balls, an ever-sacrificing brother and a lover who must subjugate his own interest to that of his sisters and, while he is at it, deliver of strident sermons.
Promoted Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com
In a tone-deaf film, the lead actor is at liberty to slip in and out of his different avatars without having to worry about finer behavioural detailing.
Raksha Bandhan is so, so yesterday in both substance and spirit that it could be passed off as a soggy 1950s film that has wended its way through the decades to land in our midst for no rhyme or reason.
Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Smrithi Srikanth and Deepika Khanna
Aanand L Rai
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Raksha Bandhan Review
Dangerous messaging punctuates every ounce of its storyline wherein dowry is normalised, the kidney is a small price to pay for it, observes Sukanya Verma.
Raksha Bandhan is like Lalita Pawar.
Remember how she would do all sorts of torturous things to her bête noire bahu throughout the movie?
But in the end, she would come to her senses and throw herself at the daughter-in-law's feet begging for forgiveness and turn into a shining beacon of love and peace.
Three fourths of Aanand L Rai's so-called social drama glorifies misogynistic objectives and regressive ideals for the sake of fun and jokes.
Only at its fag end, Raksha Bandhan changes its tune and atones for its previous mindset like a shoddy public service announcement whose only agenda is to put Akshay Kumar on a pedestal.
Keeping with Director Rai's fondness for busy bazaars and lively imagery full of flowers, gulaal , spices, savouries and gol gappe , Chandni Chowk's Khari Baoli street where Kedarnath (Akshay Kumar) runs his popular chaat shop forms the centre of all action.
Pregnant women flock his eatery in hope of birthing a son by gobbling down a gol gappa as guaranteed by its owner.
Played for laughs sans nuance or sarcasm, there's something off-putting about the entire sequence, Kedarnath's testy tone and its ' jahan shraddha hogi ladka hi hoga ' incentive.
If the makers had even a bare minimum of interest in making a point about the problem with everybody desiring a boy, they could have shown all four of Kedarnath's siblings as brothers unable to seek brides because of how this afore-mentioned mentality has led to shortage of women in the world, a Chandni-less Chowk?
Instead, we suffer an outdated chaatwallah fret and fume over his four unmarried sisters like a burden he must immediately get rid of.
As per an illogical, impractical promise he made to his mother on her death bed, he can marry only after marriage of all four sisters.
This results in a long-drawn-out, spectacularly soppy climax and girlfriend Sapna (Bhoomi Pednekar) crying hoarse about her single status in all the scenes.
Rai's writers Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon discard their usual subversive style to embrace a woefully archaic, shaadi -obsessed social outlook and reinforce stereotypes.
Every sister is attributed a physicality she is defined by -- fair (Sadia Khateeb), overweight (Deepika Khanna), dusky (Smrithi Srikanth) and tomboy (Sahejmeen Kaur) -- which ensues in jokes about body shaming ( Double Decker ), complexion shaming ( Amavas Ki Raat ), gender nonconformity ( Chhota Shakeel ).
Only the pretty older sister finds favour with Kedarnath.
Unless they fall in the sundar, susheel bracket, brand them freaks or force them to transform, Raksha Bandhan keenly believes.
The big girl must lose weight, the dark-skinned must slap on the bleach, the Sunny Deol fan must drape in saris and channel all her aggression in chopping veggies.
The worst part is that even in redemptive mode, Raksha Bandhan doesn't bother addressing any of it.
Mostly though, it's strange watching Bhumi Pednekar on the other side of the ideology.
After standing up against fat shaming in Dum Laga Ke Haisha and discrimination of the dark skinned in Bala , the actress negates her spunky activism to play a solah saavan observing girl whose only aspiration is to marry Kedarnath and dubs his sisters ' chudail s' because of their single status.
Speaking of the siblings, they have nothing more to contribute beyond their one-word descriptions.
The young women portraying these characters are probably a lot more talented than Raksha Bandhan (whose real title ought to be 'I am Akshay Kumar I hog every frame') gives them credit.
Decades ago, Akshay broke out in the comedy genre playing the street-smart alec with a ready supply of cheeky quips and comic exasperation.
The gig is old and overdone. As is his calculated crusader bit.
Patriarchy runs deep in Raksha Bandhan and its problematic fraternal set-up.
Though the girls are still studying, Kedarnath is shown desperate to see them settle down.
' Nipta doonga ' is the expression his girlfriend's father (Neeraj Sood) uses.
Dangerous messaging punctuates every ounce of its storyline wherein dowry is normalised, the kidney is a small price to pay for it and even the kabaadiwalla is a prospective groom in Kedarnath's undiscerning eyes so long one bites the dust.
Tease his sisters in public though and he'll make a big hue and cry.
We've indulged a good amount of Rai’s slice-of-sassy small town life, its quirky residents and their wilful impulses before but you'll need a special set of ears and nerves to endure this incessantly chattering, bantering, yelling, sneering, ill-humoured, hyperventilating bunch creating scene after scene on the crowded streets or rundown balconies in the name of chaotic atmosphere.
Neither the whimsical accordion touches in the background score nor its profuse one-take shots can shake off Raksha Bandhan 's big fat wedding obsession.
In Akshay Kumar's latest attempt to play male saviour, all roads to a woman's upliftment begin and end at exchanging vows.
It might kill her but her marital status is her only identity till the end.
It might ruin her chances at a happy, healthy life, but she should wait for her suitor indefinitely, unconditionally.
She may find professional success, but none of it is validated until married.
And then this ode to obsolete values, doffing its hat at Sooraj Barjatya and Rajshri Productions for keeping Indian traditions alive, has the audacity to rip off Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin 's super cool father encouraging daughter to flee from mandap sentiment?
It's only 110 minutes long ,but by the time Raksha Bandhan is done moping over its manipulative melodrama and patriarchal virtue, an eternity has passed.
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Raksha Bandhan Review: This regressive Akshay Kumar starrer leaves you fuming and frustrated
Saheli Maity
- August 11, 2022
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- Bubble Reviews
- Raksha Bandhan Review: This re ...
Film: Raksha Bandhan
Director: Anand L Rai
Star cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Deepika Khanna, Smrithi Srikanth
Bollywood Bubble ratings: 1.5/5 stars
Raksha Bandhan movie review:
I don’t know where to start and what to start. In the first five minutes of the film, I saw casual sexism, body shaming, racism and of course glorifying dowry. Now, I hope you got an idea of why am I saying that from where to start. Akshay Kumar starrer has so many flaws that at some point, it irked me. I wish we could have seen more brother-sister bonds but I came across cringe. It seems like Raksha Bandhan is less about the sister-brother bond and more about glorifying patriarchy.
In the movie, Akshay is seen working hard to collect money not just for the wedding but for the dowry as well. Considering that dowry has been an issue in this country, in one scene, we get to see Akshay defending the practice of dowry. Yes, in the second half, he does oppose it but only after facing a tragic incident. Instead of asking his sisters if they want to get married, he pushes them to be the ‘Susheel, sundar’ ladkiyaa so that he can marry them off. He asks his dusky skin complexion sister to ‘marinate’ herself in ubtan, he asks his healthy sister to reduce weight and stop eating, and he asks his tomboy sister to look more like ‘Sunny Leone’ instead of ‘Sunny Deol’. I mean why?
Yes, I agree that every brother mocks their sister and makes fun of them whether for their colour, size or nature but demeaning them in front of 100 people is not what we want in a brother. Despite the girls telling him that they are comfortable in their own skin, their brother is definitely not okay with the fact. I mean who wants a brother like that? If you love your sisters, you want to see your sisters getting happily married and not out of pressure or compulsion.
There was a scene where a matchmaker finally finds a guy for his elder sister and surprisingly, he did not ask for any information about the guy who his sister is going to marry. I mean, hello, where is the basic courtesy of asking the matchmaker ‘who is the guy?’ After a devastating incident, all that the brother can think about is a wedding which was too much to digest. Marriage has become such a societal pressure for girls that the movie shows how the men of this country can go to an extreme extent to marry them off. What is this pressure? Can women please get the liberty to choose their husbands, can women please get the time to get ready for the wedding? Can women not be treated as a liability?
I’m not going to deny or neglect the fact that the makers try to put in a social message in the second half of the film after showing the problematic situation of our country in the first half but it was the concept and the mindset that disappoints me. Surprisingly, the film is written by Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon who usually showcase strong women characters but it was quite the opposite in Raksha Bandhan.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar)
A story of a brother who made a promise to his dying mother that his sisters’ wedding is his priority, making his wedding plans secondary. With this huge responsibility resting on his shoulders, he does his best to ensure that his sisters are happily married.
Star Performances:
Akshay Kumar plays the role of Lala Kedarnath whose sole motive in his life is to see his four sisters getting married. His character is a mixture of toxic and caring. Akshay plays the character with ease but it is the character that is problematic.
Bhumi Pednekar plays the role of Sapna, Lala’s would-be wife who has been waiting for the day when he will come to her doorstep with baaraat. Bhumi does a fair job though she reminds me of Jaya from Toilet Ek Prem Katha in some parts.
The supporting cast like Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Deepika Khanna and Smrithi Srikanth have done a commendable job playing Akshay’s feisty sisters and adding freshness to the movie.
Conclusion:
Overall, Raksha Bandhan tries hard to narrate a beautiful story of a sister and brother bond but with a problematic plot. It is a 2022 film but it seems to be made with a regressive mindset. It is not the kind of film I would want to watch it with my family or with my brother. I’m giving 1.5 stars just for the runtime as it ends in 1 hour and 50 mins, as well as for Sadia’s performance.
Watch the Raksha Bandhan trailer after the review:
Also Read: Akshay Kumar REACTS to boycott Raksha Bandhan trend: Don’t feel like watching movie, then don’t
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Raksha Bandhan
Release date: 11 august, 2022 -->, raksha bandhan movie.
RAKSHA BANDHAN is the story of a brother and his four sisters. Kedarnath (Akshay Kumar) runs Prem Lata Chaat Bhandar, a chaat shop in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. He has four younger sisters – Gayatri (Sadia Khateeb), Saraswati (Sahejmeen Kaur), Laxmi (Smrithi Srikanth) and Durga (Deepika Khanna). Kedarnath’s mother died when ...  all five siblings were very young. She had made him promise that he’ll get his sisters married and only then will he tie the knot. Kedarnath is in love with Sapna (Bhumi Pednekar), his neighbour, since childhood. She is desperate to marry him but he asks her to wait till he can get his sisters married and arrange for their dowry. Sapna’s father Hari Shankar (Neeraj Sood), however, is not ready to wait as he feels that to have an unwed daughter at home, especially when she’s of marriageable age, is not acceptable. He gives Kedarnath six months' notice to get all his four sisters married and then tie the knot with Sapna. If he fails to do so, he’ll fix Sapna’s marriage elsewhere. A desperate Kedarnath approaches Shanoo ji (Seema Pahwa), an expert marriage planner. She asks him to pay Rs. 18 lakhs for the marriage of Gayatri, which will cover her fees and also the sister’s dowry expenses. Kedarnath mortgages his shop to raise money. Gayatri’s marriage is fixed. Meanwhile, Hari Prasad runs out of patience and starts looking for a suitable match for Sapna. On the other hand, Kedarnath is now worried about how he’ll raise funds for the marriage of his other three sisters. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
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Raksha Bandhan 2024 : रक्षाबंधन कब है? नोट कर लीजिए सही तारीख, शुभ, मुहूर्त और महत्व
Raksha bandhan 2024 date : हिंदू धर्म और भारतीय संस्कृति में राखी का त्योहार काफी महत्व रखता है. यह त्योहार भाई-बहनों में प्यार और स्नेह का प्रतीक है..
Raksha Bandhan 2024 : हिंदू धर्म में रक्षाबंधन का खास महत्व है. भाई-बहनों के प्यार का प्रतीक यह त्योहार हर साल सावन महीने की पूर्णिमा तिथि पर मनाया जाता है. इस दिन बहनें भाई की कलाई पर रक्षा सूत्र (राखी) बांधती हैं. भगवान से अपने भाई के सुख और सौभाग्य की प्रार्थना करती हैं. इस अवसर पर भाई भी अपनी बहनों को जीवनभर खुशियां देने और रक्षा करने का वचन देते हैं. आइए जानते हैं इस बार राखी का त्योहार कब है, किस मुहूर्त में राखी बांधी जाएगी. इस त्योहार का महत्व क्या है और इसका इतिहास.
चार धाम यात्रा पूरी करने में कितने दिन का लगता है समय, क्या है बेस्ट रूट
रक्षाबंधन 2024 कब है, शुभ मुहूर्त
1. हिंदू पंचांग के अनुसार, इस साल रक्षा बंधन का त्योहार सोमवार, 19 अगस्त 2024 को मनाया जाएगा.
2. रक्षाबंधन धागा समारोह- दोपहर 01.30 बजे से रात 09.08 बजे तक
3. रक्षाबंधन मुहूर्त- दोपहर 01.43 बजे से लेकर शाम 04:20 बजे तक
4. प्रदोष समय रक्षाबंधन मुहूर्त- शाम 06.56 बजे से लेकर रात 09:08 बजे तक
5. रक्षाबंधन भद्रा समाप्ति- दोपहर 01.30 बजे
6. रक्षाबंधन भद्रा पुंछा- सुबह 09.51 बजे से लेकर सुबह 10.53 बजे तक
7. रक्षाबंधन भद्रा मुख- सुबह 10.53 बजे से लेकर दोपहर 12.37 बजे तक
8. पूर्णिमा तिथि- 19 अगस्त 2024 की सुबह 03.04 बजे से लेकर रात में 11.55 बजे तक
क्यों मनाई जाती है राखी
रक्षाबंधन का जिक्र प्राचीन हिंदू धर्मग्रंथों और महाकाव्यों में भी है. एक प्रचलित कथा के अनुसार, महाभारत में जब भगवान कृष्ण की उंगली कट गई थी, तब द्रौपदी ने खून को रोकने के लिए अपनी साड़ी का टुकड़ा फाड़कर बांधा था. जिसके बाद कृष्ण ने उनकी रक्षा करने का वादा किया था. माना जाता है कि यहीं से राखी के त्योहार की शुरुआत हुई थी.
रक्षाबंधन का महत्व
हिंदू धर्म और भारतीय संस्कृति में राखी का त्योहार काफी महत्व रखता है. यह त्योहार भाई-बहनों में प्यार और स्नेह का प्रतीक है. इस दिन बहन-भाई पारंपरिक पोशाक पहनते हैं. बहनें राखी, रोली, चावल के दाने, मिठाई, दीया और रक्षा सूत्र की थाली तैयार करती हैं. बहनें भाई की आरती करके उनके माथे पर तिलक लगाकर रक्षा सूत्र बांधती हैं. भाई बहन को प्यार से उपहार और पैसे देते हैं. राखी सुरक्षा, देखभाल और सम्मान को दिखाता है. यह एक-दूसरे के प्रति जिम्मेदारियों का एहसास दिलाता है.
(Disclaimer: यहां दी गई जानकारी सामान्य मान्यताओं और जानकारियों पर आधारित है. एनडीटीवी इसकी पुष्टि नहीं करता है.)
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Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Critics Rating: 2.5 stars, click to give your rating/review,This highly emotional drama doesn't fail to touch you, but it had the potential to be a far more ent
Rated: 1.5/5 Aug 11, 2022 Full Review Poulomi Das News9 Live (India) Raksha Bandhan is the cinematic equivalent of a man constantly talking over a woman and then wanting an award for it.
TOP CRITIC. Raksha Bandhan is a regressive film that compresses the potentially most interesting plot point into a song montage (more on that later) and expands the melodrama. Full Review | Aug 11 ...
Raksha Bandhan calls out this practice in a very effective and emotional manner. For once, it's good that Bollywood hasn't trivialised an issue to make a point. Consistency in the narrative is one ...
The film's weak dialogues and occasional lack of coherence were balanced by strong performances. Akshay Kumar's authenticity stood out, while the female leads, though attempting fervently, fell short of making a lasting impact. Despite its flaws, we found delight in many heartwarming scenes.
Raksha Bandhan review - women get a bad deal from dowry melodrama. Akshay Kumar is the noble-souled hero charged with marrying off his four sisters, while they are left mostly as figures of fun ...
Raksha Bandhan: Directed by Aanand L. Rai. With Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sahil Mehta, Seema Pahwa. Lala Kedarnath promises his dying mother to marry his 4 sisters well. Owner of family chat shop, he has trouble finding suitors. His sisters take priority over childhood romance with Sapna.
Raksha Bandhan movie review: The FIRST review of the Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar starrer is out now. The film is slated to release on 11th August 2022. After Bachchhan Paandey and Samrat ...
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review. Follow On. Devesh Sharma Aug 11, 2022, 14:02 IST. Raksha Bandhan Devesh Sharma, Aug 11, 2022, 14:02 IST. Average User Rating 4.1/5. Rate Movie 0/5. Raksha Bandhan.
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Anand L Rai's Raksha Bandhan has released in theatres on 11 August. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar among others.
Raksha Bandhan has enough material to keep the audience tied for two hours, and the pace and pitch of the narrative are such that it doesn't allow you to easily gauge the gaps. The politically ...
Raksha Bandhan (lit. ' Raksha Bandhan '; transl. The bond of protection) is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language family comedy-drama film directed by Aanand L. Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon. It stars Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Smrithi Srikanth and Deepika Khanna.. The film was theatrically released on 11 August 2022, coinciding with Raksha ...
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review 2022 : Raksha Bandhan Critics Rating 3.5/5. RAKSHA BANDHAN is the story of a brother and his four sisters. Kedarnath (Akshay Kumar) runs Prem Lata Chaat Bhandar, a ...
Raksha Bandhan movie review: A committed Akshay Kumar can't save this mothballed, melodramatic film Raksha Bandhan movie review: Do the filmmakers truly believe that such low-rent family dramas, with their uneasy mix of humour and crassness, is the way out for a beleaguered Bollywood?
Raksha Bandhan Movie Review: Star Performance. Akshay Kumar does what he's best at, madcap comedy at command. This is a role tailor-made for Kumar and with his act, he proves how easy these ...
Movie Reviews Saibal Chatterjee Updated: August 11, 2022 12:26 pm IST. Rating. 1. A still from Raksha Bandhan trailer. (courtesy: Zee TV) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb ...
Story highlights. 'Raksha Bandhan' movie review: It takes a man to deliver an important message on women empowerment. Akshay Kumar plays an overprotective brother to four sisters who are all of marrigiable age in director Anand L Rai's film. Akshay Kumar may have started his career playing the quintessential Bollywood action hero, but in recent ...
After watching Raksha Bandhan, 21 years later, I look back with nothing but nostalgia at the notorious Jack Black starrer. I've seen my fair share of tone-deaf social dramas over the years, but Raksha Bandhan takes the (eggless) cake. It's the sort of self-contradictory movie that bats for progressiveness even within the constraints of ...
It's only 110 minutes long ,but by the time Raksha Bandhan is done moping over its manipulative melodrama and patriarchal virtue, an eternity has passed. Dangerous messaging punctuates every ounce ...
Raksha Bandhan movie review: I don't know where to start and what to start. In the first five minutes of the film, I saw casual sexism, body shaming, racism and of course glorifying dowry.
Raksha Bandhan Hindi Movie: Check out Akshay Kumar's Raksha Bandhan movie release date, review, cast & crew, trailer, songs, teaser, story, budget, first day collection, box office collection, ott ...
Raksha Bandhan Release Date - Check out latest Raksha Bandhan movie review (2022), trailer release date, Public movie reviews, Raksha Bandhan movie release date in India, Movie official trailer ...
Raksha Bandhan 2024 Date : हिंदू धर्म और भारतीय संस्कृति में राखी का त्योहार काफी महत्व रखता है. यह त्योहार भाई-बहनों में प्यार और स्नेह का प्रतीक है.