Raksha Bandhan (I) (2022) User Reviews

One time watch with Family

[dhruvparekh60 · 6/10 · 7 October 2022]

Akshay done his part very well..... first half is rely heavily on entertainment and comedy.

Like every Aanand rai movies Second half tone is quite serious and very emotional, personally i liked it.

Comedy is so loud and regressive, i know we have some people who body shame, colour shame to girls (aunties) but Akshay sounds wrost than that and top on that say directly to her sisters face, But the problem of film is pacing, movie is very fast pace and feel short & rushed....even in emotional scenes it not give you enough time to feel and it's rushed to next scene quickly, Overall a one time watch with a family.

Too much of Akshay Kumar and very little female perspective makes Raksha Bandhan a dull affair.

[Perspicuity1 · 5/10 · 23 October 2022]

From it's trailer, one could figure out that Raksha Bandhan won't offer a story that hasn't been told a thousand times already, but I was confident that at least it would be heartwarming, entertaining and truly worth watching; but to my surprise it turned out to be quite shallow. There is no humour in the film and you never get emotional at any point, simply because the movie does not allow you to soak in the moment, as it's in a rush to reach the finishing line.

While watching the movie, you are bound to feel angry and frustrated at the things being shown, at the behavior of Lala Kedarnath, played by Akshay Kumar. I won't call it a negative aspect of the film because I understood what the filmmaker was trying to do there. Anand Rai was showing us a man who comes across as a good man who loves his sisters, but in reality he is an extremely irrational man. Kedarnath's extremely conservative ideology has stupid written all over it in bold letters, but he doesn't realize that. The director was showing us the stupidity that resides within our society through Akshay Kumar. You do understand that ultimately there will be a transformation in Kedarnath and then he will see everything as they truly are. But the problem here is that, the first phase of Akshay Kumar goes on for way too long, and the change that we see doesn't come till the very end and most of it is told through a voiceover, as if they were running out of time.

The first part of the film may come across as extremely misogynistic, but it allowed Akshay Kumar to act in a way he knows best; that is to make fun of everyone around him. Perhaps this is the reason this phase of Kedarnath lasts so long, because the creators wanted to make that the selling point of the film, but unfortunately it ends up doing the complete opposite. The thing is, in order to make the first half compelling, they should have included an equally strong counter view, someone who could tell Kedarnath everything wrong with his ideology; and the filmmaker didn't even need to look far for that character, as any one of Kedarnath's sisters could have presented that counter view. But unfortunately that did not happen, as it's an Akshay Kumar film and an Akshay Kumar film cannot dare to be about anything other than Akshay Kumar himself. It's quite shocking to see that despite one of the writer's of the film being a woman, all the actresses have been reduced to cardboard characters. This story is about women, and yet none of Kedarnath's sisters get a well-defined role to play. The only thing we know about the sisters is that they need to get married, that's all, nothing else. What they do, what do they want to become in their life, what is their perspective about everything happening around them, are questions that don't get answered in the film. We are to assume that their only aim in life is to get married. If even one of the sisters stood up against their brother, and showed him a mirror, it would have truly made for riveting content. They could have given that role to Gayatri, played by Sadia Khateeb, because of how sensible and able minded she was shown to be; but I suppose the writers did not have the freedom to do that, considering it is an Akshay Kumar film after all.

I had expected myself to get emotional while watching this film and cry in a few scenes, but surprisingly it never happened. The marriage sequence, the tragic events of the second half should have moved me to tears, but they didn't, simply because the filmmakers just didn't give those scenes enough time. You need to allow the viewers a few moments to get hold of what just happened in front of their eyes, but the director just rushed through everything as if he was desperate to wrap things up as quickly as possible.

Bhumi Pednekar and Akshay Kumar's love story was quite strange in the film. Bhumi is generally a fine actress, but here she was extremely loud and irritating. Also, I just didn't understand as to what kind of spell had Kedarnath put on her that she refused to get married to anyone else, despite the delay, despite his overly conservative and messed up ideology. Once again, I find it quite surprising that a woman has co-written this film.

The music by Himesh Reshammiya is a mixed bag. Some songs work, some don't but because there are so many songs in the film, ultimately you do get tired of them and wish that they had kept just one or two songs in the film. 'Tere Saath Hoon Main' is easily the best song of the film and it has been picturized beautifully as well. I just wish the scene that came just before the song was written equally well.

In conclusion, Raksha Bandhan too has turned out to be quite a disappointing film, just like so many films that have come out recently. Although, there was nothing new in this film and these kind of stories have been shown in television shows hundreds of times, but if the director still wanted to make it, then he should have allowed his actresses to take the lead, should have added more layers to their roles and allowed the movie some breathing space; it made no sense to move at break neck speed in a movie that relies so heavily on stirring up the emotions.

AVG Film

[nitsvirusboyz · 5/10 · 11 August 2022]

Raksha Bandhan is a family entertainer that delivers a strong message and touches upon the issue of the dowry system in India. But the execution is mediocre and the story has nothing new to offer. The film had all the elements to make it an entertaining watch but the makers failed to make it a wholesome entertainer.

The first half is loaded with some funny scenes but most of them are just passable and it will entertain you in bits & pieces. The second half has some heart-warming emotional scenes that will leave you with teary-eyed. The direction by Anand L Rai is decent and the writing by Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon is average and outdated.

Akshay Kumar has delivered a better performance than in his last two films, he was good in the comic as well as in the emotional scenes. Bhumi Pednekar, Sadia Khateeb, Sahejmeen Kaur, Smrithi Srikanth & Deepika Khanna were fine in their limited roles. The runtime of the film is 110 minutes and it is edited well, although there was still room for better editing in the first half. Himesh Reshammiya's music goes well with the film but none of the songs is a chart-buster.

Direction 2.5/5 Acting 3/5 Dialogues 3/5 Story 2/5 Screenplay 3/5.

Sirf Festival ke naam pr paisa lootne ki schedule 21 din Paisa double

[kmdflash · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Sirf Festival ke naam pr paisa lootne ki schedule 21 din Paisa double. Movie thik thi and Akshay Kumar to make money out of Hindu emotion and feeling.

Middle Muddle

[pawanpunjabithewriter · 8/10 · 13 August 2022]

Celebrating Raksha Bandhan alongside my sister while watching "Raksha Bandhan" was a cherished moment. It brought immense joy as our family came together for this outing. Despite areas that could have been improved, the film managed to salvage itself through commendable acting, particularly Akshay Kumar's sincere portrayal.

The movie's vibes reminded me of "Zero," which was a tad frustrating. 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. I'd rate it 7.5 out of 10, and perhaps a 7 if not for the sisterly company that enhanced the experience.

As Raksha Bandhan brings joy to our lives, may your life be filled with lots of smiles and happiness.

Enjoyable moments of Relation of Brother - Sister, Anand L Rai Sir Brilliant Work. - itsbymayank

[mayanklouteriya · 7/10 · 11 August 2022]

What a roller coaster ride, Family Movie.

Akshay Kumar has done nice job. Well Balanced Drama. The film makes you Feel, Laugh and You Can Relate with the Character.

1st Half - Full of Humor and Akshay's timing.

All Sister's works is commandable.

2nd Half - An Emotional Roller Coaster

"An Important Film That reflects our culture and society."

In simple words CONNECTING CONTENT HEARTFELT BROTHER - SISTER CHEMISTRY PURE FAMILY ENTERTAINER ONE TIME WATCH BUT WATCH.

Worse movie

[mdapsharalam · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Akshay acting low class acting.according to me it is waste of time and money but I suggest you not to watch this movie.#sameacting again and again I am getting boreddddd.

A must watch family movie for each and every brother and sister of India.

[vijayshah-88902 · 10/10 · 11 August 2022]

RakshaBandhan - It is not just the thread of rakhi that forms the bond between the brother and sister - it is the attachment, respect, sacrifice, and going out of the way for making each other happy that forms the foundation of the everlasting relationship. A must watch family movie for each and every brother and sister of India.

Movie or Ekta Kapoor serial?

[whoareyou-25120 · 11 August 2022]

Despite a run time of 2 hrs, this movie is sooo boring it feels like an the worst of Ekta Kapoor series! Over the top melodrama, literally no storyline and worst direction and music. Bollywood is dead!

Raksha bandhan

[puranjanbasak · 7/10 · 8 October 2022]

Raksha bandhan is a comedy drama family film directed by aanand l rai.

The performances are over the top, due to being a commercial venture. Akshay kumar shines in majority sequences. His comic timing is secondary to none. Also, his emotional sequences are pretty good. Sadia khateeb in her limited space has impressed me. She is so pretty that my heart ached when........ Bhoomi pednekar is incessantly loud throughout. I did not like her performance that much. The supporting cast is good.

There is no proper buildup to various sequences. It happens but cannot impact us. We cannot feel anything when the sisters achieve success because there's no buildup. Like this, there are many sequences.

The music is brilliant. 'Tere saath hoon main' is just brilliant. Proper himesh reshammiya song. The other songs are good too. The bgm is decent.

I guess this movie is a good watch. I rate it 7.5 out of 10.

Disaster

[tatasky-70871 · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

It has been again a disaster from Akshay. Avoid watching this movie. Storyline is boring. Better go and watch Lal singh chaddah. I personally used to like Akshay's movies but now a days Bollywood is creating rubbish.

Blockbuster

[pritamsaini-37948 · 10/10 · 11 August 2022]

Akshay kumar acting r simply superb .. best movie on raksha bandhan . Loving it. Pure family vibe. Must watch movie. Finaly good movie from bollywood👍

One of the Best Movie of Akshay Kumar

[animeanalyst · 7/10 · 15 August 2022]

This time, Akshay Kumar steals the show in this excellent film. He did a fantastic job in this film. The emotional content of this film is incredibly strong.

As a viewer, I found Akshay Kumar's comedy timing to be spot on.

However, I did find the movie's ending to be quite hurried and it somewhat marred my enjoyment.

Disappointed

[omeshvm-11453 · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Not sure why ak is requesting to watch such movies. They expect us to watch but make such pathetic films. Hoping for best in future. Serious introspection is needed. If you really hope for audience to turn up don't compromise on quality.

Not good to be fair...

[aman-78752 · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Better than Forest gump remake, Laal sing chaddha...Thodi kam overacting hai isme but not a blockbuster. Story not too great. Akshay did ok.

Bollywood must stop making movies now there is no creativity anymore I feel.

Akshay Kumar rocks

[manojkandoi-28029 · 10/10 · 11 August 2022]

Ther is no better reason then to watch raksha a Dhan to see akshay kumar at his best.the movie has everything gone NG for it to become a sure shot box office success.

Love to see

[pronayCb · 6/10 · 11 August 2022]

A perfect story of brother and sisters's pure love..what a terrific screenplay.. Akshay's career-best acting Anand l Rai direction terrific Don't miss!

Worst movie ever

[navjotsinghsodhi · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

This movies reminds us of 90s with no screen play and absolutely no acting and 100 percent melodrama. Akshay Kumar should leave movies and start a pakora business.

WATCH WITH FAMILY, {FULL PAISA VASOOL}

[nkumarrata · 10/10 · 11 August 2022]

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.

Go with family and watch.

Good but could've been better

[witra_as · 7/10 · 20 August 2022]

Good but could've been better family drama with a healthy dose of humour. Apart from Akshay's essential workload, Aanand L. Rai didn't flesh out every (female) characters properly though still gave on-point social commentary about dowry culture in the end.

Mistake rectify after not watching

[nt-26052 · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Akshay Kumar movies are getting worst with every movie. Decided not to watch this movie and save money. Kesari was his best movie. Cheap and same acting in every single films after kesari.

All the negative reviews out here are just out of pure hatred

[pajjun · 7/10 · 12 August 2022]

The movie is based in modern day chandni chowk and talk about a social ill dowry. It's a feel good movie with a balance of emotion and humour to it. Film has its own negatives like poor climax, less screen time to other actors etc etc. But overall its a good watch if you want to watch a movie with your family. Don't listen to any of these negative reviews they are just salty because the other film which is clashing with this movie.

Akshay Same To Same Acting in Every Movies

[brijeshyadav19 · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Akshay please stop Irritating audiences by your pathetic acting. Please bring some change in your acting skills. Stop doing back to back movies. AK should give enough time for a Movie. The movie is short. Nothing new, same old story packed in old style. Direction is good as well as Cinematography. Music is average unlike other Himesh's blockbusters. Pednekar's performance was similar to Toilet ek prem Katha. I would recommend to watch on OTT.

Same kind of acting again and again

[ankitmehrotra-59201 · 1/10 · 11 August 2022]

Akshay Kumar should change his acting pattern, same acting in all recent movie is not good. Why to waste time and money on movie like this, its better to feed poor with that amount and get blessings.

Akshay Kumar & ALR Both Go Back To Their Roots With A Rollercoaster of Comedy, Emotions & Socially Important Topic.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 6/10 · 18 August 2022]

Raksha Bandhan (2022) : Movie Review -

Raksha Bandhan brings Akshay Kumar and Aanand L. Rai together for the second time after OTT fish, "Atrangi Re." ALR has missed his own trademarks with his previous two films, "Zero" and "Atrangi Re." Before that, he delivered 3 hit films in a row, and all 3 have been enjoyed by the masses. With Raksha Bandhan, he returns home again. That TWM, Ranjhanaa and TWMR fame ALR is back with Raksha Bandhan. The same applies to Akshay Kumar, who saw back-to-back debacles this year with "Samrat Prithviraj" and "Bachchhan Paandey." We were missing the amusing Akki from films such as "Phir Hera Pheri," "Bhagam Bhaag," "Khatta Meetha," and "De Dana Dan." However, this one is not an outright comedy nor an outright funny role, but there are plenty of glimpses to remind you of old Akki. Raksha Bandhan gives (I'm sure it will give) him the first cheer this year, whereas ALR will also get his first theatrical Hit/Super Hit that he has been searching for 7 years.

Raksha Bandhan is a simple story with nothing in its screenplay that can't be predicted. Well, that's the USP. Because small town families are predictable only. In Chandni Chowk, Lala Kedarnath (Akshay Kumar), the eldest and only brother of four sisters, runs a chaat shop that was started by his father. In the flashback scene, he promises his frail mother on her deathbed that he will get married only after he fulfils the responsibility of marrying his sisters into suitable homes first. But with Dowry being a normal and mandatory tradition in his lane, it's difficult for a middle-class man to gain enough money for four sisters. How much can a golgappe wala earn anyway? That keeps pushing his marriage plans with his childhood sweetheart Sapna (Bhumi Pednekar), whose father has no patience to wait until Lala's sisters get married. A tragedy strikes in the second half, which changes Lala and others' mindsets about Dowry and women.

Himanshu Sharma and Kanika Dhillon have written a nice script, though it's not completely logical and concrete. There are some illogical scenes, but they can still be forgiven because we know we are watching a light-hearted family comedy and not an artistic or intellectual film. Nevertheless, the mistakes are still vivid. Kanika's feminism and Himanshu's humour are well known to everyone, and Raksha Bandhan compiles both these things pretty well. Raksha Bandhan's mixture of comedy, emotions, drama, family values, and social message makes you forget those shortcomings because its runtime is just 110 minutes. That helps, but also hurts a film because there comes a moment when you feel like watching more, but suddenly the show wraps up. The second half jinx of ALR's film continues.

Akshay Kumar is back to his forte - hysterical comedy. Right from the first scene, he takes you into the ocean of laughter, just like he did way back in time. The comic timing is amazing, but the writers have written a pacey humour which is a little difficult to follow. Nonetheless, the majority of the audience will enjoy it and will get to see his emotional act later. Bhumi Pednekar has a smaller role than I expected, but she has done so well. Screentime does not matter, your performance does. If anybody believes this phrase, then it is Bhumi, and she makes sure that we believe it too. Even in those over-melodramatic scenes, she makes you love the tears, screams, and everything. Sadia Khateeb is the most beautiful face you'll see in Raksha Bandhan and she proves her choice right. She supposedly plays a Devi type girl, but has one hilarious dhaansu scene that you'll love for sure. Sahejmeen Kaur's attitude is fantastic, Deepika Khanna adds cuteness and gags that are meant to come from any fatty character, and Smrithi Srikanth's personality speaks more than her dialogues. Watch out for Sahil Mehta's body language and Seema Pahwa's sweet cameo.

Himesh Reshammiya makes a good comeback with Raksha Bandhan. Well, he wasn't gone anywhere, practically, but technically we missed him. "Kangan Ruby" makes you groove on reels after a while, "Done Kar Do" is a tappy number with situational clarity, and "Tere Saath Hoon Mein" tops the sentimental list. The rest of the songs are either lost or wasted in this fast-paced film. Irshad Kamil's lyrics are very good and have that grounding touch that doesn't go too metaphorical and intricate. Raksha Bandhan is a tightly edited film, and the cinematography is decent too. The technical aspects do not shine enough, maybe because the film wasn't meant to work on them.

Aanand L. Rai has gone back to his roots, and that's good news for his fans as well as mass-cinema lovers. Raksha Bandhan is not an out-and-out massy flick like KGF 2 and RRR, but be assured that it has enough entertainment for the masses who go into cinema halls just for the entertainment. Additionally, they will get a dose of a social message too. Dowry has been seen in many films over the years, so I can't say Raksha Bandhan is anything new or creative, but I'll say that it is rooted in fertile grounds. That's what works for the film, and that's what regular cinema lovers look for. Intellectuals and quality cinema lovers will find mistakes in it, and rightly so, but that doesn't really matter as long as B & C centre mass belts are enjoying the film. The old-school family drama of siblings with an outdated dowry issue is served well in a new modern dish by the entire team of Raksha Bandhan. Hopefully, the audience will eat it out this festive weekend. Akshay Kumar, ALR and company bring a rollercoaster of comedy, emotions, drama, family values, north flavour and socially important topics for the family audience who are not heading to theatres often in recent times. Hopefully, Raksha Bhandhan will "Done Kar Degi" Inka kaam.

RATING - 6/10*