Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani writer Ishita Moitra talks about the Karan Johar film and Ranveer Singh's character.
As a love story of a Punjabi man and a Bengali woman, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani plays with stereotypes only to later break them, says writer Ishita Moitra, who believes the film is all about "falling in love with the differences" between people.
The family entertainer, directed by Karan Johar, follows the love story of Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) and Rani Chatterjee (Alia Bhatt), who belong to contrasting backgrounds and cultures.
"It is about celebrating your differences, it's a shout-out to inclusivity. There are many reasons why we hate someone or judge others, but it's about rising above those differences, accepting each other, and living with love. We were playing with the same stereotypes," Moitra, also belongs to a Bengali household, told PTI in an interview.
The writer, whose dialogue credits include Shakuntala Devi, Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and Four More Shots Please!, said Johar's brief was to keep the story "relevant and entertaining". The filmmaker, who returned to direction after 2016's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, had already begun work on the script of Rocky Aur Rani... with Shashank Khaitan and Sumit Roy before Moitra came on board as screenplay and dialogue writer. Within high drama and entertainment, Moitra said they wanted to make a film with "modern values".
For Rocky's part, Johar and Moitra wanted Ranveer to be the male version of Geet or Poo, both characters played by Kareena Kapoor Khan in Jab We Met and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, respectively. "(He is) someone bubbling with energy and one-liners, someone who comes into a room and everybody can feel, someone's arrived... For Rani's part, we wanted her to be a very opinionated, feisty girl, but at the same time we wanted her to be vulnerable, adorable and loving..." she said.
While the film is shouldered by Rocky and Rani, played by the Gully Boy co-stars, Moitra said they wanted all the characters to have a "voice". "Everybody has a complete arc... It's not just about the love stories per se. It is also about the internal struggles that people face in a society and in an institution of marriage, especially women. The film questions those norms in a fun way. It's not preachy, but it could provoke some thoughts in your head," the Bareilly-born writer added.
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 "Ranveer Singh in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and Kareena Kapoor in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham")
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