Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar Speak ‘Raksha Bandhan’

The practically moribund Bollywood household drama style is ready for a revival with “Raksha Bandhan,” directed by Aanand. L. Rai (“Atrangi Re”) and starring Akshay Kumar (“Sooryavanshi”) and Bhumi Pednekar (“Badhaai Do”).

Movies revolving across the household unit, which was once a staple in Bollywood, peaked with blockbuster “Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!” (1994), starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit, and made a quick reappearance with “Badhaai Ho” (2018) that includes Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao and Ayushmann Khurrana. “Raksha Bandhan” hopes to emulate the heydays of the style.

“In ‘Raksha Bandhan’ there may be loads of starvation — starvation to come back out with Indian values, starvation to depict the tradition, starvation to speak in regards to the bonding, the relationships, that are there with us, we’ve not gone insensitive in direction of them, however in some way they’ve taken a again seat, we don’t discuss it,” Rai advised Selection. “Let me carry all these feelings to the forefront, which we’ve got unknowingly sidelined.”

Set within the bustling Chandni Chowk space of Previous Delhi, the movie follows Kumar, who runs a avenue meals store, the third era of his household to take action. His major concern is getting his 4 sisters married, besides that 2022 India remains to be beset with the issue of dowry, the place the bride’s household is anticipated to offer a considerable amount of money and presents to the groom, regardless of the follow being unlawful.

“Dowry is an enormous drawback in India, and lots of different locations additionally,” Kumar advised Selection. “One of the best half in regards to the movie is, it not solely talks about the issue, it additionally talks in regards to the answer.”

Rai provides that there are two Indias at this time, with totally different mindsets. Within the nation’s metros, daughters of prosperous fathers take into account no matter their households give grooms as presents, whereas within the inside of the nation, dad and mom who can sick afford dowries should undergo it anyway, as a result of it’s a ritual and a practice.

Pednekar performs Kumar’s childhood sweetheart who has to attend to get married as Kumar’s precedence is his sisters’ weddings.

“Cinema is a really highly effective device to succeed in throughout to a mass viewers. [Akshay Kumar] and I’ve efficiently completed that sufficient our collaboration ‘Bathroom: A Love Story’ and with ‘Raksha Bandhan’ we hope the identical factor,” Pednekar advised Selection. “Right here you may have an Aanand. L. Rai world which is colourful, full of affection, as Indian because it will get, as near our tradition because it will get. By all that leisure, we hope to depart behind a message and make clear a predominant drawback inside our nation.”

Kumar added, “This isn’t a preachy movie. It’s very business cinema, which has 5 songs. It has plenty of humor. And it teaches you about household values.”

Rai stated, “At one time, we had huge joint households – now it has develop into aspirational. We now have gone very nuclear in that approach. A lot of the metro {couples} have one child, in order that they don’t know what was a joint household. So for them after they see a movie with loads of characters, loads of members of the family, it’s stunning. I’m making an attempt to revive that previous sentiment of dwelling collectively.”

Produced by Zee Studios, Color Yellow Productions and Cape of Good Movies, “Raksha Bandhan” will launch theatrically on Aug. 11, the day of the Indian pageant Raksha Bandhan, which celebrates the brother-sister relationship. It opens in opposition to Aamir Khan’s “Laal Singh Chaddha,” the Indian adaptation of “Forrest Gump.” Rai will determine on his subsequent challenge after the discharge.

Kumar has a number of movies lined up for launch together with an untitled police drama, which was shot within the U.Ok. in late 2021, which can debut on a streaming platform; archaeology and mythology centered “Ram Setu,” which is ready for an Oct. 24 launch, through the Diwali vacation body; satire “OMG 2,” a sequel to hit 2012 movie “OMG – Oh My God!”; and “Selfiee,” alongside Emraan Hashmi, a remake of hit 2019 Malayalam-language movie “Driving License.” “Gorkha,” co-produced by Rai, is within the works and an untitled movie a couple of coal mine hero is currently filming in the U.K.

Pednekar has comedy “Govinda Aala Re,” investigative journalism drama “Bhakshak,” socio-political drama “Bheed” and thriller “Afwaah” arising.