Behen Hogi Teri movie review roundup: Rajkummar Rao is the only saving grace, say Bollywood critics

The makers of Rajkummar Rao and Shruti Haasan's Behen Hogi Teri, which will clash with Raabta in theatres on Friday, June 9, held a special screening on Thursday, for the who's who of Bollywood.

Box office prediction: Sushant-Kriti's Raabta to earn more than Rajkummar-Shruti's Behen Hogi Teri on day 1

Several celebrities including Sonal Chauhan, Prachi Desai and director duo Abbas–Mustan attended the screening. Celebs enjoyed the film and left the theatres smiling.

However, critics had a different opinion. Most of them felt that the film was a usual love story and had nothing new to offer except for the talented Rajkummar, who is the only saving grace.

Ajay K Pannalal, who is making his directorial debut with the film, failed to keep the audience entertained as certain portions of the film were unnecessary and abrupt.

Behen Hogi Teri is a small town love story of Gattu, a Lucknow resident, and his childhood crush on Punjabi neighbour Binny, played by Shruti. Some critics said Shruti was a misfit for the role.

The film also has Gautam Gulati, who rose to popularity with his stint on Bigg Boss 8. Co-produced by Tony D'souza, Amul Vikas Mohan, Nitin Upadhyaya and Vinit Vyas, Behen Hogi Teri is helmed by Pannalal.

Check the trailer of Behen Hogi Teri:

Check out some Bollywood celebs review below: 

Sonal Chauhan: "#BehenHogiTeri. Loved every bit Such an entertaining film. Congrats 2the whole team#ajay @RajkummarRao @shrutihaasan @amul_mohan #tonydsouza"

Meera Chopra: "Extremely entertaining and funny movie #BehenHogiTeri with some great performances. Congrats @amul_mohan and the team. Guys Go see the movie"

Check out Bollywood critics' review:

Nihit Bhave of the Times of India said: "The writing shows potential, to be honest. Had the writers taken a dig at patriarchy and given the female characters some spunk, this would have been hilarious. But the only reason to smile at the movie is Rajkummar Rao. The movie is packed with performers of various calibers, but Rao - the only reason to even attempt this - is better than everyone and their brother."

Sonil Dedhia of Mid-Day said: "(Rajkummar) Rao delivers what's expected of him — an earnest performance. (Shruti) Haasan, as a feisty Punjabi girl, is a misfit. You can see her effort, but she appears stymied on most of scenes. 'Behen Hogi Teri' has some funny moments and attempts to upgrade the rom-com genre in Bollywood, but it doesn't offer anything new. Take a chance with this one only if you enjoy the genre."

Kunal Guha of Pune Mirror said: "If there's one reason to catch this film, it has to be for Rajkummar Rao. The actor, who has largely restricted himself to character-driven indie films, single-handedly carries this comedy with equal sincerity. In every frame, he delivers on his character's fears, frustrations and relentless pursuit for love. Shruti Haasan's contribution to cinema could be compared to Lata Mangeshkar's to football and the actor does little to elevate this film when it goes south in the second half."

Khalid Mohamed of SpotboyE said: "Admittedly, the first-half is relatively breezy and amusing, with the wimpy hero attempting to handle outmoded traditions. Clearly, the story material is s..t..r..e..t..c..h..e..d to a giddy limit, wandering off into the lanes of sub-plots. Rajkummar Rao is as accomplished as ever. Rajkummar Rao is cool. The rest of Behen Hogi Teri isn't."

Ahana Bhattacharya of Koimoi said: "Rajkummar Rao is an absolute delight to watch. I would recommend watching the film just for him if not for anything else! It's high time Shruti Haasan starts taking acting lessons. Her half-hearted performance or probably limited ability to act (as the female lead) is noticeable throughout the film and is surely disappointing. Despite its shortcomings, the film is entertaining and makes for a nice weekend watch."

Rajeev Masand of CNN-News18 said: "Expectedly the film's biggest strength is leading man Rajkummar Rao who plays Gattu with real feeling. He's an unlikely hero; a drifter who floats through life, his only purpose to claim Binny. Where the film slips up is in its writing. The plot, which starts off on a curious note becomes especially convoluted in its second hour. A big part of the problem is Binny: both the character and the casting. Doesn't help that Shruti Haasan comes off stilted. It's hard to see why Gattu is so besotted by her.You'd wish the makers had trimmed its flabby bits; there was potential here."