Bada Naam Karenge is a Hindi romantic drama web series that was released on Sony Liv on February 6, 2025, and is produced by Rajshree Productions under the banner of Suraj R. Barjatya as the showrunner and directed by Palash Vaswani. Starring Ritik Ghanshani and Ayesha Kaduskar in the lead roles, the 9-episode series is streaming in Hindi with English subtitles with an average runtime of 30-57 minutes and a U/A rating. With music by Anurag Saikia and Avinash Chauhan, cinematography by Shiv Prakash Rathore, and writing by S. Manasvi, the series has caught everyone's attention with its touch of Rajshree classics like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, and Vivah. How is this series with romantic drama, family values, and the backdrop of Covid lockdown? Let's see my feelings, highlights, and shortcomings in this review!
What's in the story?
Rishabh Rathi (Hrithik Ghanshani), an MBA student from the wealthy 'Ganga Mishtan Bhandar' sweet business family in Ratlam, dreams of taking his family's business to the international level. Surabhi Gupta (Ayesha Kaduskar), a middle-class girl from Ujjain, studies to become a virologist and hopes to support her family financially. The two meet at a party in Mumbai during the lockdown in March 2020, but initially they are annoyed with each other. When Surabhi gets stuck in Rishabh's room during the lockdown due to unexpected circumstances, the two start spending time together. During this time, friendship and slow love begin between them. Their paths diverge after the lockdown, but two years later, their families reunite for their wedding. During this arranged marriage, their past relationship remains a secret. The conflict between Rishabh's conservative family and Surabhi's open-minded family, and the tension of what will happen if this secret is revealed, drive the story forward. Does this love story have a happy ending? Do they balance their dreams and family values? That's the gist of the series.
My Feelings: Rajshri Magic, But Modern Touch Is Half the Success!
When I watched the trailer of Bada Naam Karenge, I felt that it would be a modern love story set in the backdrop of Covid, with a touch of Rajshri family dramas like Vivah and Hum Saath Saath Hai. The first three episodes impressed with the lockdown setting, Rishabh-Surabhi chemistry, humor, and Ratlam-Ujjain visuals. As a user on X wrote, “Rajshree has once again touched the heart with its family values and pure love story!” I agree with the sentiment. Reviews from Times of India (3.5/5) and Bollywood Hungama (3/5) praised the series for its heartwarming moments, performances, and 90s nostalgia. However, reviews from Indian Express (2/5) and NDTV (2.5/5) criticized the series for its outdated conflicts, slow pace, and predictable narration. While the rating of 8.8/10 on IMDb and 4.9/5 on Google Reviews shows a positive response from the audience, the series failed to deliver the freshness of Gullak or the balance of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Some episodes dragged, and the climax ended simply as expected.
Technical aspects, acting
Technically, Bada Naam Karenge is strong. Shiv Prakash Rathore's cinematography captures the charm of small towns in Ratlam and Ujjain, and the empty streets of Mumbai during the lockdown. Anurag Saikia and Avinash Chauhan's music is in keeping with the emotional tone of the series. Nostalgic 90s tracks like “Mere Rang Mein Rangne Wali”, “Tum Ladki Ho Mai Ladka Hoon”, and original songs like “Bada Naam Karenge”, “Koffee Hai Na” add a heart-warming quality to the series. S. Manasvi and Vidit Tripathi’s dialogues are simple and witty in some scenes, for example, the highlight line “There are many boys who give roses, but boys who bring coriander last a lifetime”. The editing is good, but some scenes could have been tighter in the 7-hour runtime. The production values are rich by Rajshri standards.
In acting, Ritik Ghanshani (Rishabh) is the strength of the series with his sweet, innocent look. His subtle acting is a good balance of modern dreams with the traditional family. Ayesha Kaduskar (Surabhi) is brilliant as the girl-next-door, her expressive acting is impressive in the romantic and emotional scenes. Bollywood Hungama review called their chemistry a “perfect pairing”. Kanwaljeet Singh (Tavuji), Alka Amin, Rajesh Jais, Jamil Khan (Surabhi’s father), Deepika Amin (Surabhi’s mother), Rajesh Tailang, Anjana Sukhani add depth in supporting roles. Jamil Khan and Deepika Amin are heartwarming in the family scenes. Chaitrali Lokesh, Gyanendra Tripathi, Priyamvada Kanth are decent in small roles.
Likes, Dislikes
Likes:
Hrithik-Ayesha Chemistry: Their bonding in romantic and comical scenes is a highlight.
Rajshri Values: Family-friendly content without sex, violence, heart-touching moments.
Music, Visuals: Anurag Saikia's score, 90s tracks, Ratlam-Ujjain shots gave a nostalgic feel.
Acting: Hrithik, Ayesha, Jamil Khan, Kanwaljeet Singh's performances are the strength of the series.
Lockdown Setting: Covid time is shown realistically and emotionally.
Dislikes:
Slow pace: Some episodes dragged in the 7-hour runtime, title editing was needed.
Outdated Conflicts: The story around the traditional family drama and mystery didn't seem very logical.
Predictable Climax: The Rajshree style happy ending was predictable, but the freshness was missing.
Lack of Character Depth: There is no deep development in Surabhi's career goals and Rishabh's arc.
Over Nostalgia: The 90s Rajshree formula didn't fully connect with the Gen-Z audience.
Who should watch it?
Bada Naam Karenge Rajshree is a feel-good binge-watch for fans of romantic family dramas like Vivah and Maine Pyar Kiya, and for audiences who enjoy 90s nostalgia. With a U/A rating, it has clean content without sex and violence, so it can be enjoyed by family audiences, youth, and OTT lovers. The Telugu audience who like Hindi series, especially those who like slice-of-life dramas like Sivarapalli and Kambalapalli Kathalu, will find this series relatable. The sentiment posted on X, “This series is a must watch for 90s kids, songs are awesome!”, shows a positive vibe. However, those who expect fresh, authentic content or high-intensity thrillers like Gullak and Panchayat may find the series slow and outdated. It is available on Sony Liv in Hindi and English subtitles, and can be watched with the family in free time.
Rating: 3/5
Bada Naam Karenge impressed with Hrithik-Ayesha chemistry, Rajshri's heartwarming family values, Anurag Saikia's music, Ratlam-Ujjaini visuals. However, the slow pace, outdated conflicts, predictable narration, and lack of character depth prevented the series from being a full-fledged hit. Suraj Barjatya recreated his signature style in his OTT debut, but it didn't fully connect with the Gen-Z audience. A sweet binge-watch for those looking for a romantic, feel-good series, but half-disappointed for those expecting a Gullak-like impact!
Release Date: February 6, 2025 (Sony Liv)
Director: Palash Vaswani
Showrunner: Suraj R. Barjatya
Cast: Ritik Ghanshani, Ayesha Kaduskar, Kanwaljeet Singh, Jameel Khan, Alka Amin, Rajesh Tailang
Rating: U/A (Romance, Family Drama, Mild Comedy)