The film appeared at several film festivals. and then was scheduled to release theatrically on 22 July 2022.[3][4][5][6] It premiered in the US on 14 May 2021[7]
Critical response
RK/RKay received generally positive reviews.[7][8][9] On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the film has a 83% approval rating based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 6.40/10.[10]
RK/Rkay opened to immense critical appreciation. Most critics praised all the performances and the deeply rich whimsical script.
Renuka Vyavhare of Times of India gave 3/5 stars and called it "a delightful game of hide and seek between real and fiction".[11]
Outlook went with 4/5 stars stating that it is "a thorough entertainer".[12]
Tanul Thakur of The Wire adorned RK/RKay review by asserting, RK/RKay' Is a Genie of Genius Filmmaking – And Can't Be Caught in a Bottle.[13]
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV India gave 3/5 stars stating, "It might not exactly send you into paroxysms of delight, but the film thrives on a steady flow of wry wit and humour - and flashes of vitality".[14]
Poulomi Das of News9Live gave 4/5 stars stating, "There are films that blow your mind and there are films that make you impossibly grateful for the medium. RK/RKay is both those films and so much more".[15]
Nidhima Taneja of ThePrint gave 3.5/5 stars stating, "Rajat Kapoor’s RK/RKay is more than a film—it’s a genre-bending treat".[16]
Suparana Sharma of Rolling Stone India gave 3/5 stars stating, "Rajat Kapoor’s new film toys with our mind, and is that rare sort of Bollywood movie that makes us think & At other times I thought RK/Rkay was bringing to life what Rajesh Khanna had said in Anand: “Hum sab toh rangmanch ki kathputhliyan hain jinki dor uparwale ke haath mein…” And during some scenes my mind drifted to strange thoughts – what if we are not watching the films, but the films are watching us."[17]
Sabina Dana Plasse of Film Threat gave 8/10 stars stating, "RK/RKay presents a great appreciation for the artistry required to make a film."[8]
Newsgram gave 4/5 stars saying that 'RK/RKay' is a delight for cinema lovers.[18]
Jay Weissberg of Variety enunciated, "Rajat Kapoor's RK/RKay is enjoyable comedy set in the film world that makes for pleasant entertainment."[7]
Udita Jhunjhunwala of Firstpost wrote, "RK/RKay is an enjoyable and whimsical film which is homage and wistful tribute to the meta world it inhabits".[19]