Rakhewal is a rural Gujarati drama built around the idea of the guardian who protects family, land and honour at any cost. It pairs folk-cinema stars Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni in a story of duty, loyalty and sacrifice set in the Gujarati countryside. Songs and heightened emotion carry the film in the tradition these two actors are known for.
Rakhewal belongs to a strand of Gujarati cinema that rarely reaches the multiplex conversation, yet fills single screens across Saurashtra and North Gujarat. Directed by Harsukh Patel and released in October 2019, it is a rural drama anchored by Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni, the biggest names in the folk and village circuit of Dhollywood. The title means guardian, and the film leans into everything that word carries in this tradition, protection of family, land and honour set against a countryside backdrop.
Thakor and Soni have built their following on exactly this register, a mix of melody, melodrama and moral clarity, and Rakhewal is engineered to give that audience what it came for. The songs do heavy lifting, the emotion runs high, and the story moves along familiar lines of duty and sacrifice rather than surprise. That is not an accident but a formula, one the pair has ridden through dozens of films, and its 7.0 IMDb rating reflects a loyal base rather than a crossover hit.
Judged against the urban new wave of 2019, the year of Hellaro and Chaal Jeevi Laiye, Rakhewal can look dated in its craft and unhurried in its storytelling. Judged on its own terms, it is a competent crowd-pleaser that knows its viewer intimately. If you follow Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni, or you have any affection for the album-driven village drama, this is comfort food. If you are coming from the festival side of Gujarati cinema, it will feel like a different world entirely, which in many ways it is.
Verdict
A rural crowd-pleaser made for the loyal Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni audience. It plays to the folk-drama gallery, not the festival crowd.
What works
- Star power of Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni
- Rooted in rural Gujarati folk cinema
- Song-driven emotional beats
- Clear themes of duty and sacrifice
What holds it back
- Formula over fresh storytelling
- Heavy melodrama
- Little for urban multiplex viewers
- Thin production polish
Cast & crew
Cast: Vikram Thakor, Mamta Soni, Jitu Pandya
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Drama Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Rakhewal worth watching?
A rural crowd-pleaser made for the loyal Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni audience. It plays to the folk-drama gallery, not the festival crowd. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Rakhewal about?
Rakhewal is a rural Gujarati drama built around the idea of the guardian who protects family, land and honour at any cost. It pairs folk-cinema stars Vikram Thakor and Mamta Soni in a story of duty, loyalty and sacrifice set in the Gujarati countryside. Songs and heightened emotion carry the film in the tradition these two actors are known for.
What is the IMDb rating of Rakhewal?
Rakhewal (2019) holds an IMDb rating of 7.0 out of 10.