Rockstar Movie Reviews

Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Diana Penty, Nargis Fakhri, Shammi Kapoor Director: Imtiaz Ali

 Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Music: A. R. Rahman

Sound: Dileep Subramanium

Lyrics: Irshad Kamil

Photo: Anil Mehta

Editing: Aarti Bajaj

Story / Writer: Imtiaz Ali

Costume: Aki Narula, Manish Malhotra

All rockheads who have been waiting Imtiaz Ali film to be a Rockstar track Rock On! here is the bubble burst. Rockstar is not rock music. It's a love story, not large one at that. In their attempt to go beyond Bollywood paste, Imtiaz Ali is to weave a love story with spiritual background, but ends with a web of his own creation: a film that tries to be deep, but do not know what point of do.

A film that is made with passion, but still lacks the heart of a Sufi trance or the grace of a whirlpool. Yes, there are a few epiphanic moment when a glimpse of something from beyond through the flashes, but that is just that. The film is a story of a boy rough Jhakhar Janardhan Delhi (Ranbir Kapoor) who idolizes Jim Morrison, but it does not have what it takes to make a cut. The pain, he is told by a robust bar manager (Kumud Mishra) is the kernel of creativity. So pain is in distress, to propose the most beautiful girl in college, Heer Kaul (Nargis Fakhri). But pain, like joy, it is difficult to find. And it takes a long, extended - starting with hatred, becoming flourishing friendship and in love - before our hero Jordan and married Heer much left with a broken heart and a soul amputee, marked enough to shuffle off his mortal coil. You play with fire, it burns. And our hero is to stick his neck willingly under a guillotine suspended by a silk thread. All in search of musical inspiration. But here's the trick.

Imtiaz Ali never nurtured musical genius maturation of the protagonist, never to make music for cleaning the vehicle, so to speak, the doors of perception to a place beyond good and evil. Rather, it is only with love, like music and love were the one without the other. And what comes through is only the pain of two lovers separated without calling for more of just being together. So if you're digging for some extraordinare depth of this love story, which is digging a dry hole, my friend. Because despite all the rage boiling our pumps protagonist in his music and performances, Rockstar is still a strict version of Devdas sex. The film could easily have been called Devdas Learns To Rock. That said, Rockstar is not a movie that mocked contemptuously.

On the one hand, has entertaining first half with plenty of moments of light humor. The camaraderie between Ranbir and Nargis makes it a fun watch, although the latter is an actor. It is in the second half that the film is a toss-up, and still veering between a drunk and disgruntled streak itself is destructive rock star and paranoia of his guilt is loved. Nargis has been saddled with the most complex of the film, and had given Hindi detention and lack of acting experience, you feel the girl. She strives to fall in the skin of his character, his expressions ranging from beautiful smiles and exasperation. Ranbir Kapoor comes with a strong performance that is transforming the character of the Jat Janardhan rude to a sullen boy, agile, screaming, tortured soul, Jordan. Kumud Mishra and Aditi Rao Hydari (playing a journalist) support from the stands, Shammi Kapoor and the late spray your charisma in some scenes.

 AR Rahman's music remains the Rockstar formidable spine, especially the song "Haq Saada," the best rock anthem to come out of Bollywood to date. Cinematography Anil Mehta is excellent, especially the shots of the concert. Imtiaz Ali had a damn good story in his hands, but he makes a hash of that in the second half, and concludes with a fairly predictable note. No burning. No disappearing. The story of Jordan may end Rumi suspended in a "field" beyond good and doing evil to where the lovers are always together. By now we are at the exit doors.

 Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5