Rockstar

Rating : 8/10
Release Date : 11th November, 2011
Time : 155 minutes
Director : Imtiaz Ali; Writers : Imtiaz Ali, M Beg; Music : A R Rahman
Starring : Ranbir Kapoor, Nargis Fakhri, Aditi Rao, Piyush Mishra, Kumud Mishra, Shernaz Patel, Shammi Kapoor


Despite its length, numerous logical and other flaws, what kept me hooked was the scintillating music, Ranbir’s performance and the crazy, goofy, improbable love between the ‘hi fi', 'neat & clean’ Nargis Fakhri and the Jat boy from Pitampura who wants to be a musician



The love begins as an unlikely friendship. She is the poster girl of the college, coveted by all in a very physical sense. He is more often than not the butt of jokes, spends most of his time in the canteen. However, the soon-to-be-married Nargis strikes a deal with this cartoonish lad to fulfil a few of her baser desires (no, its not what you think). Ranbir goes along for the ride. And we find through the movie that the ride never quite stops….



Ranbir’s growth as a musician juxtaposes with the different emotions he goes through. Expulsion and numerous thrashings by his family. Life as an unwanted wasterel in a dargah. Separation from Nargis. A trip to Prague, where she is now settled after marriage. Meeting her again. Then again. And his rising star in the music world, along with the growing sense of being incomplete without her.



Its hard to imagine any other actor of the younger lot being able to carry this role out. Ranbir manages to look good in just about anything (though full credit to Aki Narula for his threads). His locks & looks change length and character as frequently as he is forced to. From the bumbling, innocent kid to the friend for life to the castaway wastrel to the assured musician to the angry young man who has it all. From looking goofy to innocent to angry to cool, sometimes in a matter of minutes. I also liked the realism of the Delhi University setting, the terms used (palangtod, jannat hai yahan etc), the different characters, the foggy mornings and the idea of college being a place more for extra curriculars than for studies (I think we saw the inside of a classroom for all of 2 seconds).


And rising above all this, almost linking it together is AR Rahman’s near mystical music, haunting, enthralling, with a life of its own. From the divine ‘Kun Faaya Kun’ to the angst driven ‘Naadan Parindey’ to the self doubting ‘Jo Bhi Main’ to the funny ‘Katiya Kahun’ to the rousing, angry, anthem like ‘Sadda Haq’. Excellent lyrics by Irshad Kamil. And kudos to Imtiaz / ARR for keeping Mohit Chauhan’s voice constant for Ranbir. It helps build the character, make it more real.



It did get repetitive towards the end. You wished the two would make up their mind. The illness angle was possibly not desired, though I loved the stupidly romantic notion of a relationship where you feel so incomplete without the other that you fall physically sick and all the wealth / fame in the world doesnt seem enough. You wished it was edited better, a few jerks & jumps and also the length, with the film seeming longer than its actual running time. All the fun moments are concentrated in the first half, with the second mostly running on raw music & emotion.

It worked for me. I didnt want to miss a single frame, or its stunning locales, or the expressions or the musical notes (listen to the shehnai piece, in the background in the movie, from the CD, its just amazing). It works partly because its Ranbir. But sure its not for everyone.