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at 08:25:04 am on September 3, 2008
Yes I managed to catch Rock On a few nights back. Quite pitiful that it wasn’t released all over Dubai, and instead just at limited screens.
The film is NOT about the music, instead the film is about dreams, about fulfilling them, and about how sometimes life gives you a second chance. In some ways the movie also tells that life is not about the destination but about the journey itself.
Reel Life – four friends in their 20s are a part of a rock band, playing descent music and aspiring to make it big. An opportunity comes their way and they make it to step on the ladder which will supposedly take them onto everything they dreamt about. This is where differences come in, personal battles have to be won, and what seemed like a dream of a group, is actually dissected to make us realize that this dream is made up of individual challenges and struggles, of aspirations and to some the make-or-break situation that families rely on to survive. Give an opportunity, the dream however doesn’t get sour and worse still relationships are broken. 10 years later, the boys have moved on, so stuck in jobs they do not like, some struggling to let go while some have lost themselves so far away from the past and from life itself. However, a freak encounter and the boys have a chance to reform, but the question is why they should get back? Again, personal battles, dreams, insecurities and egos need to be mended and overcome, before that initial dream get glued together. In reality, the dream itself changes and it does not become about the destination anymore, but about the journey.
Real Life – I think I have said it already. The film is very motivating. It’s inspires that we need to live the moment, to smile rather than to be slaves to corporate worlds. It shows how we sometimes live in the past glory. It shows how sometimes unaware we get comfortable in compromises and it also show how at times we are subjected to ear our living by doing what we have to. There is a clear message ‘it is about the journey, not the destination’. It is about wanting to take up the dreams that you have been blessed with, and giving it all you have. It is also about human relationships, about friendships and of course a damn good Rock soundtrack. I wish upon you all, that may you wake up and follow your heart, may you blow the dust of your dreams (from the smallest to the biggest) and do what you need to, in order to fulfill them, and above all, I hope that you smile and relish every bit of that journey. Rock On. May God bless you on this.
Cinematically – Well this is not great cinema per say. It isn’t. The screenplay has many loops in it and there are some elements that are just very cliché, like the Luke Kenny track and how it ended. Farhan’s relationship with his girlfriend and then with his wife were not convincing at all. There is also a spill-over of the Dil Chahta Hai texture within this film. I loved Farhan’s acting, his body language as rock musician is spot on. This guy is a talent house no doubt about it. He has written, directed, produced, acted and sang (damn well) too. Show me another person within the ‘Bollywood’ industry who has proven this to the world. We need to be proud of Farhan. Unfortunately I know he won’t go (and thankfully too) the typical hero/star way and instead will be an actual actor, the likes of a Rahul Bose. We could do with that, because then again Farhan does do mainstream cinema too (as a director – DON 2 is coming up – remember that!). Arjun Rampal is quiet good is most of the scenes, and he too is very convincing as a rock musician. Purab and Luke rock too. Luke’s scene at the end do touch you immensely, though I found that element unnecessary in an otherwise very chirpy film. The direction is good, but what really stands out for me are the on-screen chemistry of the 4 boys, the music (absolutely – soundtrack and background score) and most definite the photography. The way the film has been shot is very convincing that in parts it looks like a film (where needed), in parts like a rock concert and then in parts as a roadie documentary. Very good choice of technicians too.
Finally – The film will work in the metros and am not sure how it is doing outside of the city limits. Though I thoroughly enjoyed this film, my wish was that if the film was not about ROCK music and instead something else that the boys were doing, it would have reached a wider audience. Sad as it may sound, ROCK hasn’t touched the pulses of as many people as it should have done by now in India. In India, they still want the formulated Pop-Filmy music that has ripped-off loops, bad rap plugged in here and there, remixed like s#*t – all in the name of music. But then again, in this film the ROCK music is another element that glues this cool flick together. Is there a way we could take this film and motivate those living out of our city limits? Now that would really ROCK ON!!!
My name is Tagore Almeida. I live in Dubai, and am a part-time script writer, street-poet, humanitarian and all of these reminded by the film I have just written about. On the day job front, I am a senior technologist with one of the top 10 companies in the world. Was loosing my soul to the corporate world, and this film reminded me that I need to smile again. Read more about me at tagorealmeida.com and about my humanitarian group at The Uncultured Company
very nice…very revolutionary..close 2 real lyf…