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Saturday, 30 August 2008 |
| Excel Entertainment excels yet again. With ROCK ON, the team of Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani are spot on.
The
movie has a Hollywood feel; the casting is just perfect, every
character is given due importance, the music is way above brilliant,
and the lyrics are something you will rarely hear in a rock ballad. I
guess, it will soon be a trend; simple, inquiring questions that are
actually everyday happenings. Hats off to Javed Akhtar. |
The
styling of clothes by Niharika Khan and of the sets are given a minute
detailing. The background score captures the mood of the film. Shankar
Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonca have teamed with the makers
to come out with melodies that will easily knock off the frequency of
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi and Pappu Can't Dance from the film JAANE TU... ,on
radio stations, to the background.
In short, this film is a
lesson in filmmaking. On how to scout for the right actors for the
part; of how to blend lyrics with the mood and how to add music to the
flavour. Director Abhishek Kapoor who made his acting debut ages ago
alongside Twinkle Khanna has shown immense talent behind the camera
getting the best out of each and every character.
And what about Farhan Akhtar? Yes, what about
him? I mean, how do you describe his performance? It's easy to go
overboard when a performance just blows you away. And this here is not
just one good performance from one actor, but the product as a whole,
which leaves you shaking your head in disbelief. Farhan proved himself
as a director of repute with DIL CHAHTA HAI and then DON. As an actor,
he is simply honest to his craft. You don't get the feeling that this
here is his first outing on screen in front of the camera. Agreed he
began shooting for THE FAKIR three years ago, but what he comes out
with is stuff of what seasoned actors are made of. His singing is
awesome. His unique voice texture lends that freshness to the rock
ballads and his miming to his own songs on stage is what legendary rock
stars are made of. You rock dude.
Prachi Desai has vowed
viewers as the bahu on television; she takes her performance a step
further making her Bollywood debut with confidence. She adds a touch of
freshness to a very complex role for a newcomer. Shahana Goswami, who
too makes her debut, is a talent to watch out for. As first the bubbly
girlfriend of Arjun Rampal, and then the nagging wife who has to bear
the burden of taking care of the household, she is impressive, almost
addictive. Arjun Rampal is slowly coming into his own. After playing a
character with a negative shade in OM SHANTI OM, he returns with
another powerful performance as Joe Mascarenhas the lead guitarist of
the band. Vibrant at first, and then subdued he walks the act with a
rock star gait. Purab Kohli's cute act as the Killer Drummer, and
'life' of the group enchants you. Catch his 'I Will Surive Act' and you
will know what I mean. As for Luke Kenny, he has got a role that suits
his personality and he does full justice to it. Did I forget to mention
about the editing? Take a bow, Deepa Bhatia. A word of mention for
Jason West too, the film's cinematographer. The filming of the concerts
is almost real!
ROCK ON is about four friends in their
twenties for who music is a passion they dedicatedly pursue. Music
binds them; rehearsals make sure they are always together. They have a
band called 'Magik'. The movie is interestingly sewn in flashbacks.
Abhiskek gives the flow a seamless look even though he has to travel a
few years back and forth every now and then. As a band, Adi (Farhan),
Rob (Luke Kenny), KD (Purab Kohli) and Joe (Arjun) were a treat. They
brought the house down whenever they performed. But somewhere down the
line, something went wrong and each go their separate ways. For 10
years, they do not meet each other. What was it that blew their
friendship away? The simple narration keeps you on edge while the music
builds up the suspense, if you may call it that. Because you want to
know what it was that made these four thick pals, who stood up for each
other, go their own way. And what it is that brings them back together
for that one last gig?
This movie, I'm sure will inspire a generation of youngsters to pick up the guitar and also dabble with lyrics.
I could go on and on, but I'll end with this: This movie is PURE MAGIC. Don't miss it.
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BAH inspired by MERA NAAM JOKER? |
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Sunday, 17 August 2008 |
Three heroines, one hero! Two films which focus on the love life of the lead male protagonist, from teenage to maturity! Striking similarities, to a 70s classic isn't it?
No wonder Ranbir Kapoor's upcoming Independence Day release, BACHNA AE HASEENO, also starring Bipasha Basu, Minissha Lamba and Deepika Padukone, is being compared to his grandfather, Raj Kapoor's evergreen classic, MERA NAAM JOKER!
So, how does Ranbir feel about the comparison? Well, surprise, surprise! Ranbir reacted quite strongly to the allegations of inspiration and said that he was quite hurt that the two films are being brought on the same platform. Ranbir elaborates his point of view and says that he cannot dream of comparing both the films. While his grandfather's film was a classic, a sort of an autobiography, his film is simply a romantic, fun filled entertainer. No deep emotions or feelings are associated with BAH (unlike MERA NAAM JOKER), which simply talks about the phases in the love life of a common man, from the first crush, to a mere attraction and mature love.
Well, Ranbir we believe you and hope for a full time pass entertainer, much like BAH director Siddharth Anand's SALAAM NAMASTEY!
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