Imtiaz Ali, A R Rehman and Ranbir Kapoor - take a bow! It takes guts to make a movie like Rockstar and although the movie is far from a masterpiece, its a class apart from most movies we have seen this year. Rockstar is, at its core, a love story, and yet, when have we last seen a love story portrayed so unconventionally? Rockstar brings back images of Dev D, and while it fails to rise to the dizzy heights of the latter, mainly due to a fractured screenplay and the interminably long second half, it does manage to make its mark in a big way.
Rockstar is carried beyond the safety line by the simply outstanding Ranbir Kapoor. He is a powerhouse of talent and showcases such a wide range of emotions that you cant help but admire this 4 year old actor for his guts and talent. Any other actor in this role would have failed to do justice to the part! And to think that Imtiaz Ali had written the role with John Abraham in mind! Thank God John did not understand the script and rejected the movie! Itna layered role kisi wooden block ke bas ki baat nahin! Kumud Mishra does a fab job as Khatana bhai. Piyush Mishra is effective as Dhingra, while Aditi Rao, the bhabhi from Genda Phool in Delhi 6, is decent. Its nostalgic to see Shammi Kapoor on screen and his jugalbandi with Ranbir, although shortlived, is a delight to watch! Nargis Fakhri is perhaps the biggest flaw in the movie - she is terribly miscast in a meaty role that she cant carry off for the life of her! She looks sweet in a couple of scenes and tries to act coy when the script demands, but her dialogues delivery and emoting is so flat, that she takes the movie a few notches down with her. A much better actress was the need of the hour and someone like Mahie Gill would have added so much to the movie! Alas, the die has been cast and much of the flak for the failure (yes, I dont see this movie making much money or gaining much following amongst the audience. I hope I am proved wrong though!) will have to be burdened by Nargis. Imitaz Ali does a fine job of portraying pathos and pain and gets a stellar performance out of Ranbir. The first half especially is not only poignant but also quite enjoyable. The second half, on the other hand, suffers from too much diversion and is stretched endlessly, meandering from pointless to shocking. Nevertheless, its the director's vision, even though flawed, so we dont have a say in how the movie should have been.
Last but not the least, A R Rehman's music is as much a character as Ranbir's Jordan in the movie! The songs are a heady mix of soulful, melodious and rebellious, and move the story forward beautifully. All songs sound so much better on-screen and enrich the narrative immensely. Cinematography is fitting and almost every frame looks beautiful without looking fake.
Rockstar is not for people seeking entertainment or logic. Its for those of us who enjoy the journey more than the destination. Not many movies absorb you into their guts and then, when they let go, you are compelled to carry at least a bit of them with you, forever. Rockstar may not strike a pot of gold, but it makes room in a small corner of the heart, and that is an accolade few movies earn!
