Rockstar Review

Frankly, 'Rockstar' had all the right elements to be a classic, something that it indeed seemed like at a structural level. The story is about a young singer/performer - Ranbir - who belongs to nowhere and isn't even aware about his talent till someone plays a great gamble by betting on him before he turns into a huge star. In fact this basic pretext is something which if nurtured further could have been an altogether different experience (with a different story) being told because Imtiaz Ali goes all out in establishing a character who gets into a self destructive mode.

In fact this is exactly the beauty of the film because instead of this destruction coming in due to Ranbir finding stardom, it is because of a broken heart. This is where the trouble lies though because one hardly gets convinced about how love (or the lack of it) is making him do all the wrongs. This means that when Ranbir occupies the stage, he is least conscious around the crowds surrounding him and basically sings for himself. That aspect is brought out quite beautifully via various montages that fill the narrative of 'Rockstar' from start till the finish.

While the rockstar aspect of Ranbir is brought out brilliantly and holds your attention in every frame that it appears on screen, it's the love story element that meanders. Picture this, a college Diva (Nargis Fakhri) tries to change her 'neat and clean' image and invites Ranbir to watch a soft porn flick 'Janglee Jawani'. Hmmm, not quite convincing but chalo, fair enough, it is entertaining nonetheless. After a while the film takes 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' route where the girl wants to do everything possible before getting married. In fact you do get a sense of 'deja vu', especially with a few 'Jab We Met' references thrown in as well.

Nevertheless, you still play along because there is a clear hint of something bigger round the corner. However this is where the film takes the 'Mausam' route, thankfully not as drastically bad as it was the case in the Shahid Kapoor starrer, what with Ranbir and Nargis ending up meeting each other every now and then. Now this is where you start feeling for the film because you know that every frame has been painstakingly shot and it is apparent that the writing too would have required good effort. It is just that the final outcome isn't convincing enough which makes you feel disconnected from the story.

Why is Nargis behaving absurdly with Ranbir when she meets him after years at Prague? Why does she suddenly decide to roam around Prague just as was the case in Delhi? Isn't her husband asking her even once about her special friend? Why is Nargis continuing to meet him every day despite knowing it isn't going to work out between them eventually? Of course the argument here could be that all of these are 'dil ki baatein' - fair enough - but then as an audience you don't share the predicament that the on screen protagonists may have been probably facing.

Still, there are moments - a number of them - where you end up getting totally engrossed in the proceedings and want to applaud Imtiaz for the vision that he had around 'Rockstar'. The first 15 minutes where it is established that Imtiaz had some journey before he turned into a superstar, the entire turn of events where he is motivated by a college canteen owner (Kumud Mishra) about what it takes to be a real rockstar, the special friendship that develops between Ranbir and Nargis, Ranbir's frequent tussles with media, 'Sadda Haq' and then the grand finale - 'Naadaan Parindey'. Frankly, these very sequences are pretty much one's money's worth and deserve applause.

Amongst actors, Nargis is good and though is a little patchy at places where she is required to get dramatic, she is a complete natural when required to get into a naughty young woman act. Kumud Mishra is excellent again, Piyush Mishra is good as always while Shammi Kapoor saab makes your heart melt with his gentleness. Rahman's music works intermittently as at places it slows down the film's pace, especially when there are too many concerts happening. However his tracks work big time during 'Sadda Haq', 'Naadaan Parindey' and the 'dargah' sequence.

So what really makes it a watchable affair at the least? Well, the answer is simple - Ranbir Kapoor. The man delivers a performance which is all set to get him quite a few awards from the connoisseurs of commercial as well as sensible cinema. He is brilliant in practically every scene and is a powerhouse especially in those parts of the film where he is either required to be either extremely tender or volatile. He balances it really well and showcases once again the talent that he is made of.

Watch 'Rockstar' for Ranbir more than anyone and anything else.

Rating: ***