Rockstar

This is seriously Imtiaz's Best film yet!!!! When the movie end, i kept asking myself how is it possible to narrate a story like this... Story wise, absolutely amazing!!! What you guys will see in the trailer is just 1% of the movie!!!! Ranbir Kapoor was amazing too, balancing the right emotions at the right time. Some Amards should be waiting for him now... definitely AR Rahman stole the whole movie with 14 Top charting music!!!! Every Music suits the story every single time. Well he isn't called genius without a reason.

For me, its the Best Album of the year and potentially the best movie if the year!!!! All Credits goes to Imtiaz Ali for such great story/content.

Pros:

Abrupt start and unfinished end,always catchy!

Love,attraction,passion,pain,loss,destruction-everything in a pack.

Movie includes flashbacks and frames so nicely arranged,that story always remains on track and with ease.

Supporting casts are so in script,no any distraction or out of track leads.

Raw footage beautifies the movie,editing is nicely done and skipped.

Ranbir-Nargis chemistry is uncommonly beautiful.

Songs are sung outstandingly by Mohit Chauhan and performed equally well by Ranbir.Made for each other duo.

Lyrics are inseparable from situation,really well written.

Cons:

Nargis is overwhelmingly beautiful but utterly noob while acting.

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Not many directors could have justified the script like Imtiaz Ali.

Music couldn't have been better than by the Academy award winner A.R.Rehman,it takes you to out of world.

and Ranbir Kapoor,real rockstar from the movie has shown that,he is ready to make the bollywood biggies insecure.

Outstanding movie!!!above the average of bollywood.

Indian cinema has matured and specially Hindi film with new directors pouring in with new ideas. Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Vishal Bhardwaj should get special mention for their brilliant coming of age films. After Rockstar, Imtiaz Ali should be added to this category of filmmakers. Romantic cinema is immortal perennial but never ever it has been witnessed in such creative, symbolic, real manner as in Rockstar. Rockstar is journey of Janarthan, a regular north Delhi brat who dreams of becoming Jim Morrison. He even tries to match his initials with the famous singer and tries to change his fate. Alas! He couldn't succeed in making a mark when a college canteen owner (who becomes family for Janarthan later on) Khataria tells him that through pain comes music. Janarthan took his word too seriously thus involving in a web of suffering and success all revolving around Heer, a lady who becomes life for Janarthan rather Jordan. The movie is a journey of a young ambitious boy from his being Janarthan to Jordan and in a symbolic manner raises several questions about independence and democracy. Imtiaz Ali is a fabulous story teller and his previous work reflects those but with Rockstar he goes a level higher. The film will bring polarizing reactions from cine goers but they can't ignore it. Probably one of the best romantic cinemas ever made. Ali is almost flawless in his execution. With a semi non-linear narrative Ali goes into the psyche of Jordan merging his scenario pre and post success. The scene where Jordan cries in front of Khataria that he doesn't need all the fame he wants to be Happy – sums up Jordan's strive with his impression. The rebel has been created in a thought provoking manner raising questions to establishment. The rules set in the society, the willingness to live freely, how power has destroyed the regular course of nature – all these ideas have been embedded subtle in a brilliant love story that is natural unlike loud melodramatic blockbusters of regular Hindi cinema. When Jordan is almost losing Heer forever there is a scene which shows Jordan in a bath tub looking at his guitar on fire which reflects the life of present youth who tends to burn (loss) everything one loves in course of success. There are many more such brilliant sequences which show Ali's craftsmanship as a director. With able support from Anil Mehta the camera work is probably the best of this year. Ali didn't compromise for commerce and gave a surreal feel to the real proceedings. Kudos to Aarti Bajaj for her apt editing and making the film a work of art. Coming to the acting department, Ranbir Kapoor rocks. He camouflaged himself as Jordan with élan. Rockstar will prove how fine actor he is. In fact the new brigade of actors should take acting lessons from Ranbir. Watch his transition from Janarthan to Jordan, his success his failures his love his despair – Ranbir's expression deserves awards and accolades. Teaming up with fabulous actors like Piyush Mishra, Kumud Mishra (who was last seen in brilliant "That girl in yellow boots") Ranbir showed extreme maturity. In a sequence where he tore down a contract and made hysteric gestures towards Piyush Mishra deserves standing ovation. Those dialogues showing Ali's angst against consumerism deserves mention. Nargis Fakhri as Heer is serene beauty. Any boy will fall in love with her. As an actress she needs to improve but then she isn't bad either. Piyush Mishra as the opportunist Dhingra simply rocks as usual. Kumud Mishra is surely to catch attention of other directors. The ensemble cast provides ample support in their brief and significant role. Lastly how can one forget the original Rockstar Late Shammi Kapoor in a significant appearance. As a successful classical Sahnai (flute) player he is mind blowing. And how can I forget about Rehman's music in the film. Each of the songs are mark of a genius and brilliant in their own space. With awesome lyrics from Irshad Kamil the musical score elevates the movie to another level. "Nadan parinday" is one of the best written songs of recent times and "Sadda Haq" had all the power to be the youth anthem. Simply brilliant album in every sense. Overall Rockstar is a outstanding work of art that might not appeal to every many but sure to be the next Kagaz ke Phool in the long run; though Rockstar is already a Hit. Thankfully a genuine honest effort deserved its box office report. A classic in the long run…Rockstar Rocks!!

Jordan is sitting among prostitutes and strumming his guitar as they sing together -- when his manager pulls him out onto the street. Soon, a crowd engulfs them and starts chanting Jordan's name, their voices drowning the sound of the manager pleading with the musician to get his act together. "This is what I have always wanted," Jordan says, looking at his screaming fans. "But I am not happy inside."

Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar is a bittersweet journey of a man, an artist, from being an everyman to a superstar. But while Ali uncovers layers off Jordan the iconic musician -- each layer as fascinating as it is intriguing -- he keeps the core of the character, Janardhan Jakkad, alive. He hurts like anybody else, falls in love like anybody else, and also has to deal with moments of sheer frustration.

And all of it finds release in music. Music is Jordan's identity; it's what makes him rich and famous. But to Jordan, that's incidental. In the end, his artistry is what connects him with himself. For a Hindi film viewer, that is a fascinating story to watch unfold.

Then there's the opening shot, a tribute to India's original Rockstar, Shammi Kapoor. From there on, it's a tumultuous ride – one with its highs and lows, one that has anguish as also love, one that has pain, but also a sense of fulfillment. And a brilliant finale -- not a conventional one, but effective nonetheless -- which leaves you feeling like the characters themselves: incomplete but content, like an effective crescendo that leaves you wanting more.

The music itself is a delight. Each AR Rahman number is lilting, and woven beautifully in the story, the high frequency of songs not hindering the storytelling but enhancing the experience. Lyricist Irshad Kamil does an outstanding job, penning words that reflect the lead character's state of mind and complement situations aptly.

Imtiaz Ali, in trademark fashion though, isn't content with Focussing on the complexities of a troubled musician; he gives us a dose of romance too, and a generous one at that. Estrangement from family, lack of fulfillment in life, and self-discovery apart, what really drives Jordan's music is his relationship with Heer (Fakhri, beautiful but awkward). Volatile as the affair is, it's also what keeps Jordan sane, and Heer alive.

For about 15 minutes in Rockstar, the narrative tends to resort to 'Bollywoodism'; true love having the power to cure a terminal illness (almost), for example, doesn't exactly fit with what the rest of the film has to say. The story tends to meander a bit post-interval, but Imtiaz makes it work eventually, interweaving the fantastical romantic part of the film with the more gritty, dark bits deftly. In the end, how much you enjoy Rockstar will largely depend on whether the balance between the tale of a broken, discontented musician and the more conventional love story works for you.

It did for me -- though I would have preferred the former -- but you can't deny Imtiaz credit for his mastery over the romance genre. No contemporary filmmaker has dealt with man-woman relationships with as much dexterity. His films often tread a similar path (the lovers are usually confused, meet at different points in life, and there's always the 'other man'), but his fresh approach to each story is what makes them immensely watchable.

With Rockstar, Imtiaz goes beyond his own tried-and-tested format, his ambition to narrating a more complex story coming through. This is probably his most personal film, and his honesty as filmmaker is hard not to be affected by. Hopefully, he goes the whole hog next, ditching the genre he's adept at to trying his hand at something entirely out of his comfort zone. Rockstar is also Imtiaz's most technically polished film, and he benefits from the association with cinematographer Anil Mehta and editor Aarti Bajaj.

Ranbir Kapoor has been Hindi cinema's Next Big Thing for a while now. With Rockstar, he lives up to the hopes pinned on him to deliver big. Ranbir revels in Jordan's complexities; another actor may have found it to be an obstacle. The character arc undergoes constant transformation and he adapts suitably. It wouldn't be an understatement to say that Ranbir's portrayal of Jordan may go down as one of Hindi cinema's most accomplished performances by a lead actor. Just to see him work his magic on screen, Rockstar is worth a watch.

But while good acting is always an incentive, it's a director's vision that makes a film truly watchable, and Imtiaz makes Rockstar stand out from what the mainstream churns out every week. And brings back the one aspect sorely missing from Hindi films lately -- music.

I believe good directors are great Narrators. That is what enables them to breathe life into a mere series of scenes. And when the story being told is their own or perhaps very close to them, they break the surly bonds of commercial success themes and formulas. Movie then becomes a ruthless pursuit to expose and convey the most naked emotions buried within the story. Many times such an attempt becomes an awkward experience for us as a viewer. Sometimes it turns into a masterpiece. Rockstar is the latter.

This movie, too, is a signature imtiaz Ali movie where he yet again explores the most famous four lettered invention called "Love". However, this time its portrayed as an unverbalized camaraderie between a Jim Morrison idolizing artist, yearning to be a Rockstar, and a College sweetheart soon to be married off into affluence. Janardhan Jhakar (Ranbir K), is searching for a heartbreak to happen as it will fuel his creativity and hence his dream to be a rockstar. He bumps into Heer (Nargis Fakhri), believing getting dumped by her should seal the deal. But mindless fooling around soon blossoms undetected and before they know has grown into a chronic tumor of love.

By the time they realize this its too late. Though it may seem formulaic, Imtiaz's treatment of the subject is very unique. So much that it transcends from a Raw human emotion to borderline supernatural and yet seems very beautifully plausible. People complain about a slow second half have missed the point. I guess they were waiting for something to happen while missing to savor some of the most beautiful unsaid portrayals of love.

Imtiaz experiments with non-linear editing in this one and has done some really cool stuff. Its like a novel which tells you in the first 5 lines that the protagonists dies in the end and grips the reader wondering how did that come to pass. The Cinematography too is brilliant and has produced one of the most memorable scenes of Bollywood cinema. At least for me. To top it all off is a shell of fresh and innocent humor which helps the movie remain easy going and yet not loose its depth.

Ranbir has arguably done a marvelous job, for his role is that of silent anguish, which can easily become one of a chronic constipation in the hands of a clumsy actor. He has also done one of the most close to reality portrayal of a guitarist within Bollywood and should be given credit for that.(looking at Rampal in rock on). Nargis is a Newcomer and is just that, a novice, however she is as beautiful as she is delicate and portrays her character well enough.

Last but not the Least, A R Rehman, trademarks the soundtrack with Kun Faya and cranks up the distortion with Saada Haq. (it has liberal sprinkling of guitar riffs and some good ones at that). Orianthi lends her gifted talent to this song. The Music is a true soul of the movie.

With a climax which can send jitters into many Bollywood directors this movie is definitely a feather in imtiaz Ali's Cap.

A Must watch by me, but then I am a sucker for Imtiaz Ali movies, hence a Pinch of salt is advised.