Rockstar
wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)
Rockstar...underwhelming. Ranbir Kapoor portrays the pathos suffered in an epic, romantic tragedy. Unfortunately, that and of course Rahman's music are the only things that are epic about Rockstar. Other than that, it is an abrupt collage of images of awesomely shot rock shows and an attempt of a man and woman trying to find a place for their morals which the rest of the world finds misplaced. Underwhelming - is the word that keeps coming back to me ever since I left the theater.
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Rockstar - Preview
Rockstar...Imtiaz Ali is who I think of even before Ranbir Kapoor (like it should be, but isn't always. case in example, here's a rapid fire question for you - who's film is Ra.One?). Imtiaz Ali has a 2 out of 2 track record for me. I haven't watched Socha Na Tha yet. Yes, yes, will correct that error before I watch Rockstar, I promise. But anyway, the one phrase preview for Rockstar would be - "Looking forward to it! Period."
But it gets better. I set out to watch the promotional videos and unlike many "mainstream/big" films, each of them adds to my curiousity and knowledge about the film. For example, I'm already half-way convinced about the chemistry between Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri. I felt for Ranbir Kapoor's character just by seeing his encounter with tragedy (whatever it may be) and felt relief as he finds redemption in music, in this 'Kun Fayaa Kun' video. And of course, I can see him represent today's rebellious youth in 'Sadda Haq'.
And yet, you are ready for more.
The story we know so far, is simple but interesting enough. A to-be-artist wants to create tragedy in his life because all artists have tragedy in their lives for their work to be recognized. It reminded me of this beautiful Israeli film, Ben's Biography. Of course, Rockstar won't be anything like Ben's Biography, the latter is pretty demented.
Not that, Rockstar is any less demented. Nargis Fakhri the refreshing find (at least from the promos!) goes completely bonkers as the 'Jungli-Jawani' watching, 'desi-daru' drinking foreigner, check out -
The music is either trippy or a world apart, the visuals promise to be zany too. Just look at this image here!
And the film could be awful, but you will have to thank it for the bonus Shammi Kapoor. I mean, what's there not to look forward to, tell me?
Music Reviews:
Milliblog - "Rockstar’s soundtrack deserves to be (only) the 3rd 300 worder on Milliblog. Its listeners are bound to explore and discover many nuances as they listen and immerse themselves in this soundtrack."
Music Aloud - "9.5/10"
Bollyspice - "3.5/5"
Bollywood Hungama - "3.5/5"
Happy Sing - "Sadda Haq aithe rakh is a song for many seasons"
dunkdaft - "this was definitely worth all the hype, wait and curiosity generated around the album"
- meeta, a part of the audience
"Pursuit of happiness" and "right vs. wrong" are the difficult existential themes Rockstar grapples with. It entails defining happiness, defining right and wrong. Rockstar's ambition is to talk about one of the loveliest paradoxes - in order to pursue happiness, you have to be unhappy. Rockstar also wants to be an epic, romantic tragedy - Greek / Shakespearean / Devdas to Laila-Majnu to the protagonist's namesake - take your pick. Rockstar is that, but it leaves too many gaping holes for comfort.
I'm not asking for a water-tight thriller type answers, but I cannot suppress simple questions like - there are an awfully large number of talented people out there, why is Janardhan aka JJ aka Jordan or as we like to call him Ranbir Kapoor given so much leeway despite his obnoxious self. I understand him getting away with it once he is popular, but when he is a nobody? Just because he is willing to sign some agreements? This in a world full of talented soul-sellers - I mean both in their skill/art and selling their soul. I need to understand why his lady love hasn't heard of this concept called divorce - the involved families seemed open-minded enough.
In a film that is trying to transcend into another world, these questions might seem only mechanical. Having to answer them might be mere hindrances in the larger purpose of going beyond...to that field where right and wrong have no meaning. But then, the writer, Imtiaz Ali should've gone all the way and made it a film in which these questions didn't come to me - a film in which I'd absorb abstractism without any qualm.
Don't put in a silly and out-of-place bhabhi (sister-in-law). Don't put in a forced reason for the protagonist to be thrown out of his house. And please don't suddenly put in a rebellious song with a social commentary just because you had an awesome lyricist and the world's greatest music composer at your disposal. Your character, Jordan is least bothered with the environment and such. Maybe all films about rockstars have to show the star's angst against "society", symbolically and literally, which they dole out with brilliantly choreographed cinematography. But then all rockstars dope it up and you did avoid that, didn't you? Because there was no room for that in the story, just like there was no room for the said song in the film. Thankfully, the rest of the songs weave in and out of the film making it a beautiful musical.
And a beautiful musical it is. Given the Himalayas and Prague are its locations, I doubt there is anything a cinematographer or a director could have done wrong. And I doubt it'd bother too many of us for too long if the songs weren't picturized too well. We'd rant about it, and pop in a CD and listen to the music anyways, over and over again. The good thing is the film doesn't become all about the beauty of these places or only about the music. The not-so-good thing is that it doesn't become much about anything else either.
While you do feel for Jordan, it is solely because Ranbir Kapoor is desperately injecting life into the scattered screenplay with Jordan's plain and simple pain and unabashed self-destruction. I usually refrain from giving my suggestions on the changes that I'd have liked in the film, because that means I'm talking about a different film altogether. But, here, I can't resist wondering what Rockstar would've been like if it was neat and clean, linear. It'd have to be shorter for sure. The non-linearity didn't bother me per se, I just found it unnecessary and taking away from the plot. It didn't let the protagonists' suffering build up.
Especially that of the lead lady, Heer. I'm going to go out on a limb and say the gorgeous looking, hot (even in loose, traditional Kashmiri wear) Nargis Fakhri is a mistake. The 'new in films' discomfort is visible. Her comic timing is way off and she manages to mess the few good lines and situations in the first half. (then the writer give up on coming up with any original lines). Anyway, maybe we just have to wait for her to open up like Kareena Kapoor or Katrina Kaif. But the damage is done to the film at hand. Her inability to emote either her suppressed wild-side, her dilemma, or her physical frailty are the main weak link of Rockstar. The back-and-forth screenplay I would have been able to handle, if I felt my heroine's agony.
I didn't connect to her and therefore his love and lust for her. The scarier thing is I got a feeling that the director was treating his film with a one-arm distance too, almost wary that he might get too attached to his baby. I know many of you are keen, but I really don't see as many of us enjoying this one for what it is. Yes, yes, this recommendation is after discounting for high expectations.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...Practically nothing in Rockstar is done the way its story synopsis would appear to demand, and this blithe abandonment of convention is what makes this love story sing. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...t rises above the level of entertainment and is like a smashing mirror on our face making us realize our own filthy self.... full review
Thumbs up, by Rumnique Nannar, Bolly Spice : ...The music and background by A.R Rahman is wonderful... full review
Thumbs up, Free Press Journal : ...This is a film that scores highly on all counts.... full review
Thumbs up, by Samrat Sharma, Fully Hyderabad : ...Rockstar is a smart, well-crafted film... full review
Thumbs up, by Divya Solgama, Gomolo.in : ...As for Rock genre lovers, the movie raises the bar and delivers a different side to it which I would term as a Starry Romance.... full review
Thumbs up, by Karan Anshuman, Mumbai Mirror : ...With his role, Ranbir Kapoor firmly establishes himself as one of Hindi cinema's finest. Ever.... full review
Thumbs up, by Raja Sen, Rediff : ...Rockstar is a simple, unspectacular tale, sometimes even predictable... full review
Thumbs up, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...On the whole, Imtiaz Ali deserves a big applause, both for writing the script and brilliantly directing it. ... full review
Thumbs up, StarBoxOffice : ...Rockstar is a must-watch!... full review
Thumbs up, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...The vocals by Mohit Chauhan, the lyrics by Irshad Kamil and the music by AR Rahman are stuff classics are made of.... full review
Thumbs up, Zee News : ...‘Rockstar’ is soul-stirring journey ... full review
So-So, A Nutshell Review : ...The unassuming post interval sequences, non-crisp editing and screenplay are the drawbacks.... full review
So-So, Best Of Bollywood : ...If you love Rahman and Ranbir Kapoor, you can watch the film but not with much expectations.... full review
So-So, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...The film suffers immensely due to a disorderly screenplay... full review
So-So, by Charu A Mahesh, Buzz in Town : ...Rockstar might not be the film of the year as we were expecting it to be, but it definitely deserves a watch only for Ranbir and Rahman!... full review
So-So, Daily Bhaskar : ...Ranbir Kapoor proves himself to be the apt choice for the role. He carries the entire film on his shoulders.... full review
So-So, by Deepa Gahlot, Film Impressions : ...Rockstar is a boring, disappointing film, saved only by the rigour Ranbir Kapoor... full review
So-So, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...The film’s strengths are AR Rahman’s music, Ranbir Kapoor’s performance and director Imtiaz Ali’s vision.... full review
So-So, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...Debut Nargis Fakhri is impressive.... full review
So-So, by Mona , Gomolo.in : ...ARR - bas ek 'Tum Ho'...... full review
So-So, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...'Rockstar' deserves a watch... full review
So-So, by Komal Nahta, koimoi : ...Watch it for the great performance of Ranbir Kapoor.... full review
So-So, by Sanjukta Sharma, Live Mint : ...Imtiaz Ali’s rock star is just an embittered lover... full review
So-So, by Visitant Tally, Mixed Bag : ...The movie, nevertheless, has most of the elements to keep you hooked to the screen.... full review
So-So, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...Rockstar may not be one of the finest attempts but is definitely worth a watch for its pleasing first half and the ace performance of Ranbir Kapoor. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Anna M.M.Vetticad , annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...Nargis is pretty, but her studied acting style required a firmer directorial hand. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Naresh Kumar Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...'Rockstar' is a beautiful melody gone wrong!... full review
Thumbs down, by Nandita Dutta, DearCinema : ...Rockstar just fails to create the magic of a love story... full review
Thumbs down, by Mansi , Everything Movies : ...Ranbir rocks...Rockstar doesn't!... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Deosthalee, Film Impressions : ...RANBIR IS A ROCK STAR AND ROCKSTAR IS RANBIR... full review
Thumbs down, by Kaveree Bamzai , india today : ...Imtiaz Ali has discovered his baroque side and it is a terrible thing to behold. ... full review
Thumbs down, Movie Talkies : ...'Rockstar': Ranbir's Iconic Triumph, Imtiaz's Hit-And-Miss... full review
Thumbs down, Roochster : ...Rockstar is really disappointing as a movie even though Ranbir Kapoor's packed performance.... full review
Thumbs down, by Reel Reptile , Upper Stall : ...A minus point of the drama is that comic and light moments are few and far between.... full review
yashrajr: Rockstar movie...different, timepass..Ranbir Kapoor nice...
yash1867: #Rockstar must watch for @NargisFakhri looks awesome :)
vvc_1: 'Rockstar' an excellently made movie, wonderful music .Towering above all is Ranbir Kapoors soul stirring performance.
vikranthum: #Rockstar is a rocking movie..MUST WATCH :)
varunjamwal: "ROCKSTAR" was a treat to watch...great work ranbir and imtiaz
V15SH: Ranbir Kapoor was awsome... must watch his singing style n lip sync it looks so natural... #Rockstar
utpalumarye: rockstar is gud movie
urmichhapia: Saw Rockstar yesterday!! Loved it loved it loved it loved it! Ranbir is too good in the movie objectively speaking. ... http://tmi.me/ib5Ya
Ujjawal_Trivedi: Saw Rockstar yestdy wid frnds and liked it though so mch of switching gt confused smetime bt its a must watch Ranbir will get the benefit
tweetsnehoo: Rockstar awesome, loved it
tnzmkhan: guyz rockstar what a film man everyone should see that once!
the_fake_hero: #Rockstar Rocks
tattleajit: Rockstar is worth a watch (despite the story's inherent shallowness & the shocking randomness of its execution) because of the leading man..
tanushreevaidya: Loved rockstar... ♥
summerfille: I liked Rockstar. Nice making and Ranbir's acted so well! Ekdum local! ;)
sudhir5k: i saw rockstar it was awsom, Nargis was simply brilliant
sonu2810: #Rockstar is a fabulous film with mind boggling performance by RK and as usual fantastic music by AR...
soha_kulkarni: Rehaman +Ranbir= Rock Rock Rockstar!!!! <3
siddharthpn: my GOD what a feeling after seeing Rockstar absolutely brilliant,& no words 2 describe Ranbir's performance.da best performance of dis year.
shivom_oza: Rockstar - Intriguing, although I believe they could have ended it a bit better! In any case, Watchable!
sharmarules: Saw rockstar ystrday late night :-):-) .....awsme music.....ranbir's acting is gr8....nice muvie......:-)
shambhavi19: Rockstar!!!! a must watch!! :D
shahrushitu: Watched Rockstar star yesterday; its a good movie, Music is superb...
saurav_smiles: Rockstar. First day first show. Ending was a bit abrupt though, BUT overall, the movie was MINDBLOWING.
Saqybqadri: Rockstar rocks! imtiyaz ali hs dirctd briliantly,Ranbir is out stndng,wt prfrmnce!!N d bst part z cing kashmir on a big screen,Luv kashmir<3
sandy_upu: Rockstar... Awesome awesome awesome
samratkaran: Rockstar is awesum movie
sajeed21: you know I went to see ROCKSTAR & was really amazing......specially Ranbir & Nargis.
sahilone97: rockstar is amazing :) ...cant go out from the magic of RANBEER AND REHMAAN
rpardesi: 'Rockstar' is amazing. Every shot is straight from craftsmen armory....Good stuff Imtiaz Ali and Ranbir rocks...!
ROHITSINGHRANA1: ROCKSTAR MOVIE LOVE-STORY IS GREAT
Rithu16: I loved the Rockstar movie, bcoz only for Nargis Fakhri. :)
RishiRishikesh: Ranbir’s Rockstar Failed To Rock @ B.O http://goo.gl/szz22
riddhikapoor: I don't know why people are hating rockstar. Yes it could have been better made but its still a refreshing movie! Must watch I say!
RavinderSiwach: Liked #Rockstar it's just short of being a classic. Ranvir rocks alright.
ranita810p: watched rockstar and liked it. Ranbir's hardwork shows !!
RamaniSumit: #Rockstar endorses two of my strong beliefs. No wonder I liked the movie.
pratik_shah: #Rockstar is an amazing piece of work. Highly recommended. Ranbir's most memorable performance till date! ARR is well... ARR !
pranit_11sep: Rockstar-2nd best movie of the year aftr ZNMD..Ranbeer is the new superstar n Imtiaz Ali take a bow :-)
PitrodaChintan: hey guyz....... rockstar is really rockin movie... very much enjoying.....
pbhaveshk: awesome movie ROCKSTAR must watch.. : ) gud morning...!!!
Paryagraj100: Rockstar is a great movie.
Nirzaree: Music >> Movie #Rockstar
nashatwork: #Rockstar a cool movie in long time and music is growing even more now...
MUKULSHARMA151: ROCKSTAR AWESOME
mUkUL05: Goodmorning guyzzzzz ....watched Rockstar @Ranbir_Kapoor Aka Jordan u rocked d show just loved the movie n uboth rocked http://twitpic.com/7e2i5h
mrsamratx: Ranbir was pretty good I thought. And the movie itself is a good watch too, even though I found the ending a little unsatisfactory #Rockstar
Max1052: Rockstar is awesome. . . !!! Movie. . . Nice story. . . Ranbir is rocking. . . . my friends. . .go. . . .
LisaTsering: Rockstar was a beautiful film. But I was shocked to see how the censors made Imtiaz Ali blur that "Free Tibet" sign in that concert scene.
letssocial: Rockstar is good movie, music and Ranvir's acting is best #Rockstar #ImtiazAli
kshitijb: Rockstar is a good movie. Ranbir does a a fantastic job at acting, and Nargis a fantastic job at looking the way she does.
Kraka_laka: Oh yeh.. Yeh... Yey yey yey.. Ooooo, oooooo o o... #Rockstar still rocking inside ma head... Must C 4 muzik n beauty n Love devotees.. :)
khushbanka: Rockstar! Cool movie about eccentric people! But 3 hrs! Same emotions! Could have more twists! But good attempt! Like it! :)
khatasaurus: Rockstar: Watch for a better attempt on an original concept, Ranbir Kapoor.
kabeersays: ..gmorning ppl..Go watch Rockstar dis weekend..Imtiaz Ali's made a great great film..which doesn't disappoint even when it ends @ 3 am..
JyotiRajbanshiG: #rockstar is a hilarious #movie... Really good perfermance @RKRanbirKapoor
jessickaS: Cannot get over how amazing #Rockstar is. The work, the music, the actors. Amazing job to the entire team and especially @1mtiazali!
jasminebilling: Imtiaz Ali is an artist, Ranbir is a true Rockstar and the next superstar and Nargis Fakhri has a long way to go. #Rockstar is MINDBLOWING!
jaffershadiq: I ♥ the way #Imtiaz Ali presented #Rockstar
J_5hr1k4nth: #Rockstar sans the depressing end is a good movie, Nargis Fakhri is good with her over expressive face, Ranbir Kapoor did an awesome job.
itsMusty: Ranbir Kapoor Steals The Show In #ROCKSTAR No Surprises, Its A Must Watch Film, Don't Miss Out.
iNav_Ram: #Rockstar....Whata movie!!! Awesome acting by Ranbir. Great direction by Imtiaz Ali. Actress is poor. Finally bollywood is coming of age!
iA_Myth: Rockstar truly rocks . . Seriously awesome cinema . .
hKUMARD: ROCKSTAR rocks with awesome music ....
HEMANT4999: Rockstar movie - ranvir kapoor done a fantastic acting and movie rock me from bottom to top.after a long time different/complete music album
heatherbarbafre: Rockstar is a must-watch! - http://StarBoxOffice.com
HayaNH: #ROCKSTAR - Artist on Self-Destruct Everything thing it should have been ... awkward, painful, breathtaking and painful!! GO WATCH
HaarisMat: Saw Rockstar yesterday at Dehradun. Good movie, heavy with emotions, with a brilliant soundtrack from A.R. Rahman. Worth a watch for sure.
gangasagarpatil: liked Rockstar...nargis fakri is nice..
fOrTiTuDe1309: #Rockstar is good :D
faizal0603: Rockstar really rocking...........rocking..........guys go for it...
EsotericPhoenix: Rockstar ♥ super like :)
ekalakhani: Woke up with rockstar still fresh in my mind.. Lots of stray moments.. But ranbir keeps u hooked.. I totally love it #rockstar
editor_abhinav: #Rockstar Imtiaz you rocked it; Rehman sir amazing soundtracks; #Delhi loved it... :)
drgauravpal: WATCHED ROCKSTAR LAST NIGHT IT IS VERY GOOD
Dolma_Dabalaba: #Rockstar.... Whatta inspiring movie! Heads off to imtiaz Ali for suchaa sensational m0vie! Free tibet :)
dishoompk: Shabash Ranbir Kapoor, shabash A.R.Rehman, Shabash Mohit Chauhan, and above all.... Shabash Mr Imtiaz Ali. You are just brilliant! #Rockstar
digz07: rockstar is awsm.. Go watch it, ranbir is really a rockstar n rehman sahab is megastar
dhruv_b: Rockstar- A must watch! Ranbir has outdone himself @NargisFakhri is divine and manages to look breathtaking throughout. Fabulous chemistry!
dheerajk27: Saw Rockstar movie yesterday. A treat for music lovers and must watch it in a theater...
deepwadhwa: #rockstar...awesome movie...amplified version of total reality....
DanceEatRepeat: loved #rockstar
dakshin1: Rockstar is one of the neatest love story after a long long time. Kudos to Imtiaz Ali again! Loved all his movies till date
crazybatbikes: Rockstar truely a rocking movie....Ranbeer character soooo much in common......magical touch works in real lyf too
chetanarora87: Rockstar is overall a good movie, something different... Also some interesting dialogues...."Even donkey works hard"
CanLoveHappen2c: Jo Bhi Mai Kahna , Barbad Kare Alfaz Mere .. Rockstar Is Really A Rocking And Motivational Movie .. Guys Must... http://fb.me/1iPLdJ0zh
bublyps: Truly inspirational words from the Holy Quran - " KUN - FAYAKUN" Meaning - BE and IT IS..Thumbs up to team ROCKSTAR!!
biswajitg: Had an amazing movie-mania weekend.... watched #rockstar and #tintin
AwesomeSheikh19: Watched Rockstar last nyt..gud movie
awesomashwin: Rockstar is one of those good movies rarely made in India.Only if last 25 mins of movie were better it would have been great.
ashwingadhavi: Ranbir rock in rockstar each and every moment and rehman and mohit also very nice movie and best act by ranbir ever
Arshshah1: rockstar......awesome movie
AnjaanRJ: Saw #rockstar last night. Really endearing film. Also new found respect for Ranbir. #win it's a must watch!
aniket_bhatia: watched #rockstar yesterday. ive got 3 things to say, 1)movie was so awesome 2)@ranbeer gave a great performance 3)@nargisfakhri you are hot
anik991: Rockstar is 1 Brilliantly made movie...kudos to Ranbir kapoor for his top notch acting!!!
Alineh86: Just watched #rockstar and have to say I loved it. Very unique. Kudos to Ranbir Kapoor on doing a fab job with a very complex role.
adnaann: Watched Rockstar..... A fabulous work by imtiaz ali and ranbir jst proved that he is a true rockstar......... Superb film........
adijosh: rockstar is amazing!! :) :) passion, love & music!!
aamir23: Rockstar. Good stufffffff
_viju: After long, some good picturization/utilization of Rahman's music in Rockstar. Thank you Imtiaz Ali.
_ShoeFanatic: #Rockstar..a Great movie..so good that did'nt even Try to ruin it with my sarcastic Humour. Real Deep..Boo to those with negative comments!
_Anhum_: #Rockstar is one AWESOME movie @1mtiazali . Haven't seen a movie so engaging and emotional yet satisfying in such a long time. Wow. :D
ZainFaraz: A very well shot movie.. but only to squander it away in the last 15 mins.. Bad ending #Rockstar
Utkarsh_Ambasth: rockstar is a good film but again it could have been better,.... bizarre ending...
URM1: Watched Rockstar yesterday. Mixed feelings.
sutariyarocky: ROCKSTAR.... GOOD MOVIE BUT POOR SCRIPTING...TOO SLOW...TOO MUCH TWIST WHICH WE CANT UNDERSTAND... http://fb.me/1jPl7WdFS
sanyakapil: #rockstar was pretty ok. Maybe I went in expecting a lot more nd it dint live up to those expectations...thts wht a lot of hype does I guess
sameer087: rockstar movie was not at all a bad movie it is a one time watch :)
rumna: Absolutely loving the music of #Rockstar Movie is entertaining so far, like Ranbir, but not Nargis so much.. More after the interval..
rjrahul983: #Rockstar: Entertainin 1st half, BORING 2nd half, Nargis Fakhri ;(... #Ranbir :) amazing performance 3/5.. watch it for Ranbir @MirchiPune
RJ_Noopur: #rockstar disappoints!! But paisa vasool performance by ranbir..n it was awesome to watch shammiji!!
RashmiPutcha: Now to figure who is free for #Rockstar Won't go alone, apparently the second half of the movie is not that great!
pragatimehra: Imtiaz ali-master storyteller/ranbir kapoor-effortless actor/nargis fakri-acting mein fakir/rockstar-nt a masterpiece bt wrth a dekho
Pa_Rules: #Rockstar was a good effort but still it lacked in some aspects. It couldnt create the magic of #JabWeMet or Innocence of #Sochanatha
kaveerr: about #rockstar first half is filled with fun and did have a real good pace ... second half actually calms down, more like a trance.
jayskapoor: Rockstar, Rocks ,should watch for Ranbir, suprb acting, nothing else
harishWITHalive: Let's call #Rockstar an average movie and raise it to above average by rating #Ranbir Kapoor as an excellent performer.
chinmaydhoble: Rockstar fails to take that step from good to great
bhatnagarrahul: Rockstar awesome experience but a little lengthy.. Palangtod..
Ayush_A: #ROCKSTAR FIRST half excellent 2nd half unbearable
ankur_spn: Rockstar the rocking movie but lost story -
amuthegreat: sewcond half of #rockstar could be improved ..really disappointed with second half after brilliant first half...nargis looks too beautiful
abhi_agarwal86: Rockstar...first half is very good, imtiaz ali loses it in the 2nd half...
vitalstatistiks: Saw RockStar. What a terrible waste by Imtiaz in the second half ! Ranbir was v good, but his character lost the connect it had in last hour
ultimatedj98: Rockstar...... Hated it
TheSamirAbbas: Rockstar...Flopstar !!! Very slow
sutithi_p: rockstar was a disaster...
SunilpGwalani: Rockstar does not rock. Nargis is clueless, Rahman far from his best, and Imtiaz lost. But can still watch for Ranbir esp. in the1st half
shwetakhalkho: #Rockstar Super Bakwaas Movie
shikhabhatta: Am I the only one who found it difficult to sit through #Rockstar?!! Sorry @1mtiazali I thought the movie was a complete failure!
sangvoel: Rockstar pretty bad I'd say.. story had potential but has been disregarded.. Ranbir has acted well... Fakhri is perhaps the worst we have.
Rugved8: dissapointed by 'Rockstar'..not xpected dis kinda story! but Hats off to Ranbir s acting! Gr8.. better dan 'Ra.One' but ;)..
rishirediffmail: Ranbir's Rocked Yet Rockstar Failed http://goo.gl/szz22
rishigoheritage: Ranbir's Rocked Yet Rockstar Failed http://goo.gl/szz22
rajuvijai: Rockstar promises much but delivers nothing...
payoshnis: #Rockstar = flopstar #epic fail
ordanjam: #rockstar :1st half brilliant..2nd half the director start losing the plot and last 25mins complete metaphorical.vry Disappointed.RK awesome
Ootkarsh: ROCKSTAR: Really disappointing. As someone rightly noted, Imtiaz Ali should've directed the 2nd half too.
nimkarkedar: Bhul ke bhi rockstar dekho mat.
NEHAMADAN1222: #Rockstar verdict ...too many plots...No story! #EpicFail!
neerajravi11: dissapointed by rockstar
ly_thomas: Rockstar disappointed me...
lilesh_143: Rockstar is pakau movie........
KishoreDayani: #Rockstar is plain bullshit ... Not expected from a quality man like imti
jhalaadhiraj: flop show rockstar............
JaiHoARRClub: Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar is a far-from-perfect film, but it has honesty and depth, which is mostly missing in Hindi... http://fb.me/1pxr6cYub
dineshjuneja: #Rockstar - pathetic film. No storyline, gets too draggy, and Nargis dies! ALAS :( #fail
DearCinema: Rockstar: a disappointing show http://goo.gl/fb/JdBxs #review #topstory #imtiazali #ranbirkapoor #rockstarreview
clananthu: Re: Rockstar - Our views..: Rawat, I didnt like the movie one bit but the ending was actually good. http://yhoo.it/tVIYoX
chandyachayan: ROCKSTAR>> the music itself is worth.. movie is not a conventional sequential flow. its done in a different perspective..
black542: #Rockstar is a bakwas film.story is disturbing.mindless movie.such a shit i ever seen.#rockstar #rockstar #rockstar #rockstar #rockstar..
aftabrox: Rockstar Review:Not a perfect movie,rather a movie made for Ranbir#outstanding performance,Rahmans Music Steals d show,must watch for once;)
AbhishekNahar: #RockStar.. such a disappointment !!
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Plot Summary
Girl, Heer Nargis Fakhri meets boy, Jordan Ranbir Kapoor. And of course, there are hurdles.
What Worked
- That the movie among other things also implies a marriage where a heart isn't willing is cancerous. Even if it is a bit too literal.
- The passing reference of how Pandits and muslims co-exist in Kashmir.
- That the film recognizes that fighting against parents for being with your love is passé. It has now become a matter of fighting against "moral rights and wrongs"
- The opening line of the film.
- The documentary-like opening sequence.
- The shehnai-guitar duet between Rockstar Shammi Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor
- 'ye chaand sa roshan chehra!'
What did not
- The predictable cut to a flashback of a younger Ranbir Kapoor after the docu-like opening sequence
- The act of guitar-strumming - and here I thought I had gotten past complaining about suck trivialities! /li>
- The disconnect and disjointedness I've been complaining about came out in sequences like the one in which Jordan is beaten up by his family. The icing on the cake was a dialogue that went "agar peechhe nahi pada to usski shaadi mein kyon gaya tha?" (If you aren't wooing her why did you go to his wedding.)
- Too much stress on lust for a story about two people falling in love(?)
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: Generic fist fights between police and Ranbir Kapoor
- Language: Clean
- Nudity & Sexual content: A porn theater, a couple of strip clubs, a few kisses, and a couple of scenes with making out.
- Concept: A romantic tragedy
- General Look and Feel: Starts out bright, goes on to become grim and dark.
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Comments (15)
Movie will be great....
Watch "Socha Na Tha". And I think Rockstar will be great. Another reason to believe so is Taran Adarsh's review - it seems he could not understand the movie. :)
:(. I was expecting a lot from this.
@Nikhil I thought so too,
@Rahul yeah, me too! :( Well, anyway as promised, I watched "Socha Na Tha" and it had some brilliant moments. And as far as understanding the movie, there wasn't anything very mystic about it.
@Anand Glad to be of service :P Though I must say it is not as bad as Mausam. But, yeah you could wait for it to be on TV/cable.
good yar!!!ranbir rockkkkkssssss
Totally disagree, movie was amongst the best films to come out in recent times. Yes, it had many unanswered questions as pointed out by you, but instead of answering those questions, the director decided to focus on the journey of Janardhan to Jordan, which was far more interesting and hear touching. A brilliantly directed movie, with the same script, most film makers would have made a mess of the films, but Imtiaz managed to pull it out well. And well Nargis is a talent to watch out for.
Hey meetu . I loved the movie ! I'm a hardcore movie maniac and keep posting my opinions on movies on fb but this is my first attempt at a proper review and i've started with Rockstar. Please check out my blog link and let me know what you think. Your precious advice will be of great help to me.
@Amit I'm fascinated by the reactions of people who have loved the movie. They loved it so much that they don't mind the flaws. Exactly, the thing that happens with me, when I love a film. I'm actually sad, that the flaws in the story were overpowering for me. Oh well...
@Sumith aawww! Thank you so much... keep writing.
@Rachit I'm so glad that you enjoyed the film.
@Anuj here's the explanation - http://wogma.com/to-each-his-own/#external_reviews Let me know if you need any further qualification.
@Shilpa true...
@Rashmi well, it's their creative choice and i guess he envisioned it in a certain way and there are people who loved it. Sad that it didn't work for us :(
@Sumith sent an e-mail :D
@Anuj for me a film is over and above my love/dislike of its main "star" I liked Hrithik in ZNMD, I liked SRK in Chak De - and yet i'm not at all a "fan" of either of their acting skills, far from it.
@Datta ho jaaye! shoot an e-mail [email protected] :D
@Mudit I thought all my reviews were blatant :D Anyway, we agree on this one. I have yet to buy the audio CD so still haven't given the songs a repeated listen, which they so do deserve.
@Divya true, very true. And actually it's true of every film or i'd take a step further and say every piece of art. It is indeed a relationship between the audience and the author.
I respectfully disagree.. I'll point out the most obvious thing here though.. Sadda Haq is not about Tibet, the environment or worldly issues.. it's about him asking for his right to live the way he wants to live.. it's very internal.. If you want to read my entire interpretation of the film, perx.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/imtiaz-rockstar/
or Sudish Kamath's review..which i personally recommend you should read if you want to understand what the movie is about: sudhishkamath.com/2011/11/18/rockstar-in-search-of-the-free-bird/
@Perx Yes, it is obvious 'sadda haq' is not about any of these things, but the way JJ's character has been built, i don't see him using any of these to comment either, it comes across as the director's angst, not the character's and "for effect". I will read Sudhish Kamath's review in a bit but even before I do so, I must point out, that I completely respect his opinion as do yours. It's a matter of what you like and what you are willing to forgive because of how much you have liked what you liked. A movie-watching experience is always about this, isn't it?
@Pariksht Sorry to disappoint, boss. But this review is an accumulation of thoughts just after watching the film and for the few hours after that - underwhelming
@Siddhartha Unfortunately, it comes across as I rated Ranbir Kapoor as 3.5. I actually rate him as 5 and the other person that makes the "lead cast" a 0, so the average should've actually been 2.5, but I felt that was too harsh on Ranbir, thus bumped him up to more than 5/5. Actually, in the same vein I should have bumped it down again to give Nargis negative points, but...let it go.
@Meetu - Boy Howdy, we didn't get more than a half hour into ROCKSTAR before we ejected the DVD and re-watched ALADIN (a favorite of my wife, Tammy's) instead! Between the stocky guy with the mustache dispensing "pearls of wisdom" about Suffering For Your Art (which sounded suspiciously like the BS one of Tammy's ex-boyfriends, a mostly self-published fantasy writer, likes to spew!), the "unstuck in time" editing and Janardhan's pushy stalker-dude behavior towards Heer (yes, we understand it's to show he's Truly Madly Deeply in love with her, but it just comes off as really creepy), it was a Must To Miss for all of us American Indian Movie fans.
In this case, I don't think you can chalk our discomfort off to "cultural differences". Certainly The Annoying But Deep-Down Great Guy Who Hangs Around The Girl Until She Falls In Love With Him is a popular trope of both Indian Movies and American Television Shows - but when Shah Rukh Khan or Askhay Kumar (or Nathan Fillion over here!) does it, there's something under the Annoying that makes you want to succeed. None of us got this in this movie....
@TimELiebe this is one in which I was swimming against the tide. It was a difficult one. :D
I too had great expectation from this movie but it was kind of against the usual story line of a Bollywood movie. Loved the songs though. :)
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