Simply Rocking!

Much before the movie hit the theatres, some critic called “Rock On” “Dil Chahta Hai” with a mid life crisis. I would however like to call it “Dil Chahta Hai” ten years down the line where the reckless bonhomie is much subdued and the three poor little rich boys replaced by their down to earth humbler versions. For life you see is not only about merry trips to Goa or taking over a business empire from your dad or pursuing one’s artistic endeavours without any care in the world. The three spoilt brats of “Dil Chahta Hai”, who are only moderately sobered by life, are replaced by four musician friends whose friendship is as strong alright but is put through much more severe tests – not only circumstantial ones but also those caused by the very fact of our being human...our own jealousies, insecurities and complexes. That they re unite after a hiatus of 10 years to recreate the “Magik” and give one last mind blowing performance is a standing ode to their friendship and all that which gives meaning to life.
What is it that gives meaning to life? Music in “Rock On” is not just music but a metaphor for that which gives meaning to life, charges one with a passion and makes you transcend the mundane existence. But that something is not very easy to find or to cling on to as our 4 heroes realise much to their cost. The band falls apart, friends part ways and life in all its horror of daily humdrum mechanical existence takes over. Aditya, the lead vocalist,played by Farhan Akhtar makes it big as an investment banker but forgets how to live.KD the drummer (Purab Kohli) joins the family jewellery business in true blue Gujju fashion. Rob (Luke Kenny) is dying, literally, churning out cheap Hindi film music for Anu Malik. But it is the lead guitarist, Joe played by Arjun Rampal who sees life in all its stark poverty ridden reality as his wife, an erstwhile aspiring designer sells fish to make ends meet. Life really isn’t fair.And just when they seem to be accepting their habitual life, they shake off the slumber and rise, almost sphinx like, to rediscover and recreate the “Magik” they had shared and created even if it is only one superlative performance that life has allowed them. But they are grateful even for that for it is not everyone who gets a second chance, a second chance to rediscover life as it were.
The tone is much more sombre from the very beginning than what we saw in “Dil Chahta Hai” at any point. The restrained acting, devoid of any histrionics is just what the movie needed and all actors have done justice to their character. After proving his mettle as a director, Farhan Akhtar shows he’s capable of delivering both behind and in front of the camera.
And what can one say about the music? Shankar,Ehsaan, Loy’s music ,specially the guitar, sends you off to an era when music truly ruled..Doors, Pink Floyd, Joe Satriani. With this album Hindi movie’s music seems to have bridged the gap between what is called high brow and low brow.... what is poetry if not music and what are lyrics if not poetry? Pink Floyd’s and Jim Morrison’s lyrics are as much poetry to the twentieth century as the Romantics’ creations are to the literati. And neither need to be far removed from our daily existence...Shakespeare’s romantic sonnet is as much of poetry as is T.S Eliots’s lament on the Wasteland. And in the same vein the lyrics of “Rock On”, from the title track to “Pichle Sat Dino Se” to the very romantic “Tum ho Toh” touch us by their very fact of being so close to our daily life.
“If music be the food of love, play on” said the great bard centuries ago. “Rock On” makes music the food of life and not only love and pushes each one of us to seek whatever it is that gives meaning to our life. Truly an amazing movie that transports you to another realm of existence even if only momentarily.