Rock On 2 Movie Review
Rock On 2 Movie Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Shraddha Kapoor, Purab Kohli, Shashank Arora
Rock On 2 Movie Director: Shujat Saudagar
Follow on Twitter: Rock On 2
Rating: 3.5/5
There is a new a generation with its live passion and foot stomping ambition. It is about love, growing up and about creating an achievement in life. Rock On 2 is much more than ‘Magik’ which mesmerized a whole generation of rock lovers, new entrants and first timers to the genre. It is a long time for people to grow, mature and for situations to change. Aditya Shroff (Farhan Akhtar), Joe (Arjun Rampal), KD (Purab Kohli) has indeed grown up and music is still a religion and like a silent prayer is always there invoked when the time comes. This is celebrating the reality of life, even for rockers who can get an entire nation and generation sway to their music and venerate them.
Shillong, the “Rock capital of the country” is the setting to the coming of age of a rock band which has now taken on various shades of the same music related career. When Meghalaya unfolds much like a nostalgic album, we get to meet Adi. Yes, both are great looking- Adi and “waadi”. Adi has gone on to generate educational opportunities for the local kids, and is a much adored person there. He is into farming and has put in effort to form a small group of farmers. This is reminiscent of his band formation experience. His wife has decided to stay back in Mumbai, to look after their home and son. Sachi’ Prachi Desai) is somebody you relate, she is married yet emotionally single parent, bring up son complete with the strength of a woman and the rules of a parent.
Scriptwriters Pubali Chaudhari and Abhishek Kapoor can actually copy realism from life and pen it and then allow the director to recreate the visuals. They have a pulse on the balances of the music industry and hence when they depict a character, watch sense, learn and understand. There is a story in every character.
Producer, writer, lead actor and singer Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani has kept the flow consistent with the times. Arjun Rampal is now the owner of a cub and he also is a judge at a reality music show. Purab now is a music composer.Yes, there is music as the base of their very existence.
Non-conformist music Maestro Pandit Vibhuti (Kumud Mishra) has a daughter Jiah Sharma (Shraddha Kapoor). Jiah is a singer when she is not recording folksy numbers in remote villages. The twains then meet.
The story takes off when a fire destroys the idyllic village and Adi decides to resurrect it back to life. He looks back at Mumbai for support, friends and fund raising. His friends nudge him back to where he started from and they decide to organize a charity concert. Jiah and Uday (Shashank Arora) join in. Uday is a sarod player who doubles up as a bassist. This is the foundation. Now the next part is the actual execution of the plan. The beauty is in the capture of the sheer trauma of hard thankless and sometimes frustrating efforts that organizers undergo to ensure that shows like these happen.
Farhan Akhtar’s character comes across as the rocker, we all know. He is sincere and committed and also because he is a good human with tons of social causes his characterization is bang on. Arjun cannot be more impressive as Joe. Purab is as lovable and energetic.
Shraddha Kapoor is hot soldering the screen. Then there is her talent. Her voice and emotions are like railway tracks, they have to run parallel for the film to roll on, Her look will be the next big across high street fashion in the country.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s Jaago is the slogan to understand the expectation from the youth and to realize the value of being a rebel. This song with its appeal is the favorite of the lot. Farhan has added the whole stage performance bit to the song and made it a cult classic.
“Tere mere dil” grows on you. It is something we can all play when we are on our way to work or maybe cooking, cleaning, gardening, in the spa and its embracing. The vocals are smooth. There is subtlety and honesty.
After checking professionals and then zeroing in for the actress Shraddha Kapoor for singing has been a very good decision. To sing for the character who is a loner, loves alone time she has ‘Udja Re’ feeling like a new emotion. The songs have an Indian tinge to the electronic dance number with pop music strains. She begins mellow then reaches the crescendo and makes the soft rock worthy of the lyrics by Javed Akhtar.
You know what I mean takes the story ahead and Manzhar Naya is again Indian rock meets folk culture feel. New sounds and refreshing attempt at a new approach of bringing music to the youth.
Woh Jahaan is a story session set to music. A sarod string sings a power ballad and the vocalists have eased themselves into the music and the use of instruments. There is no strain. Its about listening with open mind. Ishq Mastana is your grow up song with fusion elements and familiar sounds full of comfort and warmth.
The talented Shillong-based band Somersault’s song with Usha Uthup complete the portfolio of talent and variety. How Kiw/Chalo Chalo is a Khasi- Hindi number. Energetic and reminiscent of Meghalaya in the clouds, the strains of ancient folk infused rock is a new sound.Nice Introduction of North East sounds to mainstream India. Summersault vocalist Kit Shangpliang along with Pynsuklin Syiemiong sing in Khasi while Usha sings in Hindi.
Why watch Rock On 2- Meghalaya, the captivating rolling hills captured by cinematographer Marc Koninckx is historical in virginal, the cast’s commitment to their craft and angelic Shraddha Kapoors’ crooning. Director Shujaat Saudagar’s reminds us that once a rocker- always a rocker. He has woven a beautifully crafted movie especially about a still being explored genre of music.
