Rockstar is in theatres and that too on a date, which wont come for the next 100 years, as rocking as its title. Disclaimer: If you think hindi films are better off without songs or if songs stop the flow of the movie, this movie is not for you. Imtiaz Ali is very good at love stories and he proves that yet again. Rockstar is a love story at heart and the irony is that not once do the lead pair utter the words "I Love You".\n\nJanardhan Jhakhar is an aspiring musician. He tries his level best to become a musician but no one takes him seriously. This is until he fakes a heartbreak with the hottest girl in college, Heer. Slowly but surely, the fake heartbreak turns into a real one as Heer gets married but JJ is deeply in love her. Jordan, a name which JJ is christened by Heer, quickly climbs the ladder of success, fame and self destruction. Only one person can stop him and bring him back but life happens and in the end Jordan is left burining inside.\n\nImtiaz Ali has a super creative way of telling stories. Rockstar has a simple story weaved around the premise of music. But the screenplay, especially in the first half, is super ingenuity. Definitely its a bold attempt and something which no one has tried before. The technique of going a little forward and then a flashback was awesome to see and experience. The dialogues are epic, as in all Imtiaz films. Its just in the last 30 minutes that the flow is hampered. Its almost as if Imtiaz ran out of time in the writing department and somehow finished the job. The movie was next to flawless in my perspective up until the last 30 minutes.\n\nIf ever stories were told through songs, this is it. I was totally awed at how Imtiaz Ali has handled each song and how they all have a small story of their own. Ofcourse it massively helps that the music score and the lyrics are probably the finest we have heard in a long time. The choreography, the minute details like panning out the metal music when JJ is playing on the road is simply beautiful. Each song is treated with equal importance and that is the beauty of it.\n\nMr. A.R.Rahman, no matter how many praises are sung of you, they are less. You are no doubt the Sachin Tendulkar in the world on hindi film music. You are the real rockstar of the movie, behind the scenes. Each song feels like a pearl fetched from the depths of the Indian Ocean. Whether it be the foot stamping 'Sadda haq' or the mesmerizing trance like 'Kun faya Kun' or the soulfull 'Jo Bhi Mai' you have in the real sense rocked it. A special mention to Irshad Kamil for the wonderful lyrics.\n\nIn addition to Rahman, the other hero of this film is Ranbir Kapoor. He carries the huge burden of this film on his shoulders and how. The pain and anguish that he emotes is simply goosebumps material. With each film my respect for Ranbir grows. I hated him in his first film and now I have been made to think that he is one of the finest actors in the country. The highs that Ranbir reaches are balanced by Nargis' lows in acting. She looks stunning but she cant act, period. A very bad casting choice. Amongst the supporting cast Aditi Rao Hydari and Kumud Mishra are the ones who leave an impact. \n\nThe third and the most important leg of this tripod, Imtiaz Ali is at his brilliant best and as always tries to reinvent himself. Even though its a love story, he chooses the difficult path to do something different. For that alone he should be lauded and should receive a pat on the back. The only blemish that one can find are the lackadaisical last 30 minutes. I loved the ending but not the path that it took to get there. The ending I believe is one of the most innovative endings I have seen in a hindi movie. You end up leaving the theatre with a heavy heart and feeling sad for the character and that is when you realize that the movie conveyed the message it was supposed to.\n\nIf it were not for Nargis' acting and the climax, Rockstar could have attained my 'Best movie of the year' spot. But alas, ZNMD retains the #1 spot for the year. Overall definitely worth watching.\n\nRating : 8.1 / 10\n\nReasons to watch:\n1) Ranbir Kapoor\n2) A.R.Rahmans creation put to canvas\n3) Innovative screenplay\n4) Awesome story naration\n\nReasons to skip:\n1) 1 song every 10 mins\n\nRepeat Value: Definitely !\n
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