Rock On!!

This article is about the 2008 film. For the soundtrack album, see Rock On!! (soundtrack). For other uses, see Rock On (disambiguation).
Rock on!!

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Abhishek Kapoor
Produced by Farhan Akhtar
Ritesh Sidhwani
Written by Farhan Akhtar
(Dialogue)
Screenplay by Pubali Chaudhari
Abhishek Kapoor
Story by Abhishek Kapoor
Starring Arjun Rampal
Shahana Goswami
Farhan Akhtar
Prachi Desai
Purab Kohli
Koel Purie
Luke Kenny
Nicolette Bird
Music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Cinematography Jason West
Edited by Deepa Bhatia
Production
company
Distributed by Reliance Big Pictures
Release dates
29 August 2008
Running time
145 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Box office 457 million (US$6.8 million)[1]

Rock On !! is a 2008 Indian rock musical drama film written and directed by Abhishek Kapoor, produced by Farhan Akhtar, and with music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The film marks the successful Bollywood debut of Farhan Akhtar and Prachi Desai.

Arjun Rampal, Farhan Akhtar, Luke Kenny, and Purab Kohli star as members of the Mumbai-based grunge rock band, "Magik" (formed in 1998) who reunite in 2008. The winner of seven Filmfare awards, Rock On was critically acclaimed but had an average performance at the box office. The cast of Rock On was featured on the cover of the September 2008 issue of Rolling Stone (India). Its screenplay has also been added to the Academy Film Archive.[2]

Plot

Rock On begins in Mumbai, with the rock band Magik, in 1998. Joseph (Joe) Mascarhenas (Arjun Rampal) is the lead guitarist who feels necessity to prove his worth as a musician. Aditya Shroff (Farhan Akhtar) is the lead singer who rebelled against his well to-do family to play music. Rob Nancy (Luke Kenny) who plays keyboards and Kedar Zaveri a.k.a. KD/"Killer Drummer" (Purab Kohli) comprise the remainder of the band. After a competition is announced by Channel V, they decide to enter, as the winner will be offered an album and one music video.

After they win the competition, the band has to go through some sacrifices while signing the contract. Joe feels the most slighted when his song, which he wrote for his girlfriend, Debbie (Shahana Goswami), and which was the only slow track in the entire album, is excluded from the track list to make space for a random remix song. Debbie is also rejected as the band's stylist without even being called for any demonstration. Later, when the cameramen focus only on Aditya during the filming of the music video, Joe becomes furious at Aditya before leaving with Debbie. Aditya, who failed to notice that anything was amiss, is shocked and abandons music and his girlfriend Tania (Nicolette Bird). "Magik" thus disbands and its members become estranged.

Ten years later, Aditya is a high-powered executive of an investment banking firm. His wife Sakshi (Prachi Desai), hoping to relieve his habitual resentment, decides to gift him a gold-chain wrist watch for his birthday. K.D., who now works for his father's jewellery business, overhears Sakshi talking about Aditya at the jewellery shop, and introduces himself. Sakshi later conveys the meeting to Aditya who denies knowing K.D. When Sakshi finds a box filled with Magik's photos, she invites K.D. to the birthday party, telling him she wants to reunite Aditya with the band.

K.D. meets with Rob, who now makes a living composing jingles for advertisements. Together, they invite Joe, who lives largely unemployed, with an eight-year-old son. The family is supported by Debbie, whom he has married and who holds a grudge against the band. Joe feels he should reconcile with his old friend but Debbie sees this as his weakness. K.D. and Rob thus attend the party without Joe, and Aditya is shocked to see them. He later scolds Sakshi for trying to dig up his past, which he claims to have left behind. Sakshi is hurt, and she leaves him after informing him about her pregnancy. Sakshi's friend Devika (Koel Purie) persuades Aditya to face his past and meet with his ex-bandmates. K.D., Joe and Rob meet up and visit the place where they used to practice as a band. Aditya also turns up and reconciles with Joe and the rest. They start practicing regularly at Aditya's house. Learning about this, Sakshi, too, returns to Aditya.

Channel V announces another contest, and at Rob's insistence, the band enters. Debbie arranges a guitar-playing job for Joe on a cruise-line, expected to set sail on the same day as the contest. It is later discovered that Rob is dying of a brain tumour and his last wish is to perform with Magik. The contest is aired on the radio, and while Joe is on his way to the airport, he hears Magik perform the song he wrote for Debbie 10 years ago, and dedicate it to him. This prompts him to join the concert, where he and Aditya sing duet in another song. The epilogue reveals that Rob died two months after that performance. Sakshi gives birth to a baby boy, whom they name "Rob" as a memorial to their friend. Devika is dating K.D., who starts a record company with Joe. Debbie quits her job in the fishing business and becomes a successful stylist. The band members and their families meet every weekend.

Cast

Response

Box office

Despite critical acclaim, the film only grossed 400 million domestically; Box Office India labeled it as an "average grosser".[3] Overseas it was moderately well received.

Critical reception

Rock On was well received by a number of critics. Subhash K. Jha gave Rock On a rave review. He states: "Seldom has a film blended the music of life into the fabric of a film with such seamless expertise. Rock On!! is that rarity where every component character and episode falls into place with fluent virility."[4] Nikhat Kazmi of the Times of India gave it four stars and argued, "if you really want to see how Bollywood has matured and come of age, then here's the perfect litmus test. For Rock On is a film that not only breaks new ground in terms of its subject matter – now when has desi movielore ever tackled something akin to Hollywood's That Thing You Do — it creates a whole new EQ (emotional quotient) for mainstream cinema."[5] Khalid Mohamed, of the Hindustan Times gave the film three and a half out of four stars and describes it as "hard candy." He also states that "the performances are of the highest order".[6] Manish Gajjar of the BBC gave Rock On!! four out of five stars and describes it as "an enthralling watch, with entertaining moments to make you smile. Predicted to be a cult movie for many years to come, it truly deserves the Bollywood awards this year! A must-see whether you are a rock fan or not!"[7] Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave Rock On!! four out of five stars and states: "Put your hands together for one of the finest films of our times. Put your hands together for a director who pulls off a challenging subject with élan. Put your hands together for the actors who pitch in superlative performances."[8] Kaveree Bamzai of India Today called Rock On "refreshing" and "surprisingly quiet and thoughtful."[9]

Other critics gave the film mixed reviews. Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave the film three out of five stars and states: "With Rock On, director Abhishek Kapoor promises a true-blue band film, but ultimately delivers a masala Hindi film that just happens to be about a band [...] Yet, Rock On is rescued by some marvelous moments that stay with you until the end."[10]

Awards

Awards and nominations
Distributor Category Recipient Result
National Film Awards
Best Feature Film in Hindi
Abhishek Kapoor
Farhan Akhtar
Ritesh Sidhwani
Won[11]
Best Supporting Actor
Arjun Rampal
54th Filmfare Awards
Best Supporting Actor
Arjun Rampal
Best Male Debut
Farhan Akhtar
Best Actress (Critic's Choice)
Shahana Goswami
Best Story
Abhishek Kapoor
Best Cinematogpher
Jason West
Best Sound Design
Vinod Subramaniyam
Special Performance Award
Purab Kohli
Best Film
Farhan Akhtar
Ritesh Sidwani
Nominated
Best Director
Abhishek Kapoor
Best Supporting Actress
Shahana Goswami
Best Music Director
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Best Male Playback Singer
Farhan Akhtar
for Socha Hai
Best Lyricist
Javed Akhtar
for Socha Hai
Best Female Debut
Prachi Desai
Best Screenplay
Abhishek Kapoor
Pubali Chaudhary
Best Scene of the Year
Rock On!
15th Star Screen Awards
Most Promising Newcomer – Female
Prachi Desai
Best Supporting Actor
Arjun Rampal
Won
Best Supporting Actress
Shahana Goswami
Most Promising Newcomer - Male
Farhan Akhtar
Best Editing
Deepa Bhatia
Best Cinematography
Jason West
Best Art Direction
Shashank Tere
[12]
10th International Indian Film Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actor
Arjun Rampal
Star Debut of the Year - Male
Farhan Akhtar
Best Cinematography
Jason West
Best Picture
Excel Entertainment
Reliance Big Pictures
Nominated
Best Director
Abhishek Kapoor
Best Supporting Actress
Shahana Goswami
Best Music Director
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Best Lyrics
Javed Akhtar
for Socha Hai
Best Male Playback Singer
Farhan Akhtar
for Socha Hai
4th Apsara Awards
Best Film
Ritesh Sidhwani
Farhan Akhtar
Best Director
Abhishek Kapoor
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Purab Kohli
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Shahana Goswami
Best Story
Abhishek Kapoor
Best Dialogue
Farhan Akhtar
Best Music Director
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Best Female Playback Singer
Dominique Cerejo
for Ye Tumhari Meri Baatien
Best Music Director
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Best Re-Recording
Anup Dev
Best Editing
Deepa Bhatia
Best Sound Recording
Baylon Fonseca
Won
11th Anandalok Awards
Best Actress (Hindi)
Prachi Desai
Sabse Favourite Kaun
Favourite Nayi Heroine
Prachi Desai

Soundtrack

Sequel

Main article: Rock On!! 2

After the success of Rock On, a sequel was announced but has not yet begun production.[13] As of early 2010, director Abhishek Kapoor had no concrete plans for the sequel. However, he has confirmed that he plans to make a sequel to Rock On. Arjun Rampal and Farhan Akhtar are returning for the sequel since they have been keen on starting the sequel since 2008. The film is yet to begin production. As of February 2013, the writers confirm Prachi Desai and Shahana Goswami to be the part of sequel too. Shraddha Kapoor will be part of the sequel; she will be introduced as a new face in the movie. The film will be based on male-bonding. The music will be composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.

References

  1. "India Yearly Box Office (2008)". Box Office Mojo. (Amazon.com). Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  2. "After Heroes, it's Rock On to make it to the Oscar Library". Screenindia.com. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  3. "Box Office 2008". Boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  4. "Subhash K Jha speaks about Rock On!!". Bollywoodhungama.com. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  5. Nikhat Kazmi, 29 Aug 2008, 09.49pm IST (29 August 2008). "Rock On!! review: Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  6. "Rock On!! review". Hindustan Times. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  7. Rock OnReview by Manish Gajjar (29 August 2008). "Rock On!! review". BBC. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  8. "Rock On!! review". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  9. "Ear Candy—Rock On!!". Indiatoday.intoday.in. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  10. "Rock On!! review: CNN-IBN". Ibnlive.in.com. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  11. "Rock On!! 2 has to wait, it’s The 3 Mistakes of My Life for now" Hindustan Times. 16 March 2010.
  12. Rock On!! Awards
  13. "'Rock On!! 2' Shooting will Begin by August".

External links

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