By Neha Ravindran
Movie: Rock On 2
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Shraddha Kapoor
Genre: Drama
In 2009 when Rock On released, it became a sensation overnight. ‘A music band made up of four friends who had it in them to become musical sensation overnight’. The lyrics were off beat, the music was peppy, the actors were drool-some; in short it was the recipe for a blockbuster. 7 years later we have Rock On 2, picking up the threads from right where it had left off.
Aditya (Farhan Akhtar) had created a life for himself in a small village in Shillong. Running away from a nightmare, he made a living by running a farmhouse cooperative in the village. KD (Purab Kohli) was now a struggling creative music director and Joe (Arjun Rampal) was a successful reality show judge as well as the owner of the most sought after club in Bombay. But their destinies threatened to intertwine with their past as Jia ( Shraddha Kapoor) enters their life.
Rock on 2 is a take on the lives of the four characters 10 years down the line. It has a more matured and grounded setting. If Rock On was about growing up, part 2 is about being grown up. The characters retain their old character traces except for Farhan Akhtar’s character. Farhan Akhtar has skillfully brought out the different phases Aditya’s character undergoes as a matter of circumstances. The story line is quite straightforward and echoes of a nightmare that haunts all the main characters. Shraddha Kapoor plays the role of a talented musician who struggles to break free from the binds of an overimposing famous father figure. The story picks up pace in the second half and offers some magnificient views of Meghalaya clearly sponsored by the state tourism board.
As expected the lyrics of the songs steal the show. The music is not as peppy as in Rock On 1 but combines the magic of various regional musical styles and instruments. Cinematography in Rock on 2 is an eye treat for the audience.
Rock on 2 is certainly a slower version of its predecessor but has nevertheless a good storyline and lovely music. It certainly has a headup from my end.
My verdict: ***
