Rock On!! is Bang On. Review on Rock On

Call it a musical or a friendship saga; Rock On!! is bang on. Rock on seemingly blends life of four aspiring musicians (Rocksters would be a better term) & how difference in ideology can affect each others life.

Rock on is the story of Aditya (Farhan), Joe (Arjun Rampal), Rob (Luke Kenny) & KD (Purab Kohli) who had separated because of one incident between Joe & Adi. Sakshi (Prachi Desai) is Adi’s wife who is upset that her husband is a workaholic. Wanting to bring a smile in his face she tries to dig into his past.

To her surprise she finds him as a cheerful singer of a Rock band called “Magik” courtesy KD who she happens to meet in a jewellery shop. She calls KD to get the “Magik” group back for Adi’s birthday. And so KD tries to make a reunion of all four. Rob agrees but Joe doesn’t turn up. Joe is a failed musician struggling with life. Debbie (Shahana Goswami) is Joe’s wife & she knows it was because of Adi that Magik split leaving Joe helpless. Joe’s spat with Adi had resulted in the band breaking up.

The reunion happens between the other three but the result is not as expected. KD asks for a music session at their adda but Adi is reluctant which leads to Sakshi having a verbal duel with Adi. She leaves house and that makes him realize the effort that she was putting to get him back to the old ways. The four meet in their old place & the music in them is revived. But Adi, Joe & KD don’t know that Rob is struggling with a Brain tumor & he’s not going to live long. They are shocked & Shattered but Rob wants one last concert before he departs. Debbie gets Joe a handsome job in a cruise but does Joe leave? So did the Magik happen one last time?

The best part of Rock on is the Flashback which comes between the present. As the friends inch closer in the present the flashbacks are shown as to how they split. If Dil Chahta Hai was a tribute to friendship then Rock On takes it one level higher showing how friendship rocks life (both ways).

Rock On is Rock on because of Shanker Ehsaan Loy’s magical score. Be it the title song or Meri Laundry or Sinbad the Sailor the guitar is simply superb. The best song however is “Tum ho Toh” which simply melts your heart in the film’s end. Farhan’s voice (Though sounding like Lucky Ali) adds authenticity & is simply too cool.

Jason West’s photography is a highlight & the way the camera moves in Meri Laundry and Sinbad the Sailor makes you feel a part of the concert.

Performances are simply top class. Purab, Luke & Prachi simply walk through their roles with precision. Shahana is breath taking as Debbie. Farhan proves that he’s the son of Shabana Azmi & Javed Akhtar. Acting is in his blood & it makes us wonder whether he is acting for the first time. Arjun Rampal strings it like a Beatle & gives a wondrous performance as Joe. His body language is so perfect a guitarist that sometimes he makes us believe that he is actually playing it. The long hair & moustache add to the authenticity of the role.

Abhishek Kapoor has given us quality cinema which will be cherished for a long time. Rock On is & will go down as one of the greatest films to be ever made in India.