Rockstar - 2011

Rockstar is a 2011 Indian romantic musical drama film starring Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri in lead roles. The movie is written and directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Sunil Lulla and Dhilin Mehta.

Rockstar chronicles the journey of Janardhan Jakhar's transformation into rockstar Jordan, influenced by his troubled relationship with Heer Kaul and personal hardships. Despite these challenges, he achieves international fame at the cost of personal happiness. The film highlights the strange tie between personal tragedy and artistic success.

The movie was released on 11th November 2011 in Hindi language and collected a total ₹110 crores. Besides the collection, the movie was also praised for its songs and won several awards like Filmfare, Zee Cine, IIFA, and more.

Table of Contents

• Details
• Plot
• Release
• Review
• Critic Review
• Ratings
• Cast
• Crew
• Character Analysis
• Songs
• Behind the Scenes
• Controversy
• Box Office Collection
• Awards
• Interesting Facts
• Conclusion
• How to Book a Personalised Celebrity Video Message on Tring?

Details

Plot

Rockstar is an emotional tapestry of love, music, and personal transform. The story begins with famed rockstar, Jordan, performing at the Verona Arena, Italy.

We delve into a flashback that unfolds the life of a college student, Janardhan Jakhar a.k.a. JJ, who aspires to be a renowned rockstar like Jim Morrison. His path to music is shaped by a painful heartbreak resulting from his unrequited love for Heer Kaul, who later marries someone else and moves to Prague.

Following a family turmoil, JJ finds solace in qawwali singing at the Nizamuddin Dargah, gets noticed by Ustaad Jameel Khan, and gets a break to work with Platinum Records. Here, he transforms into Jordan, the rockstar he has always aspired to be. His personal time in Prague is consumed with his growing, yet complicated, love for Heer, who despite being married, falls for him.

JJ's return to India follows an arrest for trespassing Heer's home, which garners him enough publicity to boost his music sales. However, the loneliness of fame plunges him into bitterness and arrogance.

Jordan is later approached by Heer's sister to help Heer, now diagnosed with aplastic anaemia. His presence helps Heer to recover, and in the process, she becomes pregnant with Jordan's child. Her deteriorating health status and eventual demise leaves Jordan in perpetual grief, contributing to his rise as a globally recognized rockstar.

The movie returns to the concert in Verona, where amidst his performance, Jordan visualizes a smiling Heer approaching him. Rockstar closes with a line from Rumi's poem signifying the ethereal field beyond concepts of right and wrong. It encapsulates JJ's journey from love and heartbreak to musical triumph, emphasizing the paradoxical relationship between an artist's personal agony and professional success.

Release

Rockstar was released on 11 November 2011 in the Hindi language. The movie was released on 2,500 screens staying around 12 weeks on the theater. The movie was further had a TV premiere on Star Gold on 25 February 2012. Currently, the movie is available on Jio Cinema, Amazon Prime, and Eros Now.

Reviews

Rockstar, directed by Imtiaz Ali, presents an unconventional storyline that exposes viewers to a mesmerizing take on an extra-marital affair. The narrative, however, can be challenging for an orthodox audience due to the lack of justification for the affair. Despite this, the movie offers fresh, youthful elements colorfully woven into the narrative, primarily appealing to the metropolitan youth who could appreciate the unconventional storytelling method.

The leading actors exhibited terrific performances. Ranbir Kapoor, embodying Janardhan Jakhar, offers a stunning portrayal of a simple boy turned Rockstar. His performance bridges the transition seamlessly, with adequate depth in passion, innocence, and transformation. Nargis Fakhri, in her debut role as Heer, exhibits an impressive blend of arrogance, vulnerability, and passion. These stellar performances are backed by excellent supporting roles, especially from Kumud Mishra and Piyush Mishra.

Imtiaz Ali's direction breathes life into this somewhat complex narrative, painting a beautiful portrait on celluloid. The overlapping scenes further the drama, although they might offer confusion for a portion of the audience. The lack of comedic and light-hearted sequences might leave the audience wanting, with the second half of the film leaning towards a darker, more depressive tone.

The musical composition by A.R. Rahman includes a wonderful mix of melodic songs and rock anthems, with lyricist Irshad Kamil's profound lines adding finesse. The film, however, might not cater deeply to the masses who favor easily hummable tunes.

Technically, the film scores high points. Anil Mehta's extraordinary cinematography captures the essence of the narrative beautifully. The editing by Aarti Bajaj offers a new style that aligns with the overall theme of the movie, keeping the viewers engaged.

Though Rockstar is a feat in terms of acting, direction, and music, it is primarily a film for a niche audience - the youth in urban areas, who appreciate an unconventional love story and narrative style. The absence of an orthodox moral compass might deter the single-screen, traditional audiences.

In summary, Rockstar stands as a blend of haunting love story, potent acting, impactful direction, and soulful music that may appeal to audiences looking for an unconventional cinematic experience. It may not suit the tastes of viewers seeking clear moral narratives or straightforward storytelling, but the film's technical brilliance and acting performances are bound to leave an impact.

Critic Reviews

Ratings

Cast

Crew

Character Analysis

Ranbir Kapoor as Janardhan Jakhar (Jordan/JJ)

Jordan is the main protagonist of the movie, who transforms from an innocent, naive boy to a rockstar who is consumed by his own fame. Jordan's character is that of an impulsive and moody individual who has a passion for music and a love for Heer. He is the perfect blend of vulnerability and aggression, and Kapoor's portrayal of Jordan is one of the highlights of the movie.

Nargis Fakhri as Heer Kaul

Played by Nargis Fakhri, Heer is a free-spirited girl who is Jordan’s love interest and plays a significant role in his transformation. Heer is a character that has a strong will and a free-spirited nature, and her portrayal by Fakhri is commendable.

Kumud Mishra as Khatana

Khatana is Jordan's manager and a friend. He is a loyal and supportive person who helps Jordan throughout his journey. Khatana is a character that brings balance to the movie and serves as a pillar of support for Jordan.

Songs

Behind the Scenes

Play

Rockstar began filming in May 2010. A significant portion of the filming took place in Kashmir at the locations of Kulgam, Kupwara, Pahalgam, and Srinagar, while the final stages were filmed in Delhi at locations including Kotla Mubarakpur, Nizamuddin Dargah, Greater Kailash, Munirka, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Amity School (deleted scenes), Connaught Place, Shri Ram College of Commerce, BL Kapoor Hospital, Rajendra Nagar, St. Stephen.

Liberec (at Dr. Bene Plaza, in front of the Liebieg Villa), Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town were used for foreign scenes. Ranbir's haircut had to be kept consistent throughout the movie. Thus, the production decided to shoot it in reverse. First took place the long-haired climax. As part of his transformation into a rock star, Kapoor spent a lot of time polishing his guitar skills at A. R. Rahman's studio in Chennai, researched the biography of Kurt Cobain, and became familiar with Jats.

Controversy

1. Tibetan flag controversy: The music video of Sadda Haq was a central point of controversy. The song was shot in the Norbulingka monastery in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, where people were shown waving the free Tibet flag in the backdrop. This provoked a dispute between the Central Board of Film Certification and the film's director, Imtiaz Ali. The Board asked Ali to blur the flag before the film's theatrical release. However, Ali disagreed with this demand, arguing that the film did not aim to deliver a social message but was more about personal freedom. Despite his reservations, Ali had to remove the flag sequence from the video to secure the film's censorship clearance. The controversy led to protests among the Tibetan diaspora in Dharamsala and Chennai. In subsequent television broadcasts, a Free Tibet banner featured in the song was blotted out.

2. Kissing scene dispute: Apart from the controversy surrounding the Tibetan flag, another point of conflict emerged over a kissing scene between the lead actors (Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri). The Central Board of Film Certification and Imtiaz Ali held certain discussions regarding the possibility of retaining this particular scene.

Box Office Collection

Awards

Interesting Facts

• Shammi Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor shared screen space in this movie, marking their first and only time acting together.
• The character of Jordan did not die at the end of the film as per the audience's expectation.
• Shammi Kapoor's last film appearance was in Rockstar before his death on August 14, 2011.
• The Rockstar script was initiated in 2007 with Hrithik Roshan intended for the lead role. However, modifications in the script led to Ranbir Kapoor getting cast.
• Initially, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor were considered the leading pair of Rockstar, but Ranbir Kapoor was ultimately cast following the script's rewrite.
• The film was shot in an appealing location, Gulmarg.
• Ranbir Kapoor employed a multitude of wigs and experimented with various looks for the song 'Naadan Parinde'.
• Rockstar stirred up a controversy owing to the Saadda Haq music video, which showcased the Free Tibet flag.
• The film saw a debut performance from Sanjana Sanghi as Nargis's sister.
• The film is remembered for its unforgettable, impactful songs.
• Due to an unfortunate scheduling conflict with the film Zindagi Na Mile Doobara 2011, Katrina Kaif had to pass on Rockstar.
• Sonam Kapoor and Diana Penty were among the first considerations for the role of Heer, which was later played by Nargis.
• Pakistani actress Meera was considered for the lead role but couldn't act due to visa issues.
• As part of his method acting, Ranbir Kapoor reportedly used drugs during the filming process.
• Nargis Fakhris's voice was dubbed for Rockstar.
• Lead actor Ranbir Kapoor won his first Best Actor award at the 2012 Filmfare Awards for his remarkable portrayal of Jordan in Rockstar.
• Deepika Padukone initially turned down the film in 2006 due to career uncertainties.
• The climax of the film was re-shot due to Ranbir Kapoor and Imtiaz Ali's disapproval of Jordan's death in the original script.
• Filming occurred at Hindu College, mirroring Ali's own experiences as a former student.
• Nargis Fakhri, the leading lady of Rockstar, faced criticism for an alleged lip job.
• Rockstar was initiated by director Imtiaz Ali in 2007, and despite certain changes in the script, it finally became a milestone in Bollywood cinema.
• Kareena Kapoor was initially cast in the film, but she was replaced by Nargis Fakhri due to the script requiring intimate scenes between her and Ranbir, who are cousins.
• Director Imtiaz Ali's unique approach of leaning towards Tibetan freedom in the Sadda Haq sequence was a clever move that received a lot of attention.
• Ranbir Kapoor prepared extensively for his role by practising guitar at A. R. Rahman's studio and reading Kurt Cobain's biography.
• MJ's character was kept consistent in terms of voice by using Mohit Chauhan throughout.
• The film launched on a unique date - 11/11/11.
• This film is one of the first to portray a typical Kashmiri Pandit wedding.
• The character of Jordan, played by Ranbir Kapoor, is believed to be inspired by director Imtiaz Ali's Jat friend from Pitampura.
• The misappropriate use of scenes from the B-grade film Jungle Love in Rockstar led to an unsuccessful lawsuit against Yash Raj Films and Imtiaz Ali.
• The name of the character Heer is shared by a song in Ali's previous film, Tamasha.
• This film was first offered to Saif Ali Khan, but he chose Love Aaj Kal instead.
• The hair transformation Ranbir Kapoor underwent for the song 'Kun Faya Kun caused some initial confusion on set due to his unrecognisable look.
• John Abraham and Kangana Ranaut were the initial choices for the lead roles.

Conclusion

Rockstar is a compelling and emotional movie that tells the story of one man's quest for fame and his struggle to find love and acceptance. With powerful performances, stunning cinematography, and a moving soundtrack, it is a film that will resonate with audiences long after the credits roll.

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