ROCK ON
I have to say Rock On has surprised a lot of people with its popularity. For a genre of music which is popular among only 4% of the population, this is quite an achievement for the people behind the film. I remember all the arguments we had in PFC when the trailer first came out, all those 4% Rock junta were really worried that Bollywood is going to rape their world. I remember telling them that from the trailer it seems like its the best we can expect for a genre which has never taken off except for the 4%, majority of whom have a very high self esteem just because they listen to Rock Music. And let me tell you that is exactly why Rock music has not taken off in India.
I have lived in the world of ROCK ON. You can say a very de-glamorized version of that. I was a roadie of my college rock band & later on to a few Heavy Metal bands from Bangalore. After a while I got very disillusioned by that scene. The condescending attitude that most of these guys had towards anyone who was not into their music became unbearable after a while. It was a self-masterbatory world at its best. OFcourse there were a lot of other external factors which happened to me at the right moment to have realised that, but thats a long story & irrelevent in this post.
When I saw the trailer of Rock On I was just happy that a movie about a Rock Band was made in mainstream Bollywood. Something unthinkable just a month back. All the bands in the film sing in Hindi & seem very popular. Which is not how that world is. But the irony is if we really had Hindi Rock artists, the genre would have really taken off. Instead we have everybody trying to be Megadeth or Slayer. And thats the reason Pakistani Sufi Rock is so Huge. The artists there sing in the language of their & their people’s soul. And not in the language of their favourite band from UK/USA.
I think I should start talking about the film at this point. The 1st thing that impressed me was the Lighting of that basement. The DP( couldnt find his name on IMDB) did a great job in the film. Its very painfull to watch all the mainstream bollywood films trying to be “MTV Stylish” with no subject to match that. I can say after DCH this was another film where the style finally found its subject. Because of the subject all that jazzy camera angles( which dominates every mainstream film out of Bombay) didnt seem over the top.
The script was pretty well crafted. My favourites would be the consistency of Debbie’s(Shahana Goswami) character & the way Aditya’s(Farhan Akhtar) ex-girlfriend track was tackled. Shahana Goswami was the best actor of ROCK ON. Hands Down. Where did they find her? I really liked the fact that Debbie never gets senti in the whole film. Even in the climax she’s doesn’t wanna let go of Joe. In the end she is defeated by their passion. I was so relieved that she didn’t get senti & let Joe go like any other film. It was also a rare film where the Husband was very cool with his Wife’s ex-Boyfriend. Esp since they were rivals(BTW I had guessed this was gonna happen when CHAKRAVYU were walking off the stage). But I feared that the Husband might turn out to be the Villain of the 3rd act. And was relieved & surprised to be proved wrong.
ACTING -
Shahana ruled the movie all the way for me. Purab had the best lines in the film & he did a good job of it. To some his character might be the most likable. I thought Luke Kenny was as good as him. It was sad that they had to force the ultimate movie cliche of brain Tumor on him in the climax. Farhan did a very decent job of acting. I really liked his reaction shots. He is not any great actor for sure. He is a director who was playing a character he understands well. Like Jaideep said, he might be playing himself, but he played well & we should acknowledge that. The one actor who dissapointed me most was Arjun Rampal. Esp in the dinner table scenes where Debbie is nagging & complaining. He had this same expression throughout the film. Perhaps his take on the character was different & valid, but it didn’t work on me. I thought his character could have been the guy that the audience would most empathize with. Arjun just seemed a bit stiff to me. Arjun knows this world. He has sang a great song for Sandeep Chowta’s band PULSE called “Don’t Marry” years back. I even saw them live in 1995 in Bangalore.
MUSIC –
For a film about Rock Scene of India, should the music be done by people who came out of that scene? Like Vishal & Shekhar? I have to say it was very weird that the weakest part about a movie about rock music was its lyrics. And that bothered me to no end. It was ridiculous. I mean SINDBAD THE SAILOR? I mean What The Fuck! With all due respect to Javed Saab & his genius, maybe this was a form a music he shouldnt have given lyrics to. Except for the song in the climax dedicated to Joe, Farhan’s singing abilities left much to be desired. But That song was really well sung by him. Maybe they should have had the music of PAANCH in ROCK ON.
BTW the best band/song of the film I thought was the band of kids that we see before Magik in the [V] Launchpad in the climax. Even the lyrics were not that atrocious.
In the end I would say it was a good film. When Rock fans were bitching about it after seeing the trailer I told them that they are asking too much & when people were going ga-ga over it I didn’t raise my expectations one but. I didn’t have any high expectations from the film, & got exactly what I expected from it. I don’t think I can expect a movie about a Rock Band to be really Raw & real with this kind of budget. What I hope is it will inspire a few rock bands who will sing in Hindi & make the genre more popular. Thats one thing we can learn from our Pakistani brothers.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
People don’t seem to be getting over this film here at PFC. I for one havent seen it yet and the more coverage it gets the less I feel like.
But from what ever I read, I doubt if this film is as much about rock music as about making a film on the concept of a group of friends getting back together after a few years to in a way make up for the past.
Rock Music is the reason used here in this film as this is kind of being more ‘in’ today – to give up one’s cushiony 9 to 5 job and then follow your heart to pursue your vocation. Not that its bad but I just feel its somewhat overrated. I use the concept of Rock Music and Rock Bands because it gives me a very good oppotunity to make a very sleek film; a film that is very uber-cool, that has some hip dudes and then some music to fit in.
This is not what it is actually in reality. It isn’t.
Arthi V
You are spot on. Even without having seen the film.
Its Dil Chahta Hai with Midlife Crisis. You can actually look at it from many perspectives. Thats what makes this film work for me.
It can also be interpreted as a movie about how Dreams are crushed/compromised in the City of Dreams – Bombay. The scene with the Music Company was very symbolic of that. It could be a scriptwriter in a Producers office. I also felt the chracter of the Music company head was very Over The Top. I wish the same things were said by a MBA passout who has the same sensibilities as Magik. It happens. I lived with both sides of that coin.
good to see ur post after quite some time
mainak… i second, stamp, vouch everything uve written…its almost like you’ve voiced my thoughts! and u wouldn’t believe it, but i was actually telling someone, that perhaps vishaal & sekhar would have been a better choice! Not that S-E-L didnt work, but V-S might have worked better. When Id heard some of the lyrics,(before watching the film), I had assumed that perhaps they were situational… in the sense, that maybe the band and their music and their lyrics mature in time. A coming-of-age of sorts! But obviously, thats not the case.And so, the lyrics disappoint. Which reminds me, Mainak, u didnt mention Bangla rock! It’s been around since the 70s… has received a boost of sorts in the last decade, with bands mushrooming in every para i believe. But honestly, some of them have very nice lyrics! Just discovering them, and like the sounds!
Yeah.. the opening sequence worked very well for me too – it had the right amount of styling! Nice compositions & colours! Another thing that i liked was the narative – quite seamless! The pov moves from one character to another… in time, in space, and u don’t feel really sense the structure or craft… quite natural!
BTW, what prompted that realisation abt Indian rock ?
Mayurica
Bangla Rock is probably the most honest form of rock music in India. And a few Mallu Rock Bands here & there too. Besides Bengali Rock is probably big only in Bengal. I remember listening to some really cool Bangla Rock song in hostel. I remember it was just starting to explode that time. And I’m not surprised that its becoming so big. After all its in the language of the people.
Big Respect & Love to all the Bangla Rock junta out There.
Hi Mainak,
Your observations about rockers being too snooty about their music, and that in turn, damaging the music is so true. This kind of attitude could have worked in the 80s when these guys were supposed to be digging something that was very niche, and accessible to very few. It had a certain pull you hadn’t figured out.
But now, the world has been levelled and equalised by information. People do know about rock music as a genre, as a concept now and those who have rejected it, have done so after knowing about it. So that same old snootiness won’t go well down anymore.
I also thout Debbie’s character was well etched. Arjun Rampal was too woode. But even there, there was some sense of consistency I thought. Even at that one high point for his character, the final show, he doesn’t suddenly become too effusive and jumpy, but is playing the riffs with the same old wooden expression, like nothing is going on!
Inca
I have to say your observation about Arjun Rampal’s consistency is very accurate. His restrain in the final show redeems him. Thank you for sharing that.
I guess, the bottomline is that the ‘casting’ was quite accurate!
@ Mainak
“…I also felt the chracter of the Music company head was very Over The Top. I wish the same things were said by a MBA passout who has the same sensibilities as Magik. It happens…”
Could you please elaborate? vIf it req me to watch teh film, then fine. Ill get back later. But it feels kinda out of place the para hence asked.
yes Arthi V
It requires you to watch the film.
they cud hav named it pop on!! n that wud hav solved lot of issue. also according to rolling stone article, the budget is expected to be 27 crore + 4-6 crore for promotions! m sure excel is chuna lagaoing relaince guys like they did in the past with DCH n Lakshya!!
Phoenix
Isn’t that exactly what I said? That for a budget like that its too much to ask for a Bollywood film to make a very realistic film about the Rock Scene in India? It wouldnt make any sense.
I thought the song Tum Ho To was really good, esp Farhans crooning towards the end in the Final Show.
And what has Excel’s Chuna lagaoing Reliance got to do with anything with how the film is? Good for them. I hope more people do Chuna Lagaoing to Reliance.
@Pnu,
27 Cror budget for a film starring Arjun Rampal, Farhan Akhtar and some lesser known names? Where did they spend this huge sum of money?
Did they invite Led Zeppelin in some scene and spent few crors in that affair to make its surviving members comfortable in Bombay’s humid atmosphere?
Or you missed to put a (dot) in between and its actually 2.7 Cror?
Did they spend 20 crores on getting the rights for PINK FLOYDs PULSE production design?
Because the Final Show was a Xerox of Pink Floyds PULSE shows. And its a Pink Floyd trademark. I dont think you can do that in US or Uk without getting the rights.
yes i felt the exact same thing when watching it…the PULSE stage….
this is my interpretation of everything that been discussed….
btw Jason West is the DOP
The music is spot on….Vishal Shekhar would have massacred it…IMO Randolph was the real brains behind Pentagram…….not Vishal
The lyrics i agree were straight out of Taare Zameen Par, but it didnt really matter to me while watching the movie…..the music was freakin awesome….and the songs actually has *gasp* solos!!!
as for the budget etc, i guess they got the best technicians to work on the movie and thats why it looks so good…..id rather give such a budget to a movie like rock on than give even 10 bucks to RGV..he’ll just tilt the camera and claim it to be some sort of existentialist symbolism..but i guess most of you guys will disagree here
i loved the part where Prachi Desai says ‘mujhe sirf hindi film ke gaane aate hai’…no one laughs at her, rampal gets a guitar and she does a great rendition of ajeeb dastan hain yeh…..
so maybe it didn’t appeal to u Ramu-worshippers……but it did to a lot of people and it is doing extremely well..to quote Bob Dylan….
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
and if you felt the music producer bit was overdone clearly you havent heard of bhushan kumar and ramesh taurani…Cheers
ansorry just wanted to say one more thing…
India Rock is not only about Pin Drop Violence and Bhayanak Maut and other death metal impersonators…
I think it would have been really difficult for Javed Saab to write lyrics for an aspiring rock band…because its perhaps easier to write about the beauty of a girl , or the soldiers in a war, but its very difficult to get down to being a 20 year old and think about what kind of thought process he would have or even the kind of words he would use in his poetry or lyrics.. writing something so basic and simple, is the most difficult thing to write..i think…its easier to write sugar coated and high flown language, but, its so difficult to throw all the bagage ang get to back to basics.. the simplicity of it all..
Even in Sindbad lyrics:
“O O.. Anjaane Raahon Mein Tha.. o o.., O O.. Lehron Ki Baahon Mein Tha.. o o..
Sab Ne Kaha Tha In Samandaron Mein Jaana Nahin
Mere Yaar Sunlo Sunlo
Khwaabon Ke Peeche Jaake Kuch Bhi Hai Paana Nahin
Mere Yaar Sunlo Sunlo…”
I think its very innovative and inspiring lyrics. And of course, Farhan Croons and gyrates to it oh so sexily, and takes it to a different level:) I mean who would have thought of an Arabic fables character transformed into lyrics for a hindi rock movie!! so very innovative..bole toh hat ke.. [of course everyone has a take on things]
Even the ’socha hai’ lyrics are so simple, hummable.
I mean how else would a 20 year old boy write and most imortantly think..thank god he didn’t write about the usual lovy dovy crappy lyrics!! It talks about humanity and inspitation, the world around us..some deeper thoughts..
“Aasma Hai Neela Kyun, Paani Geela Geela Kyun
Gol Kyun Hai Zameen, Silk Mein Hai Narmi Kyun
Aag Mein Hai Garmi Kyun, Do Aur Do Paanch Kyun Nahi
Pedd Ho Gaye Kum Kyun, Teen Hain Ye Mausam Kyun
Chaand Do Kyun Nahi, Duniya Mein Hai Jung Kyun
Behta Laal Rang Kyun, Sarhaden Hain Kyun Har Kahin
Socha Hai… Yeh Tumne Kya Kabhi
Socha Hai… Ki Hain Yeh Kya Sabhi
Socha Nahi To Socho Abhi…..”
Even tum ho toh, even the title track rock on..i mean i thik he has done complete justice to the writing of a 20 year old..
*
Even in acting dept, Shahna [Debbie], and Purab [KD], of course,but, Farhan took the cake and he is not even an actor! I mean how many directors can act? So Natural. Even the smallest of expressions have so beautifully and subtely come on his face. And he has molded himself into his character so well, no wonder DCH was what it was. And women from young to married to old- all are drooling over him…and watching it again for him and only him. And the author could be right when he says he could be playing Farhan himself, but he carried it of very well.
Abhishek Kapoor [its hard to believe you are Ms. Kapoor's brother] as a director has done a fantastic job. From uuf yeh jadoo mohabbat to Rock on! adversity pays!
the transfomation of people in a span of ten years is very well depicted. Debbie from an aspiring fashion designer and a supporting girl frind to a cribbing,didactic wife..How people can change due to times[ scene when she is cribbing non stop and Arjun serves dinner to her without a tinge of....... on his face, scene where she goes to meet Farhan and tell him not to gives hope to her husband], Shahana is def some one to look forward to…her next film is Ru-baru, directed by the adfilmaker Arjun Bali. Even the tranformation of Aditya [Farhan] from a peppy, happy, youngster into a cold investment banker!! [scary]
Rock on, is a lane which makes you revisit Dil Chahta hai…
Thank god he didn’t write,”unchee hai building, lift teri band hai, kaise main aayon, dil razamand hai”
“…Shahana is def some one to look forward to…her next film is Ru-baru, directed by the adfilmaker Arjun Bali..”
Shahana G also stars in Nandita Das’s directorial debut ‘Firaaq’. The film was showcased at the just concluded Telluride Film Fest this month and got a lot of accolades for ND and her team. Similarly at the Toronto Film Fest too.
I agree with you Suchitab on the range and diversity shown by Javed in the lyrics. The Indian rock bands should learn from the film that you can write on anything..about your laundry bill and half-read novel to Sindbad and his dreams. some of these may not interest someone, but that’s the point of rock. You write about whatever touches you, inspires you. Somewhere the song will find its listener.
@19 thanx didn’t kow she was in ND film also.. thanx for enlightening… Shahna will go places, she reminds me of Kajol, and Shefali shah who could say the most difficult and stupid lines so convincingly and naturally..
@20 thanx for agreeing:)even maine khoya song..
Meri Laundry Ka Ek Bill, Ek Aadhi Padi Novel… Ek Ladki Ka Phone Number, Mere Kaam Ka Ek Paper… Mere Taash Se Heart Ka King, Mera Ek Chandi Ka Ring
Pichhle Saat Dino Mein Maine Khoya
Kabhi Khud Pe Hansa Main Aur Kabhi Khud Pe Roya
its so us.. so identifiable.. i thnk after a long gap i have actually liked Jaaved S lyrics..
As someone who used to do the rounds (not a lot) in the college rock scene as a singer, I found this movie very entertaining and inspiring. It brought back so many nostalgic memories that while watching the movie, I annoyed the crap out of my friend by telling her that we (the band) used to do this and we used to do that. I agree that most rock bands tried (at least until the very recent past) to emulate the western bands that they idolized. Hence it was refreshing here to see the same rock genre reworked to cater to a different niche altogether.
As far as the music is concerned, I thought it was perfect to attract people who might not be that well-versed with the genre, but at the same time making that small 4% of the population look up and take notice as well…coz (paraphrasing one of the reviewers I read) rock is not about perfection.. it often addresses the non-glossy and imperfect part of the being… to that end, I thought Farhan’s voice was more perfect for the movie than perhaps getting a professional singer to sing. As for the lyrics, we are talking about an amateur band. If we were talking about a very professional band, then ya…I would have expected great lyrics. I thought Javed Akhtar got it just right with this movie though. In their own sense, I thought the lyrics made perfect sense and was perfect for the movie. It talked about a carefree but passionate band.
To tell you the truth, I was struck by the first scene of the movie itself…where Joe asks Aditya if he had written any lyrics. Aditya replies that he had written something and reads out the first four lines of what he wrote and goes on to say “so on and so forth…”…Joe says “sounds good”… I remember the exact same thing happening in my band as well… Our guitarist would ask me if I had written any lyrics and I would be reluctant to read out the entire thing to him (don’t ask!)…and he would be reluctant to ask me the entire lyrics and would go on to say “Cool!”…That defined the movie for me.
I wish Ram Sampath had done the music for this film. Not only he has got the chops but he also fronted arguably the best Indian Rock Band ever. The one soundtrack he did for Khakee is brilliant. Too bad he doesn’t do more films.
Mainak
This is the film I was talking bout. Watch it if you can find it. Its hilarious.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105820/
@Mitch – May be Ram Sampath would have been technically a better choice, but I don’t think SEL has done a job which leaves a lot to be desired, especially in the milieu of the film. And if one has to wish, we can wish for a film to come up with motley crew of musicians involved with it, such as Indian Ocean, Ram Sampath, Agnee, Alms for Shanti (you know what I am talking about), Euphoria and even Vishal – Shekhar (why not!). Since Rock On!! has entered this subject matter now, we will soon see more people making movie on rock music.
@Tejas
I thought the music was not different enough from normal hindi film soundtracks. That’s the reason when the music company executive tells them to compromise on their vision it doesn’t seem like much of a big deal coz their sound is not hatke to put it in a very cliched way. It actually made the rival band Chakravyuh look like the real deal while these guys were Take That. Now I’m a huge Take That and Robbie Williams fan but you wouldn’t call their music pathbreaking or against the grain.
I feel that if they had used someone who had actually lived the life the story was trying to tell it would have been more poignant. The music might not have been better necessarily but it would have been more authentic and heartfelt.
I agree with you Mainak…doesnt happen most times..ehhehe
Lekin here is my question..
We are bitching about the music…but, dont you think it goes well with the characters? Are they the best band of the country? If they are the best band then we could expect best lyrics..but, they are not..so..ahem..just a thought…what do you guys feel?
OM
I’m quite surprised that some people connected to the same lyrics. So to each his own I guess.
Mitch
Thanks for the IMDB Link.
And I agree with you. Ram Sampath would have rocked the house.
@ Nitin Murali
What Band were you in? Which City?
What kind of music did you guys play?
Was your Lyrics in some Indian Language or in English?
Do you have any of your song online?
Mitch,
This is something I have been thinking for some time. Glad you bring it up.
Definitely the music of Chakravyuh was different and the song ‘Zehreeley’ is more path-breaking in the context of a Hindi film. But if a music record executive is to pit a heavy metal band against a soft-rock/power ballad rock band – I think lot of executives will make the commercially more viable decision. That is why the band Magik (the Bon Jovis or the Def Leppards or the Bryan Adamses) wins as opposed to the Black Sabbath – especially when the jury keeps in mind the Channel V junta..
@Om – what is THE BEST lyrics? When you pick up some of the best rock songs of all time, are they all lyrical masterpieces? Arguable, right? My favorite pick for the sake of argument is Smoke in the Water – one of the best rock songs of all time, and one of the best guitar riffs ever known. Now it isn’t a lyrical genius of a song, but everything put together, it just works big time.
I think the music is really great – it is not path-breaking in a way that it is more Bryan Adams that more people know in India, than an Iron Maiden or Arch Enemy which are relatively niche.
wow. Mr. Dhar heralding a music discussion! what should I say, except that I need to see the whole film at once, and listen to the songs more. I only saw it from ‘zahreelay zehreelay’ to the reunion scene in the basement. I like the music now, and wish I had seen the much talked about climax sequence. I like how they do a ‘jo tum ho’s different version in sinbad the sailor and how the but exists separately as a soft ballad. It’s very real, to say the least.
I only liked TUM HO TO. Esp when Farhan sings in in the Final Show. It was beautifully shot. beautifully framed. I think Farhan gives a brilliant performance both as a singer & as an actor. And thats probably because it him who sang the song & not some Playback singer like KK.
I loved how Farhan is Framed during the split screen shots @2min50sec in the song.
The pinnacle of his performance comes exactly around 4 minutes into the song, the way he sings & the expression on his face. Perfect.
Did anyone notice that Farhaan Akhtar bears an uncanny resemblance to Brian May of Queen (see the album cover of “Queen Greatest Hits vol. I). I don’t know whether this resemblance is co-incidental or deliberate. Let me know what you guys think.
The lyrics of the rock songs I grew up with were often unintelligible. That was for two reasons:
1) The singers’ local accents (British or American) were so strong we couldn’t understand the words. In fact, it’s a common topic of conversation to laugh at what we thought they were saying.
2) With rare exceptions, like “Stairway to Heaven” or “Dust in the Wind,” the meanings were either very obscure or not meant to be parsed at all. They just weren’t that serious.
My neighbor asked me how I could enjoy Hindi music if I don’t understand most of the words. This is why: I’ve never expected to “get” most of the songs! It’s so funny to see the lyrics translated in Rock On! because it makes them seem so much more ordinary than the typical mysterious rock leanings.
Regarding Arjun Rampal’s acting, I was particularly impressed when his character’s wife, Debbie/Shahana, was nagging him and you could see his demeanor shift from slight agitation to quiet satisfaction as he recalled his day. He has really improved in the last couple of years, from being wooden to low-key subtlety.
Perhaps only because I loved The Who in the ’70s, Tum Ho To reminds me of Behind Blue Eyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7W9wWlvLEY&fmt=18
Farhan’s voice has a bit of that Roger Daltry grit. Also, most of their lyrics made sense to me, for what it’s worth.
Kudos to SEL for weaving in the rock genre without directly copying anyone.
The music of Rock on is a joke on Rock. I mean seriously, a movie about a rock band getting together atleast ought to have the correct type of music in it… the music is like a boy band music for 15 year old girls… just having long curly hair and some orange shirts and a road side show doesn’t portray rock music… its just not right… Rock on is just a product of the new youngster gang who align themselves to rock music and say they like Aerosmith. And even if they like this movie because it deals with Rock music then shame on them too… no pure rock fan should like this movie for the music…
This film brought back so many memories. I, too, used to be in the band, and when I wasn’t I was usually with a bass player (you can’t tell a joke here I haven’t already heard).
The writer of this film got that feeling of playing music with a band right. What it feels like, how practice works, the magic when you and the guys get something that sounds so right and good and in sync. Also, I appreciated how the women were portrayed, they got the helping girlfriend thing right, whereas most movies just portray the band whore.
I loved the music. Were this a real band, I might never buy a CD, but songs were poppy and catchy – reminding me of so many bar bands I followed through the years who may not have been *good*, but who can rock the party with good hooks and singable lyrics.
For this film, I thought the band was perfect. I never thought they were supposed to represent a big, brand name band that actually had the ability to make the big time. I thought this was a story about friendship, and the fact the band was playing with rock, metal, and alternative bands just went to show that they were just an average band with some catchy songs. Besides, would the film have such wide-spread appeal if the music were true rock? Just like Hollywood (until recently), it is the watered down, poppy rock that sells soundtrack albums, not the cutting edge music. Leave that for the independent films.
There was a band in the last MTV contest fronted by a female singer, doing some pretty fun 80s new wave influenced stuff. Does anyone know who that band was? I am interested in hearing more of them…
t! BINGO!!! I couldnt have said that better in million years..my exact sensibilities…
@mainak
NICE ONE MAINAK, TRULY WHEN I WATCHED “ROCK ON!!” IT REMINDED ME OF “PAANCH”, AK WAS TOO AHEAD OF FARHAN !!!!
GK
hi mainak,
the rocker that u are or were, didnt u have a problem with the band not having a bassist?
” just smell my go damn hands joe..yeh fish smell jaata hi nahin”
sums up Rock on for me i one line
@Durrain
Like I said I wasn’t looking for the problems in the correct depiction of a Rock Band. Rock On was not targeted at the rock crowd.
Besides I never said I am/was a rocker. Whatever that means
Yes t!
I think the women were potrayed really well.
The 1st shot of the [V] party starts with the shot of a Girl singing. She was really good. Anybody knows who she was?
t!
The channel was [V]. Not Mtv. Mtv is not identified with such hip things in India.
@G.K Desai
I think Paanch wasn’t so much about the music or the band. To me they just seemed to be in a Rock Band.
ABSOLUTELY TRUE MAN !!!
GK
mainak,
‘rock on’ is ‘inspired’ by a south korean film called ‘the happy life’ released in 2007..
@ricky
@mainak
I AGREE WITH U RICKY, I HAVE SEEN THIS FILM “THE HAPPY LIFE”,HERE IS THE TRAILER,ROCK ON !! IS NEARLY 85% SIMILAR TO THIS ONE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3×822x–OUo
GK
@mainak
IF U STILL HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LIFT, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS TOO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFPQf9Nzn6c&NR=1
GK
As apparent from the recent Guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/sep/09/rockon
Nirpal Dhaliwal doesn’t like Hindi films. Good for him. But why do we have to suffer his asinine Hindi film reviews, week after week? And why can’t he just review the film and not insult the country.
He is full of self-righteous concern about India’s problem and still chooses to vent his anger on films. And then too, instead of trying to understand why Hindi films move masses across class, caste and linguistic borders he earns his remittance by supplying lazy articles mocking them. And can they be more generic? Or more pandering to western tastes?
His moralistic rant against Rock On is so full of western clich'©s that the only granny rocking here is Mr. Dhaliwal and his outdated “westernized” perspective. The reality he feels most Indians ignore is actually our life. We live it everyday. Even after Mr. Dhaliwal puts away his pen to enjoy Delhi’s nightlife or to listen to Joy Division to articulate his frustration. We’ll be living it even when he packs his bags at the end of his Indian summer.
His jaded analysis trying to relate the film to MTV-addicted-middle-class-urban youth is so juvenile that it can only be countered with laughter. He is so cavalier that he doesn’t even pause to clarify what he means by middle class urban youth. Further on he continues his argument by dividing India into two clearly demarcated rich and poor classes. And concludes by lamenting how Indians don’t follow in the footsteps of British bands. Does he even know what he is talking about?
The question for Mr. Dhaliwal is can Indians lay claim to a modernity that is far removed from what the West considers it to be? Can Mr. Dhaliwal and Guardian ever acknowledge it? And do Indians care for their acknowledgment?
So, why is Guardian giving such mediocre write-ups such prime space on their website? Surely, Guardian doesn’t think projecting cobwebbed ideas about India is in.
Yes, India is the flavour right now. But somebody needs to update Mr Dhaliwal and Guardian that looking at India from ‘western tinted’ glasses is so old-fashioned. India and perceptions about India have moved on. Maybe its time to move on from Guardians jaundiced outlook too.
If Dhaliwal didn’t like the music, he could have simply said so.
I thought Dhaliwal’s article had valid points – I confess I laughed – I mean maybe we are too touchy about criticism. The Guardian’s main film critics in fact are quite savage in their reviews of Hollywood and European films and Dhaliwal’s is mild in comparison.
And he does seem to like some dubious flicks like Singh is whatever.
@ Mainak,
[Quote] The 1st shot of the [V] party starts with the shot of a Girl singing. She was really good. Anybody knows who she was?[Unquote)
That was Monica Dogra aka Shaair from the phenomenal band Shaair N Func (the latter is Pentagram’s Randolph).
Check them out at http://www.shaairandfunc.com
Cheers!
@Anvita
I think everybody should be entitled to their opinion. Afterall if everybody starts to have simillar opinions, it will be a very boring world.
@ Pranab
Thanks a ton for the link.
I think Randolph is the one guy in bombay who has always been making cutting edge music. I am checking out Shai’ir Func right now. Their song Light Tribe just blew my mind away.
More power to Sha’ir +Func!
@pranab
I have always heard a lot about your band PRAYAG. I just checked out your website. Its neat. But I was looking to check out some of your original songs & didn’t find any.
Which I thought was strange.
Are you planning to upload your songs soon? Can i find them on Youtube?
And also I think its time for a Video.
supercool track…Light Tribe.
Hi Pranab
Just checked your(Prayag’s) stuff out. very neat guitars. I loved ”Naya savera’ and ‘tejo mahalaya’. Though the video/showreel could have a better audio quality still it conveys the energy you guys bring to a performance.
Mainak, you can ‘launch player’ on their site, which should pull up 6 songs, I guess they are original –
aa paas aa
kal akele
naya savera
raaste
tejo mahalaya
waat(lag gayi)
& Tushar,
Thank you so much for appreciating original music. That’s what bands like us (and loads of talented others in India) need.
@ Mainak, I guess your browser ain’t showing the music player on the site. You may want to try a different one.
Yes, its time for a video. Only if all of that was as easy as it sounds. I’m sure you’re aware of the kinda issues bands face in India (financial being just one of them). Acceptability itself was / used to be a major hurdle. But I personally sense an impending change and for good.
Nonetheless, all attempts are on – there’s no giving up
Thanks once again.
Cheers!
It’s a pleasure, Pranab. anything for sake of original music.
@Pranab
I completely missed the Music Player.
I loved Aa Paas Aa.
I really liked Tejo Mahalaya.
Wish Waat was a Pop Song instead of Rock.
Good Luck to PRAYAG.
Guys
I Watched Li’l Wayne live on SNL last night performing his monster hit LOLLIPOP. Till now I didn’t care for the song when it came on Hip Hip Radio. And I never had heard of anything else from him before. But last night his performance & the song just blew me away. I wish we had songs like this also being produced in Bombay. Its a very interesting sound when Rock & Pop/R&B meet.
Let me know what you guys think….
Pranab, Tushar, Mithun, Dabba,Dpac?
I love Li’l wayne. some of the stuff he has done off late.
@Tushar
can you suggest some of his songs?
I checked out some on Youtube… they werent that great. Even Lollipop studio version is only half as good as this live version. Its the rock live feel to it that takes it to another level.
Few from my playlist –
comfortable(feat. Babyface)
phone home
Tie my hands(feat robin thicke)
shoot me down(feat D smith)
la la(feat Brisco & Busta Rhymes)
you ain’t got nothin on me(Juelz Santana & Fabulous)
mrs. office(Bobby Valentino)
misunderstood