Rockstar (2011)

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing, and rightdoing there is a field.
I’ll meet you there.”
– Rumi. 

My sincerest apologies to anyone and everyone I’ve ever mindlessly told that Rockstar is one of my least favourite Imtiaz Ali movies. In my defence, I’d watched, actually, there is no justification. I was always capable of getting a story like this and I guess I just gave into peer pressure. Let’s put that behind us. I watched Rockstar last night again, and oh my god, what?!

Rockstar is one of my favourite love stories of ALL TIME. I know, that escalated quickly but have you watched it? Of course, there are some issues if you look with a magnifying glass. But I guess apart from Nargis Fakhri’s occasional discomfort to speak a language she doesn’t truly understand (can’t really blame her) but portray an emotion we all do (love), there weren’t any major problems I could point out. I didn’t even want to!

The moment the film started, I was sucked into it. I wanted to know who this Jordan is! I was as curious as Aditi Rao Hydari’s character, and as confused as you, wondering why does this feel like my first watch! I could recollect nothing – and that weirdly turned out to be perfect.

Let’s talk about Jordan and Heer. Jordan’s music and the physical manifestation of the pain of separation on Heer’s health. Jordan’s ‘heartbreak’ moment and their ‘magic touch.’

Jordan, played by the magnificent actor, Ranbir Kapoor, is told by his college canteen’s owner that until he feels things from deep inside, art won’t be born, he needs to feel pain to be a true musician, he needs to get his heart truly broken. Jordan sees merit in this, after all, all his favourite legends felt pain. Jordan sets out to find pain but he finds Heer instead.
Heer is everything he isn’t, until he finds out that she is! Infact, she is much more! Heer and Jordan truly see eachother. Through the recklessness of youth, they can feel the love. But there are no confessions. Heer leaves, as she was meant to, and with their separation leaves her will to live.

There is a moment towards the end when a heartbroken Jordan, angry and agitated, hollow despite of having it all, begs to the canteen owner, (now his manager) pleading to him, to not let his heart break. He says – ‘dil nahi tootna chahiye mera.‘

The music uplifts the film and how! Mohit Chauhan kills, AR Rahman, Irshad Kamil, such great great talents! What a time to be alive! But what stayed with me is the editing by Aarti Bajaj, and the choice of narrative by the writer-director.

You know, one often thinks with all this rationalising and modernising  of love whether a love like this is even worth giving a shot. For every sentence I type, there is another sentence in my head justifying it by rationalising it. Maybe to justify that I’m not ‘silly’ or ‘crazy for love’, to avoid the same heart break Jordan felt, and the love Heer yearned for. Is it possible to reach great places in life and still feel the void? To be so disconnected and yet feel so attached? Rockstar is going to stay with me for a long time.

Please do watch it if you haven’t, although I’d advise don’t watch it at 2 in the morning if you don’t want to wake up with puffy eyes.

Download the Script of Rockstar here.