Rockstar : Denoting deviant outlook

Rockstar : Denoting deviant outlook                                                     

Rockstar : Denoting deviant outlook  

                 It is hard to fade away the magic of Jab We Met, and every time Imtiaz Ali releases a new film, he is never spared of the comparison to himself and his JWM. But he dares to think beyond candy-floss Rom-coms and hence he bangs hard again with his new flick, Rockstar. I went to the theatre with a rehash of Jim Morrison and The Doors in mind, but was elated to find much more than a “rags-to-riches” story of a labeled Rebel. It gave me an opportunity to think about the film in terms of sociological theories and how it’s still relevant to the young and rebellious lot.

                The sociological perspective of the film gives us a chance to rethink about the structure and effects of the society. The protagonist JJ (Janardan Jakhad) is a product of the society. The society can not function without deviance and vice versa. Deviance is described as a recognized violation of the cultural norms and it changes over time. It is not necessary for all the deviance to involve action or choice. The mere presence or existence of the labeled “deviant” individual could be enough to provoke condemnation and claims of deviancy.

                  Often in a society, the youth is considered to be deviant because of their perceived propensity of “Youthful Rebellion”. Here as Imtiaz Ali put the graph of the character of the protagonist, we witness that, he is not an anticipated rebel at an early stage. He desires to be famous and he pursues “pain” to achieve that, without having a notion of “pain”. He gradually was labeled as a “Deviant” and “Criminal” when he crosses the limits of social behavior.

Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri

                   The Interpretivist perspective tries to explain the meanings behind the human behavior. JJ tries to turn famous, but instead turns infamous for all the wrong reasons. He did not intend to act as a deviant, but the violation of social norms termed him as a deviant and criminal. Female protagonist Heer (Nargis Fakhri) knows her social limits, and henceforth she plans to fulfill all her desires (which are not socially acceptable as “proper”) before she gets married. Because she knew after her marriage she will be a part of the “Elite” and then she will be confined within the social and cultural norms of the class. The class divide is expressed through the characters and their respective colleges, St. Stephens and Hindu College. Despite being known as the best colleges in Delhi University, they have this hitherto existing class and ego conflict along with rivalry. But Heer breaks that mental divide and explores the filthy lanes of the capital city with JJ, which otherwise she could not have done. Here we can bring in another area that Interpretivist focuses in. They rely on gaining In-depth knowledge of cultural meanings and personal experiences of the people being studied. The use of local lingo like “Gund Machayenge” is evident of the fact that the Director does his research well to portray the young minds of DU.

Jordan : Defying the Social Norms

                    JJ’s character reminds us of Sub-cultural theories of deviance. As a protest to the social oppression and as a sign of rebellion, some youth groups of the society follows a different path by both visible and rebellious outlooks. The examples have been Punks, Mods and Rockers which JJ also falls into. They tend to contravene society’s norms and values and gain status within their sub-cultures.

                      The negative publicity seemed to be working for JJ and from a Pitam Pura Jat boy Janardan Jakhad, JJ becomes Jordan, the rockstar. Agony, stress and frustration burn him from inside, which in turn shape his behavior as an angry, aggressive and violent rock singer. His social conduct throws a spotlight into the fact once again that there are reasons behind human behavior. His cultural history and personal experience decides his manners, again in terms of societal acceptance.

Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri

                    Another area that Imtiaz Ali realms into is carefree representation of extra-marital affairs through the characters of JJ and Heer. Heer tries to confine herself within social norms and values, but finally gives in. JJ unaware of his growing love for Heer, keeps on giving her company until he realizes that it’s Heer only his heart is searching for. The track of the movie moves fast, along with humor and creativity till first half. After the interval, it suddenly loses its pace. It could be intentional by the director. It could be a reflection of JJ’s state of mind, where he becomes restless and passionate. He has all the fame and money which he dreamt of, but no peace of mind. There is a big void inside him. His confusion of dream and desire makes it even worse for him.

                     The narrative moves ahead with pathos and agonies of the protagonists and their defiance of social restrictions. They grew as personalities from college kids to grown up individuals.

Kun Faayaa Kun : Recreating magic

                 Music plays a pivotal role in the narrative. As the name suggests, it’s a film on a musician. AR Rahman again sets another benchmark with Rockstar. JJ’s pain, existential angst and restlessness are expressed in his music. Rather JJ uses music to release all the agony. Creative Lyrics is complementing the rich tunes by Rehman, giving it a new stature. Songs like “Ud chala”, “Jo Bhi Main” and “Nadan Parindey” carries elements of separation and desire. In “Hawa Hawa” and “Sheher”, Rehman introduced Western Salsa and Egyptian beats to his tunes, with a marvelous mixing, while Punjab comes alive with “Katiyan Karoon”. With “Faya Kun Faya”, he recreates his magic of “Khwaja Mere Khwaja” and “Maula Mere Maula” once again with his awe-inspiring and soulful music. One really can feel the presence of the almighty with the tunes. Like most of Rehman’s music, Rockstar’s music gradually grows into the listeners’ mind.  

Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar

                     In the song picturisations as well, Ranbir Kapoor has enacted them so well, that it looks as if he is actually rendering the numbers himself. Here comes another zone, the Acting. It was truly a Ranbir Kapoor flick and he pulled it off really well. Living up to the legacy of the legendary RK family, he was just immaculate in certain portions. Grabbing the mannerisms and lingo of a Delhi Jat Boy and delivering it without an effort, was the surprise element. I think, no else could have carried off the characters of a Jat boy and an aggressive Rockstar together, apart from Ranbir. Nargis Fakhri also did not let her grand debute go wasted. As a fresh face, it was a role that comes without any pre-conceived notions of other female actors around. So, that works as an advantage for Nargis here. The film pays tribute to the original Yahoo man Shammi Kapoor, as this was his last appearance on the Silver screen.

                    The Camerawork is stylish, slick and snappy. Use of colors that signifies the mood and the feel of the protagonists add to the look of the film. The production value looks fine. Use of camera movements all along the stage show performances of RK, emphasizes on the unrest embedded in his soul. The locales of Prague and Kashmir look picturesque on screen as always.

                  Story and script by Imtiaz Ali and Muazam Beg is off the beaten track. They want to narrate an usual story of a College boy’s rise to stardom in an unusual style. It progresses interestingly in a snappy way, but loses its grip post interval. It becomes very predictable and dragging. The abrupt ending adds to the sluggish second half. May be the audience were expecting a better and logical ending (Happy perhaps??). In fine, all we can say that Rockstar is a far cry from the usual Rom-coms and Imtiaz Ali has grown into a more matured director with this film.