I'm honestly no film critic to carefully analyse each aspect of filmmaking and cinema. This is just an honest account of what I felt after I saw the film. I watch films because I simply love them and I love indulging in the story as if I were a part of it. Anyway, this was my first press show of a film and I didn't want to miss it since I was awaiting Rockstar's release since ages. Moreover, with Rahman's music and Imtiaz Ali's direction, I had high expectations. I love the larger- than-life angle to films and Rockstar is no different. It is a simple story with multifarious emotions and takes you on an emotional journey of an artiste/performer/musician (whatever you would call him except a rockstar). Janardan Jakad (Ranbir Kapoor) is crazy about music and wants to be a rockstar, adhering to the likes of the legends like Jim Morrison and Led Zeppelin. It's just that nothing clicks for a long time and he is made to believe by his friend-mentor that music emanates from a broken heart. Heer Kaul (Nargis Fakhri) is the campus hottie and is known for her high-handed ways of dealing with guys. Janardan befriends her only to realise that love doesn't happen so easily and it takes a lot to know what love is. Then on the story unravels itself with interesting twists and Janardan becomes Jordan, the ultimate rockstar. He fulfills his dream only to realise that what he really wanted was missing in his life.

What struck me was the honesty and simplicity with which Imtiaz presents his characters in his films. And in a world where you have too many pretences around, Imtiaz makes you believe that people are genuine, crazy; they are passionate and also fail in life. Janardan doesn't change inwardly as a person and neither does he fall prey to the shallowness around him. Problems arise only because he refuses to and wants to live in a world of his own. As always, Imtiaz gets the pace of the film bang on. I believe that if a story doesn't drag, doesn't make you want to fidget in your seat and doesn't make you look at your cellphone for distraction, then it manages to hold your attention with the right pace. This also proves that he has a good editing team. And Imtiaz lets his characters develop and gives them that space to grow. Music is probably one of the strongest factors that draws the audiences to the theatre, but the music and story go hand in hand once you put the two together in case of Rockstar. Both would have been incomplete without each other. Imtiaz also reaffirms your faith in love stories and that they can exist in a realistic world of trials and tribulations.

Now what doesn't work is the second half of the film. The first half allows Janardan to realise, to become mature and understand the ways of life. What second half fails to achieve is the same flow and questioning. It's more of his struggle and angst rather than the reasoning behind it. It could have been endearing to see Janardan question himself, the world and his music a little more than what was shown. Also, several situations remain unanswered and unattended. But logic is not what we look for in our cinema usually.

Imtiaz carefully weaves his story around people and places that are refreshing in a world of Hindi cinema dominated by the Punjabis and Gujaratis. Janardan fits well as a Jat boy and Ranbir brings out that rawness and mufatness (if i may indulge in Hinglish) with much maturity and understanding. His sudden spurs of angst and restlessness with the well-written dialogues support him develop his character ably. Even the picturesque Kashmir and Prague are a treat to your eyes and Imtiaz once again make you gasp at the simplicity of places and people. The film has its moments of fun and laughter without even making an attempt to be funny. Nargis Fakhri is definitely charming and alluring, but not an actor by any means. She truly has a long way to go and could keep up lest she works hard at her dialogue delivery and diction. Otherwise the moments of romance do tug your heartstrings. There's clearly no scope for right or wrong aspects since the film doesn't believe in them. But it's only fair that you don't miss out on a good film. Go watch it now.