Rock On...go watch it!

Rock On is definitely worth a watch. The message of the film is about following your dreams (just the sort of stuff I like writing about, plead guilty as charged). It traces the life of a promising college band that breaks up just before it hits the big league and then reunites many years later for one final jig.

Like all Farhan Akthar movies, this one too is executed flawlessly. Good production values, well etched characters, inspired casting, tight story telling, and top that all with a subject that everyone who’s ever been in college can connect with, what more do you need! A special note on the casting, every band member fits the bill very well. Agreed, it’s a bit difficult imagining Farhan and gang looking like college kids, but still they enact their parts remarkably well. Purab is my favourite as Killer Drama, the mad drummer. Farhan fits in effortlessly as the obnoxiously driven and gifted Aditya Shroff, the lead vocalist of the band. Luke Kenny as Rob, the likeable and trusty keyboard player, is a treat. Arjun Rampal as the lead guitarist looks too grown up in the college scenes, plus his acting is a bit stiff and wooden as always. But he more than redeems himself in the movie's final act, a 20 min stage performance by the now reunited and matured band members where our man with his towering frame, flowing mane, handlebar moustache and eternal cool transforms into a lead guitarist straight out of the rock n roll bands of the 70s - it's as if he was born to play the role.

The revelation of the movie is one Mr. Farhan Akthar. The guy directs, produces and now acts and sings as well…man….he defines coolness. Besides all that he’s got one of the leanest, meanest frames in Bollywood. This guy is unbelievable. The rest of the cast act just as well and deserve applause for their performances.

Finally, what makes Rock On tick is its music. Shankar Mahadevan and Co. have done a superb job of composing a rock track tailored to Farhan’s vocal range. With Farhan singing, the concert scenes become so much more believable. Music is the central vehicle of the movie and it does its job well. My favorite song of the pack is Sinbad the Sailor. The lyrics go….

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=W9GSwW90OjM&watch_response

If all the convincing was not enough…one final reason to watch the movie…haven’t you ever slipped into day dreams about being a rock star? of crooning with the guitar in front of a frenzied crowd, waving and cheering for you?.…here’s a chance to do so for a full two and half hours in a wide screen theater with music blaring from dolby speakers….mass delirium rocks!

Murugan Idly, Vayu Vajra, Trip to Chennai...

I’m back from a pretty hectic week of work in Chennai. In spite of my killing schedule, the stay in Chennai was stress free because I stayed over at my uncle’s place – they are an affectionate bunch – it was like staying at your granny’s with people fussing all over you. Nice fun. Got a chance to spend lots of time with my cousin’s family who are visiting from the US. Exchanged notes with my bro-in-law, taught my six year old niece how to make paper boats, monkeyed around with her adorable two year old sister.

Had breakfast at Chennai’s famous “Murugan Idly” today morning. We bundled ourselves in uncle’s car and drove quite a distance to sample Chennai’s best idlys. It was fun. All of us chattering away to glory, cracking pjs, poking fun at cousin sis’s driving. Ideal lazy Saturday morning. Murugan Idly was a riot. We had loads of idlys with dollops of sambar and varities of chutneys. Murugan Idly lives up to its billing as a special place. It is non-fussy, efficient and reasonably priced. They have a limited spread of staple south Indian food that is dished out hot and fresh. The two delectable scoops of sweet pongal were my high points followed by the ever-dependable crunchy vadas. All this topped up with a dose of filter coffee....heavenly.

I’m back in Bangalore now. Am sampling BMTC’s Vayu Vajra Volvo bus service. As I type, sitting in the front seat, it’s been quite a pleasant experience so far. The AC works, the luggage racks are convenient, the staff is courteous and the DTH public radio service is entertaining. There are 5 passengers on the bus. Each of us paid Rs. 150 each for the ticket. I wonder whether the bus service can run profitably on revenue of Rs. 750 per trip.

I met up with another cousin in Chennai. He works for CTS. We were catching up after quite a long time, over a year. We met in a mall, after work, on Friday evening. We talked about a lot of things – work, friends, careers and last of all, the impending bride-hunting-marriage labyrinth that we’ll have to deal with sooner or later. He asked me if I had a girlfriend and I responded with my favorite borrowed line – “Agar uthna talent hotha, tho hum kahi hothe” ;)

Cheers. Time to get off my bus. It’s been an hour’s ride. Good fun. At Rs. 150 it’s totally worth it, I recommend it.

The Batman movie...

You know what! I really liked the new Batman movie, I truly did. I liked it so much that I actually hunted down the first part, "Batman Begins", and watched it over the weekend. There are interesting ethical questions that are raised repeatedly in both movies - "do criminals deserve sympathy?", "why doesn't Batman pull the trigger on deranged felons?", "are compassion and regard for the justice system his biggest weaknesses, as Ducat repeatedly says in the first film?". I honestly feel that in the second movie, Batman takes this compassion and regard for justice thingy too far. Why the heck didn't he knock off the Joker the first time itself? Does it make sense to put this raving lunatic in jail and then see him escape and blow up half of Gotham city with a smile? Even in the end, he leaves the Joker alive for the police to arrest him, leaving scope for a lot of mayhem and another Joker movie, minus the immensely talented Heath Ledger.

Anyways, except for this moral moot point, I had no other grouse with the film. Brilliantly composed and acted. The ending was pure delight - Batman fleeing into the wilderness with the title flashing for the first time, heralding the presence of the tortured and disturbed, yet noble and brave - "dark knight".