Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar Starring Ranbir Kapoor In Lead Has A Special Place In The Hearts Of Every Fan
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11/11/11 it was when Imtiaz Ali’s one of the most special films Rockstar released. As the filmmaker came along with Ranbir Kapoor, the cinema lovers in India were treated with one of the most complex yet most relatable emotional and romantic dramas.
Rockstar starring Ranbir Kapoor & Nargis Fakhri in lead had the music of AR Rahman and lyrics of Irshad Kamil. Not just the story or screenplay of the movie but every department excelled. Even after 9 years of its release, the film grows on its fans like a fine wine. Every department of the film shines in a very rare manner which proves the fact that this movie was a divine event. Just like 11/11/11.
As Rockstar completes 9 years, I’ll try to decode ‘The Dichotomy of Fame’ today. It’s one of the tracks in the extremely beautiful album of the movie which almost clearly depicts the pain of Janardhan Jakhar aka JJ aka Jordan.
Janardhan Jakhar is an innocent boy who just wants to be a popular singer. He is talented but is not accepted by the people yet. When he tries to entertain people at the bus stand, he is thrashed by cops. He is rejected at the college fest because he doesn’t have the style he needs to carry. Janardhan can’t understand why people loved Jim Morrison even when the late American singer showed them the middle finger and instead dislike him when he sincerely tries to entertain them. When Khatana Bhai tells Janardhan that he is not a Rockstar because he doesn’t have any pain in life, he starts chasing it. Janardhan meets Heer who he thinks can give him the heartbreak which can lead him to his dream life.
‘The Dichotomy of Fame’ in Rockstar comes at a time when Janardhan has become Jordan and is on the peak of his career. His voice and style of singing is a rage among the audience, he always finds himself in controversies and the pain which kills him makes him even more lovable every day. He has now reached a point where he no more wants to sing and doesn’t really love his guitar. Note the point where he drops his guitar on stage and goes towards Heer to kiss her during Aur Ho song. Also a point in The Dichotomy of Fame where he drops the DVD of his music album at the launch. But that music is the only thing through which he can bring his pain in front of people and scream out loud. Saada Haq song is a beautiful example of a tough-looking but heartbroken rebel Rockstar expressing himself in a way he wants to. But in the end, people just love him for his music and no one really cares for him as a human being. He comes to know about this when he meets his old college friends. While JJ thinks he will have a heart to heart talk with them, they are just interested in clicking photos with him. Note the point when a lady tells him to “Ismaail Plizz”. In no time, he leaves his friends before asking, “Aur kisi ne khichaani hai photo? aur pic nahi leni?” In the same track, JJ is playing the guitar along with Ustad Jameel Khan but his heart understands nothing but pain. Ahh, the irony!
Ustad Jameel Khan here can’t stop gushing over JJ – the musician in Rockstar, even though Janardhan Jakhar inside him is burning every second. As he plays the guitar, he has no interest in knowing how he should hold it. But his pain is hypnotising enough to capture everyone’s breath and say wow. He is naturally holding the guitar in a very stylish way. He has got the swag now but is it worth it? That’s ‘The Dichotomy of Fame’
Imtiaz Ali, I Love You forever for making Rockstar and kudos to Ranbir Kapoor for playing it with all his heart.
