Rating: Even the keen, wait for DVD

Underwhelming. Ranbir Kapoor portrays the pathos suffered in an epic, romantic tragedy. Unfortunately, that and of course Rahman's music are the only things that are epic about Rockstar. Other than that, it is an abrupt collage of images of awesomely shot rock shows and an attempt of a man and woman trying to find a place for their morals which the rest of the world finds misplaced. Underwhelming - is the word that keeps coming back to me ever since I left the theater.

No matter how harsh a critic is, there is no way one could deny the acting talent of Ranbir Kapoor. There is a comfortable fluidity in his acting that makes the audience laugh at the most cliché cracks. Fast forward to his avatar as the hyper rockstar, he is just brilliant.

As an eloquent British filmmaker put it, a few years ago, in a film reflective of the real dichotomy of fame, "they all like a bit of the good life - some the money, some the drugs, others the sex game, the glamour, or the fame. But a RocknRolla, oh, he's different. Why? Because a real RocknRolla wants the fucking lot." Well, in the world of Bollywood, Mr Ritchie couldn't have been further off the mark. For once, we're mighty thankful, and almost proud of that.

“Mai daru peeta hi nahi. Sirf hothon pe aur collar pe thodi laga leta hu aur acting karta hu nashe me hone ki,” Janardhan confesses when he is frolicking around with Heer, who wanted to go “wild” before her marriage in a royal family in Prague. I think this is where our desi rockstar stands apart from Jim Morrison, who he believes to be a rebel and shot to fame after his middle finger display in public! Janardhan is rechristened to Jordan (because it's much cooler, you see) but never goes about drugs. He gets high on his own madness.

The underlying story is nothing new by Imitiaz. It’s somewhere derived or extended from Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal: the guy and the girl don’t know what keeps them hooked to each other but love after they realize it at the end. Here too, the boy is ambitious and the girl is nothing but married. With his typical direction where the motion picture comes round to a circle, Imitiaz Ali serves the same dish on just a new plate. But indeed, his love stories aren’t typical where guy has to say “I Love You” to the girl and you expect a reply “I love you too.” He masters showcasing this relationship as a lovely companionship.

Rockstar definitely doesn't live up to all the ballyhoo created. Or probably, Imtiaz is a victim of his own success.

WHAT WORKS
** After proving himself in films as assorted as Sawariya, Rajneeti, Bachna Ae Haseeno and Wake up Sid, it's no surprise to see Ranbir deliver without a hitch. His Janardhan Jhakar act is as convincing as the maverick, non-conformist Jordan. It's truly his film and if it does turn out to be a hit, it's courtesy him.

** Ranbir-Fakhri chemistry. Bollywood's long lost charm in a love story is back and how! And quite like Jab we Met, there are no cliched 'i love you's' and 'do you love me.'

** The film has got an amazing look and feel. The cinematography is slick. The Kashmir scenes and the stage shows, particularly, are shot brilliantly. The magnanimity of it is over-whelming.

** Rahman lends soul to an otherwise dry film. Had it not been for his music, (I would've been asleep halfway) there isn't much for Rockstar to bank on. Kun faaya kun (which has been so beautifully woven into the film) and the shehnai-guitar jugalbandi between Shammi Kapoor and Ranbir is NOT to be missed.

WHAT DOESN'T
** Nargis Fakhri robs the film off its what-could've-otherwise-been some of its very precious moments. Add to that her dialogue delivery, which is mostly gawky. Her character is weird to the T. There was nothing amusing about the whole 'junglee jawani' thing which was played up a bit too much. Her idea of fun is as quirky as her character. A distorted version of Katrina, Fakhri was an appalling choice for a role like this.

** The screenplay is as random as it could get. Tediously lengthy, Rockstar could've been wound up far more quicklier.

** The film gets going on a strong note but dwindles midway leaving you in the hope that it would eventually pick up pace, which it does, but that's only short-lived.

** Most characters exude staleness from Piyush Mishra (who's a brilliant actor otherwise) to Fakhri's mother.

Despite the grandiosity of it all, there was something missing in the film. It leaves you wanting for more. Strictly for Ranbir fans. Others wait for the DVD.