Rock On!! (2008)

80%

This is about unfinished and unfulfilled teenage dreams that come to haunt one in adult life; by examining the negative consequences of not developing one's talent fully.

This is also the story of a woman trying to understand her emotionally distant husband whom – she discovers – relinquished his rock 'n' roll dream to become an investment banker. She wonders if her unhappy spouse really loves her and the fact that her pregnancy makes her anxiously hesitant to tell him of it. Will trying to rekindle his interest in rock music make him open up, emotionally, and put their marriage back on track?

Here, your dreams stop chasing you the moment you stop running away from them in this well-scripted and well acted drama about the gestalt of friendship and group music creation. The essential dramatic conflict here lies between adult responsibility and obligations - or following one's dreams.

For once, in a Bollywood musical, the music springs naturally and relevantly from the drama since the film is actually about musicians. As well as being about the creative compromises that most negatively affect the most creative and the most talented. One cannot possess everything, but how does one know best what to do before one has enough life experience upon which to base one's choices?

This movie uses its Hollywood cliches imaginatively and makes them work within the context of a different culture; weaving them into the very fabric of the film. Although the characterization is too weak for its length, you find yourself rooting for the protagonists, come what may.

The acting is fine throughout and the music is toe tappingly good. The theme of unfulfilled dreams leading to emotional death is well handled as is that of setting priorities based upon whom one is. The only real problem here is one of length - since the film does begin to wane before the emotionally explosive climax.

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