Rock On 2: Angst seldom rocks

Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Shraddha Kapoor,  Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Prachi Desai

Rated: 5/10

Rock stars cannot come with guilt, hang-ups, ageing and mish-mash music. Rock On 2 is an avid example of that.

Adi (Farhan Akhtar) has come a long way from the flashy, spontaneous, refreshing and foot-tapping Rock On days of 2008. That he has an overwhelming beard is the least of the problems. More importantly, he has had a total music shutdown, he has switched from jamming up to co-operative societies, philanthropy, Meghalaya and farmers — yes Shillong is considered the rock capital of India but rocker Adi is absolutely not here because of that.

He is here to live and relive, rather tediously for the audience looking for some fun with the chords, the guilt of a wannabe musician committing suicide. Partners of his defunct rock band Magik are equally jaded. Jo (Arjun Rampal) looks unnecessarily emaciated though fat on moolah earned through judging music reality shows and running a nightclub (which he does in real life too).

DK, the drummer, has too much salt in his peppery hair as also an angst that slows down your senses. Then there is Mrs Adi (Prachi Desai) with her bubbly hair but despondent life living away from a closed down husband, tending to realities like “art project on Monday for child,” child being totally unaffected by the needless long distance relationship between parents.

Amid all these existential issues, producer, director and actor Farhan Akhtar tries to relive and rejig times he would rather forget, not forget, remember, not remember! Yes that’s how confusion prevails and mars this sequel. It should have been a memorable lyrical, a smash-hit score instead of being slow, unmoving and totally full of niggles fixated on issues and situations which is not good for a rock movie.

The boyzone camaraderie between Adi, Jo and DK smacks of artificialities. Shraddha Kapoor, the new addition, is real and sings well though her situation is much too unreal what with a classical musician for a father mourning his son’s death rather strictly for her life to go on.

The only moments here are the end-time concert, an all-permed Usha Uthup jamming up with local rockers in Shillong and the flashback numbers Adi visits from time to time. Sadly, that lasts only for 20 minutes of the 2.5 hour film! 

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 13 November, 2016