Strings not attached to Rockstar

‘According to Faizal, the film failed to realistically portray the look, feel and music of what he refers to as a familiar space. Faizal told Mumbai Mirror, “Let me first make it clear that we’re great fans of Imtiaz Ali, Ranbir Kapoor and A R Rahman Saab. But we live in the space that the film describes. Ranbir had a very Sufiana-rock get-up. When Bilal and I go on stage, we wear normal jeans and t-shirts, we don’t dress up like that.

And we feel the look and get-up given to Ranbir was not supported by an internal passion. If you have Jim Morrison as a reference point (as the film does), you’ll see that his physical appearance is supported by a cultural and individual past. They have the inner angst to support their ‘rockstar’ look.”

“We were not gripped by the film. Ranbir’s get-up was overpowering. But his theories on life and their expression in his music did not support the overpowering music. A lot of detailing went into Ranbir’s look, but not in his poetry and personality. Lambe baal aur daadhi ke peeche ek bahut badi philosophy hoti hai. That was missing in Rockstar,” added Faizal.”‘

‘With regard to the film’s most important element- the music, the real-life rock star believes that the lyrics of the song Sadda Haq do not connect with the journey of Ranbir’s character. “Rock music is about a consistent statement on life. The statement can’t change from city to city. Ranbir’s character was in love. Lekin woh Laila-Majnu wali junoon nahin tha.

The lyrics are all-crucial and they’ve to have a connect with the audience. Look at Rock On!!, the lyrics were conversational. It talked of laundary bills, etc. When we are singing normal songs, we dress accordingly. For people who are not musicians Ranbir’s look could be the ‘rockstar’ look. But we know we can’t look that way to sing the kind of music he does. The attire has to support the theme, subject and passion of Ranbir’s songs”

Faizal also expressed dissatisfaction with music maestro A R Rahman and singer Mohit Chauhan’s work in the film. “We were listening as musicians. And the intensity that we saw in Ranbir’s get-up and his body-language was not manifested in the music. We found the passion missing in the music. As for Mohit, we really enjoy his music and vocals. In Rockstar though, his vocals did not convey the passion we saw in Ranbir’s look,” added Faizal.’

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