Launching the show on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi was an auspicious coincidence, to say the least, and we'd like you to tell us how it turned out! Mail us at twoandahalfiyers@gmail.com and give us opinions, feedback, rants and raves - all of that!
But for now, dim the lights, put on those headphones and find out if Abishek Kapoor's directorial debut truly does "rock on"!
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RATINGS (out of 10):
Avinash
Rohit
Akhila
12 comments:
76 minutes!!!! woa.
i voted in the poll :) will listen to the podcast at leisure.
I atleast agree to one thing....all u guys need to watch a little more hindi movie specially of Benegal/paranjpe/Mirza/Mrinal Sen/Tapan Sinha/Basu chatterjee/Sivan/Adoor etc etc...its high time..we have worshiped the west enough....FOR GOD SAKE DONT COMPARE!!!!and Criticizing is nice but try out something better....i guess then we can rip apart a film...ALL THE BEST...good job!!!
!That was fun :) It felt like I was actually sitting with you guys, I found myself almost replying to things in parts of the conversation!
I saw Rock On twice. I liked it. I loved the music, Farhan, Farhan, Farhan, the treatment of the film, Purab Kohli, Farhn..er.. :) I thought things fell into place a tad too conveniently in the end. Everyone has reconciled, they even have a character sum it all up by saying "Hum kitne immature the". Arjun Rampal seemed too blank, athough he seems to want to explain it differently. (http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2008/09/11/stories/2008091150650100.htm)
I love films based on music or sports and so for me, in the end it was fun. I didn't have to try too hard to overlook its flaws. (Unlike Race, where Aastha and I spent the better part of 3 hours saying "$%#!! continuity!!")Especially after the 2nd time. Like all second watches, I noticed more things than I did in the first time (more things being everything other than Farhan). It is REALLY entertaining to watch the extras in the concert sequences. :-O
I agree with La,(as I have so subtly hunting), Farhan is hot. WHERE has he been all these days!!
Anyway, good going on the podcast, hope there will be more! :D
3.5th iyer
2nd krishnan
Shreyas
oh, I also found Joe in the two concert scenes a little ..um..gay. Especially during his solo sequences when he gets EXTRA fan. It also doesn't help that in the end, what makes him leave Debbie in the cab, is a song that he wrote for her, that Aditya sings. For Joe. Hmm.
shreyas -- totally agree about the gay bit. I even felt that when he beat up the "bad guy" and someone said something like, Joe would do anything for Aditya.
Fan, fan, fan... no wonder Debbie and he had problems! ;)
Well, as Vidit said- "I love the way Bollywood is out to please the women and the gay men".
:-/
hmmm.
I totally missed out being on time for this rather interesting exchange.
If you're talking about male eye candy, I have to agree with vidit, actually.
As for actual gay elements in the relationships in the film, I fail to see any. Maybe it is because of our notions about male bonding, or the lack thereof, that we tend to read homoeroticism into certain portrayals of male relationships. Its fast becoming quite the fashion, especially for jokes and spoofs (we eagerly do not await dostana).
While this is a novel attempt...clapclapclapclap....it was a little too chaotic for me to sift out the careful observations from the general rambling. and while general rambling is good and desirable even....there was way too much of it for me.
About what was said about the film...
I completely agree about the dialogues of rock on.....unbearably trite and like rohit said 'expository'. Even ridiculous at times. (Prachi Desai in response to Debbie's "Congratulations" about her pregnancy has this to say - "Oh...dikh raha hai! WTF! )
There was no meat in the film....I felt nothing for any of the characters except perhaps Debbie. (who to me felt like the only flesh and blood character) The dilemma of her character came out beautifully in that much-mentioned scene with farhan.
And what is all the hype around farhan akhtar? (Hotness aside -NOT debating that one ;) ) I thought he was average at best and had no real screen presence.
I had a real problem with the way the central conflict of characters (JOe vs Aditya) was dispensed off so quickly and conveniently. Also thought the film was way too long.
Loved the way its shot of course.
I think...in general....audiences (and critics) are quick to laud a film which seems to be a departure even in the smallest way from the more generic bollywood fare....and therefore fail to b objective and analytical. So by the time the euphoria dies down...its too late to critically look at the film.
I think there should be a wider debate on the quality of critical writing/observation on cinema in India(which akhila did mention and she has a point) and whether it serves any real purpose in the Indian context. I find much better 'reviews' on informal blogs.
But what a fun forum!! Well done.
p.s. - rohit quit interrupting the other two iyers! :P
This was the first podcast that I've ever heard so, you have two options:
1. Ignore my comments - I'm a novice.
or
2. Not ignore my comments - they will be unbiased.
Thank you for introducing me to podcasts. I see potential use of my hours in the bus. (as I am not really a music lover, at least not 24x7)
Have you heard of the levels of ego in Madras? It was so nice to hear a voice and an opinion in a style so long missed. Avi, missed your style, your opinions have always been predictable so, didn’t really miss that part. Just your style.
Good to know that you guys are giving bollywood more virtual space. Cheers!
Now, my biggest complaint - 2.5 what-evers! Why on earth make it sound so terrible! Casteists! The name of the blog totally put me off.
I was nice to see that you picked some other movies and did a comparative analysis. I’m a fan of Rang De Basanthi. I definitely agree that it could have been made better. But, then I’ve been through tragedies (I mean literally) showcased in cinemas so, I’m happy to see movies like Rock On or Rang De…
Puritans, you really need to relax. The movie is a rock movie. I wished that you’ll had left the son to pick the step-mother’s movie – Morning Raga. You would have had done justice. Here, it just looked like you were in the wrong room.
I love the movie. The reason being that I had my expectations in place. I had higher expectations when I had assumed that Farhan Akthar directed it. But because I was corrected two days before I actually went to the cinema, I got the time to digest the fact and reassess what I had to expect.
The thing that I didn’t like about the podcast is that you guys had complaints about things like traffic! Take a break, this is bollywood! You were complaining about the return of the photographer-girlfriend. If that loose end wasn’t tied up, you’d have complained anyway. I wanted to know what did you want.
I have a suggestion, if you get a chance, please invite someone like me. i.e, a person lot like the brain-tumor prophet. We just love movies and enjoy them through and through like the kids who hear the stories from the experienced grand uncle(and have nothing else to do with them) You see, we are not the ones who make trailers for them, we don’t make movies, we just watch them – the end users.
Finally, thank you again for the podcast. Will you pick on Manoj N. Shyamalan’s movies? (because I believe that Shyamalan allows room for the viewer’s imagination) I’d love to hear your opinions
And about the levels of ego in Madras…. I, Iyer and Iyengar.
phew! long comment!
Thank you, gnan.
When you are back in the country, you're most welcome as a guest on the podcast!
Since I have already issued a disclaimer on the non-regionalist non-casteist intention of the name, I will move on to other things.
We have already said that we will try and stay focussed in future podcasts.
The podcasts do tend to look at films from film maker's perspectives, simply because one of us is a film maker, and we also associate with that side of things. We of course believe that the afore-mentioned film makers have a responsibility towards Cinema in India. That said, we are also end- users. tainted for life perhaps, but end-users all the same.
But thanks again for writing in, and for listening to us. keep tuning in, and commenting.
@avi
Correction! TWO of us are filmmakers! :)
@ rohit
my bad. forgive please.
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