For the average Indian, the definition of popular music is Bollywood songs and, quite frankly, over the years, we seem to have formed a relationship with them. We can even sit through a mediocre film if we enjoy the music but there’s nothing worse than getting trapped in a theatre and having to listen to crappy songs.
Rock On!! released back in 2008 and the music of the film was nothing short of revolutionary. At a time when Bollywood seemed to be churning out songs with same age-old formula, Rock On!! took a refreshing leap and introduced us to tunes the likes of which we had never heard before. We liked the movie but what really stood out was the music.
Each track had something to say. While there was Yeh Tumhari Meri Baatein that soothed our soul, there also was a Sindbad The Sailor that was bursting with energy. And of course, the romantic number Tum Ho Toh had everyone singing along…
But eight years on, ahead of the release Rock On 2, we can’t say the same about the music the sequel has to offer.
Our love for Farhan Akhtar just isn’t enough to make us love the soundtrack. It sounds like Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy tried really hard but the singers (mainly Farhan and Shraddha Kapoor) let them down. Usha Uthup & the Shillong-band Summersalt save the day with Hoi Kiw/Chalo Chalo and even Ishq Mastana has a certain sufi feel to it, but apart from that, no song can hold you for the entire number.
For a film based on a rock band’s musical journey, the songs have to be so good that we can’t stop playing it on loop. But for this one, we just want to skip the tracks.
Bollywood is one of the few film industries in the world where the songs in the movie play a pivotal role.
Film music in our country isn’t just limited to background score like in other parts of the world. Here, it is the life and soul of the movie. We need songs that we can sing along and revisit. An album with good music stays forever in our playlists, even if we forget the film.
While music of any movie plays an important role, it becomes all the more important when we are watching the story of a rock band.
Rockstar, the movie, met with polarising reviews but it’s almost impossible to find someone who will criticise the music of the film. The Imtiaz Ali film was the story of a musician, and A. R. Rahman left no stone unturned when it came to the soundtrack. Each song was polished like a gem and that’s precisely why it still resonates with the audience.
The Shraddha Kapoor-Aditya Roy Kapoor starrer Aashiqui 2 was the story of two singers and the makers crafted each melody so beautifully that the songs actually became the anthem for every lovelorn man and woman.
The trailer of Rock On 2 hasn’t left a strong impression on us and it’s a little too soon to comment on the film. But the music has been out for weeks and it has left us disappointed and wondering, why would they fuck up the music of a film that is based on musicians?
And taking into account the fact that we’re used to listening to good music from Magik (the band) in Rock On!!, it will be difficult for us to listen to Aditya Shroff, Joseph Mascarenhas and KD follow it up with deplorable melodies in the sequel.