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"Rock On for us is not just a film"- Farhan Akhtar
Farhan,
to
start
of
with,
tell
us
as
to
how
did
the
story
of
Rock
On
evolve?
The
story
of
Rock
On
is
a
well-thought
of
thing,
that's
written
by
its
director
Abhishek
'Gattu'
Kapoor,
who
has
also
written
the
screenplay.
When
Gattu
and
the
film's
co-writer
Pubali
were
on
their
first
draft
stages
of
the
film,
Gattu
told
me
the
film's
story
and
gave
me
the
brief
outline
of
the
film.
I
was
very
attracted
to
it
as
I
found
it
to
be
a
very
special
story,
something
that
had
a
very
warm
and
real
life
like
characters.
I
found
that
all
the
characters
were
very
identifiable
and
the
film
also
had
the
kind
of
music
that
I
love
and
would
relate
to.
All
of
this
made
me
decide
completely
that
I
want
to
be
a
part
of
this
project.
That's
how
the
ball
was
set
rolling!
Who
took
the
call
on
the
casting
aspect?
You
or
Abhishek?
It
was
quite
tricky
for
casting
in
a
film
like
Rock
On,
where
there
are
four
principal
characters
and
where
all
of
these
characters
are
equally
important.
The
reason
why
I
used
the
'tricky'
word
is
because
if
you
cast
a
person
who
is
a
bigger
star
than
what
the
part
requires,
then,
it
can
shift
the
balance
for
the
viewer
who
is
watching
the
film.
Hence,
it
was
very
important
for
us
to
cast
very
aptly.
We
are
very
fortunate
that
Abhishek
had
his
characters'
cast
in
place
for
Purab
and
Luke.
After that, he and I spoke to Arjun Rampal for the role of Joe. If you see the film, you will know that it's not just the boys, but also the girls (Shahana and Prachi) are cast in a way that you will start believing in these people as the film's characters with no pre-conceived notions.
Since
this
kind
of
genre
(rock
music
et
al)
has
been
never
attempted
or
tried
in
Bollywood
because
of
the
risk
factors
at
the
B-O,
what
made
you
walk
the
path?
Were
you
not
scared
of
risks?
I
can't
speak
for
other
people,
but,
for
me,
there
was
no
risk
involved.
The
very
first
day
when
Abhishek
spoke
to
me
about
the
story,
I
did
not
waste
a
single
moment
in
saying,
Yes.
I
was
just
completely
taken
in
by
the
story.
Even
though
there
is
rock
culture,
the
film
is
just
not
about
only
that,
as
it
goes
beyond
all
that
and
much
more.
The
film's
basically
an
emotionally
strong
story
that
exhibits
the
importance
of
friendships,
relationships…the
kind
of
stuff
that
you
have
chosen
to
have
in
your
life.
The
film
speaks
about
these
aspects
in
a
very
mature
and
a
deep
level.
That
is
what
affected
me
the
most
when
I
heard
the
script.
All
of
this
left
no
doubt
in
my
mind
about
the
making
of
the
movie.
News
has
it
that
you
were
so
tad
impressed
with
the
way
the
Rock
On
has
shaped
up,
that
you
are
thinking
to
land
up
forming
a
real
life
rock
band!
Is
that
true?
Rock
On
for
us
(Purab,
Arjun,
Luke
and
me)
is
not
just
a
film,
it's
an
experience.
I
think
that's
the
power
of
music.
And
when
you
play
music
together,
there's
an
invisible
bond
that
develops
between
the
members.
We
really
enjoyed
the
process
or
rehearsing
and
jamming
with
each
other
so
much
that
we
are
very
strongly
contemplating
on
the
fact
that
we
should
continue
practising.
Hopefully,
by
the
end
of
this
year,
we
should
be
able
to
pull
it
off!
And
the
line
up
of
the
band
will
be
exactly
what
you
saw
in
the
film!
How
were
the
first
and
the
last
day
of
the
shoot
for
Farhan
the
'Actor'?
Let
it
be
direction
or
acting,
the
first
day
is
always
nerve
racking
as
it's
'that'
day
that
really
sets
the
tempo
and
the
pace
of
the
days
to
come.
Of course, one has to focus on each and every day very hard after that, but the first day is always the first day, the most memorable one! What was also interesting about Rock On is that we shot the first scene of the film on the first day and the last scene on the last day! The fact also remained that since all of us bonded very well as friends helped the film in a big way!
Farhan,
has
anybody
ever
told
you
that
your
voice
resembles
Chris
Martin,
the
lead
singer
of
Cold
Play?
The
only
person
who
has
ever
told
me
that
is
Gattu.
When
we
met
for
the
first
time
he
immediately
told
me
'Whenever
I
hear
your
voice,
it
reminds
me
of
Chris
Martin.
That's
why
I
want
to
know
if
you
can
sing'.
How
was
your
first
rendezvous
with
the
microphone
as
a
singer?
I've
been
playing
the
guitar
and
have
been
singing
for
years
now.
So,
on
some
level,
the
film
was
really
a
dream
come
true
for
me.
Also,
to
be
working
in
an
album
with
a
different
kind
of
role
with
the
trio
of
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
was
indeed
different.
Normally,
I
sit
with
them
(S-E-L)
as
a
director,
extracting
the
best
music
out
if
them.
But
this
time
round,
I
was
this
someone
whom
they
were
focusing
on
and
trying
to
get
the
best
out
of
as
a
singer,
which
was
a
completely
new
experience.
But
trust
me!
All
of
us
had
a
fantastic
time.
The
concept
of
promoting
Rock
On
through
live
concert
is
indeed
a
noble
idea.
Whose
brainwave
was
it?
The
concept
of
Rock
On
concerts
was
more
of
a
mutual
decision
that
was
unanimously
thought
of
by
all
of
us.
When
we
were
brainstorming
(read
'jamming')
on
new
ideas
to
promote
the
film,
everyone
of
us
came
up
with
the
idea
of
organizing
concerts.
We
started
off
with
the
film's
music
release,
which
was
followed
by
a
series
of
concerts
at
various
locations
in
India.
It's
often
seen
that
directors
either
repeat
the
signature
tune
or
some
other
music
from
their
previous
hit
film
to
their
next
one.
You
too
have
done
that
with
Lakshya's
riff
in
Rock
On.
Will
Rock
On
get
carried
forward
to
your
next
film?
I
really
doubt
that
if
it's
going
to
happen
at
all.
The
kind
of
music
that
Rock
On
has
got,
it
really
works
damn
well
in
the
film
and
for
the
film.
I
do
agree
that
we
have
used
a
certain
tune
of
my
previous
film
Lakshya.
That's
because,
when
we
were
recording
the
music
for
Lakshya,
we
were
really
very
excited
with
that
particular
piece
of
music.
And
post
the
release
of
Lakshya;
we
felt
that
it
did
not
get
proper
justice
that
it
deserved.
And
this
is
something
that
was
always
on
my
mind.
And
that's
why,
when
we
were
recording
for
Rock
On,
the
first
thing
that
S-E-L
and
I
decided
was
about
using
the
said
piece
music
from
Lakshya
in
Rock
On.
Did
you
offer
any
direction
tips
to
Abhishek,
considering
the
fact
that
you
are
more
experienced
than
him?
If
at
all
he
ever
felt
the
need
to
ask
for
any
advice,
I
would
give
it
to
him.
But
he
was
very
clear
about
what
he
wanted
as
he
has
lived
with
the
script
for
long.
As
a
producer,
Ritesh
(Sidhwani)
and
I
offered
him
whatever
we
could.
You
had
told
somewhere
that
you
let
Gattu
direct
the
film
because
it
was
his
idea
all
through.
If
there
was
any
other
filmmaker
in
his
place,
would
you
have
still
said
yes
to
this
film?
If
I
had
seen
anyone
as
committed,
passionate
and
sincere
about
the
script
as
Gattu
is,
then
yes.
Rock
On
is
all
about
'rediscovering
the
joy
of
living
a
complete
life'.
Is
there
anything
in
your
life
that
you
feel
is
incomplete?
As
of
now,
I
am
so
very
happy
about
the
way
things
are
happening
in
and
around
me
that
I
am
left
with
no
time
to
think
of
the
things
that
are
unfulfilled!
The
film
has
just
released
and
I
know
that
its
extremely
tiring
leading
up
to
that
point.
As
a
matter
of
fact,
I
am
totally
drenched
out
from
all
the
aspects:
mentally,
physically
and
even
emotionally!
What's
your
take
on
the
rock
scene
in
India
as
compared
to
abroad?
I
feel
that
rock
in
India
is
in
its
better
stages.
The
fact
that
a
film
is
being
made
on
rock
music
itself
proves
that
the
rock
scene
in
India
has
surpassed
its
nascent
stages
and
I
am
sure
that
the
coming
days
will
only
see
rock
on
a
larger
canvass!
Do
you
feel
that
Rock
On
will
do
the
same
to
the
Indian
rock
scene
what
Chak
De
India
and
sportsmen
like
Abhinav
Bindra
did
to
the
sports
scene
in
India?
Frankly
speaking,
I
cannot
predict
that.
But
I
can
tell
you
one
thing
that
Rock
On
has
indeed
brought
the
spotlight
onto
rock
music.
It
has
also
made
people
aware
that
the
rock
music
is
not
niche
music.
According
to
me,
the
rock
music
shares
its
basic
fundamentals
with
Hindi
film
music.
I
know
there
are
lots
of
people
in
India
who
are
very
passionate
about
rock
music
and
there
are
lots
of
them
who
get
frustrated
at
times
because
of
the
lack
of
a
proper
platform
and
an
outlet.
I
just
hope
that
people
by
now
are
aware
of
rock
music
and
will
surely
look
up
to
it!
Lastly,
when
do
we
see
Farhan
'Rocking'
the
silver
screen
again?
Well,
there's
Luck
By
Chance
by
sister
Zoha
which
should
release
by
January-
February
next
year.
After
that,
I'm
directing
Voice
From
The
Sky,
followed
by
Don
2
and
a
couple
of
other
films
with
other
directors.
Till
then,
do
keep
rocking!
