Rocky - The Rebel - Movie Review

By: Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM
Monday, September 25, 2006
Old wine in new bottle. That's the appropriate way to describe Rocky. Since time immemorial, we've watched heroes going on a killing spree to avenge the murder of their beloved. Fighting for the rights. Revolting against injustice. That's the essence of Rocky. Nothing has changed, only the faces have.

The problem with Rocky is that it doesn't even try to step out of the set rules of cinema. It's a typical masala film with loads of songs, generous doses of action scenes, a good dose of London... except an innovative plotline. In fact, the viewer can actually predict the story fifteen minutes into the film.

To sum up, watching Rocky is like revisiting the cinema of 1970s and 1980s, which, unfortunately, is a big yawn today.

Rocky [Zayed Khan], the rebel, hates anything and everything that is wrong... the system... the people, who take things lying down without raising a finger... Rocky cannot accept the indifference towards injustice and the rebel in him revolts. This attitude creates irreconcilable differences between him and his father and their relationship is fraught with friction.

Though his father loves his son, he emphatically disagrees with Rocky's philosophy of life and advises him not to invite trouble unnecessarily by interfering in matters that doesn't concern him, as this could put his life in grave danger. But the defiant Rocky feels, the irresponsible attitude of people is destroying the social fabric of the country.

The family manages to still laugh it off until one day Rocky gets into 'shark infested waters' -- Anthony [Rajat Bedi].

Rocky's world is shattered when his beloved [Isha Sharvani] is killed right in front of his eyes. He is blamed for everything. His parents take him to London. But the truth is, you cannot run from reality forever. And Rocky returns to avenge the death.

It's difficult to find anything novel in Rocky. You've seen it a zillion times before. In fact, amidst the modern packaging lies an outdated script and an equally outdated execution. This is all the more surprising since director Suresh Krissna has helmed several interesting projects in Hindi and regional films.

Barring a few well executed stunts, there's nothing you carry home. Also, the music comes up at unwanted points. There's a song, whether or not the situation warrants it.

Suresh Krissna's direction is mechanical. This film, in fact, just doesn't look like the work of the accomplished director. Ditto for the script. Himesh Reshammiya's music is sounding the same these days. Barring 'Junoon Junoon' and 'Laagi Ghhute Na', the remaining tracks are plain mediocre. Action scenes are well executed at places.

Zayed does well in stunts, although the role doesn't offer him scope to display histrionics. Isha Sharvani dances exceptionally well, but doesn't get the opportunity to go beyond the mandatory part. Minissha doesn't get scope either, but she does reasonably well. Rajat Bedi is as usual. Suresh Menon tries hard to evoke mirth. Smita Jaykar and Ashwin Kaushal are okay.

On the whole, Rocky is an outdated concept with nothing except action to fall back upon. At the box-office, an also-ran.