Rock On 2 movie review: It fails to recreate the 'magik' of the original

RATING: 2/5

Sequels of a number of hit Bollywood movies have failed to match up to the level of the originals in the past and Rock On 2 is just another example of the same trend. Although it holds a strong star cast, the movie does not have much to grab the audience's interest for long.

Starring Farhan Akhtar, Shraddha Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Prachi Desai and Shashank Arora, Rock On 2 is a film about a group of friends' passion for music and a talented girl who is afraid to showcase her skill.

STORYLINE

Although the storyline of Rock On 2 is quite new, it lacks the charm and magic of the original. While the lead guitarist of the band "Magik," Arjun Rampal (Joe) was seen as a poor chap in Rock On, he becomes quite well-to-do in the sequel as he owns a club and is a judge in a singing reality show. (PS: It's a mystery how he travels this journey from rags to riches).

On the other side, Farhan (Aditya) leaves his luxurious life and settles down without his family at a small village in Shillong, owing to a tragedy that haunts him. He now runs a co-operative for the well-being of the villagers. Purab (KD) also has his own separate life and the trio hardly meet each other.

Farhan is happy leading a simple life away from the hullabaloo of the city until a mishap happens and all his hard work for the last five years gets burnt in a fire. Devastated by the tragedy, Farhan was almost on the verge of losing his life, but he is saved by Shraddha Kapoor (Jiah), whom he met accidentally.

Eventually, his wife Prachi Desai (Sakshi) and his friends manage to convince him to return back to Mumbai. Meanwhile, Shraddha and her friend Shashank Arora (Uday) approach Farhan and his team with their songs to try their luck in music industry.

While the band likes Shraddha's voice and Shashank's music, her stage fright and her father's strong dislike for fusion music, ruin their first performance. More trouble awaits Farhan as his beloved villagers are starving in Shillong.

This is when the entire team comes together to rescue the villagers, of course through music. To know whether they are able to do it and how, make the crux of the story.

PERFORMANCE

All the stars have performed well in the film. There is not much drawbacks as far as acting is concerned. Farhan, Shraddha, Arjun, Purab and Shashank are pretty good. However, Prachi doesn't have much scope to showcase her acting skills in this film.

POSITIVES

Directed by Shujaat Saudagaar, Rock On 2 has a couple of surprise elements. The film beautifully shows the meaning of friendship and values. Some of the songs are pleasant to the ears, coupled with a few beautiful visuals from Shillong. However, the makers of the film failed to utilise the scenic beauty of the valley to the fullest.

NEGATIVES

The biggest loophole of Rock On 2 is the slow narration. Unlike the original film, it appears much dragged in the second half. There is a couple of logic-less sequences in the film apart from the mystery behind Arjun turning so rich. In one scene, some goons come and destroy the sets of a soon-to-be held major concert. What appeared strange is the venue was devoid of any security in spite of being a big event.

VERDICT

Overall, Rock On 2 can be a one-time watch only if you haven't seen the original as comparison between the two will surely leave you disappointed, if the slow narration does not.