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Cast:
Ranbir Kapoor, Shazahn Padamsee, Prem
Chopra, |
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Mukesh Bhatt, Gauhar Khan, D. Santosh |
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Year:
2009 |
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Music:
Salim Merchant, Sulaiman Merchant |
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Lyrics, Story, Dialogues:
Jaideep Sahni |
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Editor: Arindam S. Ghatak |
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Cinematographer: Vikash Nowlakha |
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Banner:
Yash Raj Films |
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Presenter:
Yash Chopra |
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Producer:
Aditya Chopra |
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Director:
Shimit Amin |
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Like Swades
and Lage Raho Munnabhai which came before it, Rocket Singh:
Salesman of the Year is a film about the importance of basic
goodness.
In an industry driven by opening weekends and bumper
collections, it's that oddball film that seldom compromises
on its intentions for the sake of becoming more box-office
friendly. As a result the film feels too long, indulgent
even, and ever-so-often it appears uncinematic.
That's hardly
surprising, considering much of the film is shot in basic
office spaces and features long conversations between its
characters. But don't be fooled by its appearance; Rocket
Singh: Salesman of the Year is a film with all heart. |
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Ranbir Kapoor plays Harpreet Singh Bedi, an
idealistic young graduate who lands a sales job in a
computer firm run by a boss who sets unrealistic
targets for his team. His rose-tinted glasses come
off early in the day as he watches receptionists
being wooed for prompt appointments with busy
managers, and security guards being bribed for
information on rivals. For his own part, he stays
strictly upright, going so far as to file a
complaint against a client who wants his palm
greased. That act of honesty, however, is rewarded
with a demotion. |
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Convinced that a business can be run clean, Harpreet
sets up his own company within the one he works for, roping
in a handful of fellow colleagues as partners. Operating
honestly and diligently, this team discreetly sets up a
thriving business that eventually rivals the one they work
for.
Meticulously written by Jaideep Sahni, the genius behind
such gems as Khosla Ka Ghosla and Chak De India, the script
of Rocket Singh is its real star. Seeking inspiration in
real life and real people, the film avoids stereotypes and
goes for characters and situations that are refreshingly
familiar – the team-leader who fudges conveyance vouchers,
the cut-throat competitive co-workers, the porn-surfing
maintenance guy, even the promotion-seeking receptionist. |
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Taking
the cue from Sahni's script, director Shimit Amin
bravely resists any temptation to glamorise the
world they've set the film in, by rooting the drama
in a space that is basic and without frills. An
office party scene is filmed with colleagues
drinking out of plastic cups, loosening their ties
and dancing to songs being played out of a computer.
Even the film's opening credits sequence in which
the camera lovingly floats over a middle-class
home's bric-a-brac is evidence of the makers'
commitment to authenticity. |
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But Rocket Singh touches a chord because it's that
rare film that urges us to examine our lives and to
question the rules by which we live it. It has a
life-affirming quality that will appeal to every one
of us who has ever hesitated before taking the easy
way over the right way.
The film isn't without hiccups, though. Overly long,
especially in its first half, Rocket Singh suffers
on account of sluggish pacing, and occasional
indulgences like that unduly stretched-out
confession monologue by Harpreet's boss in the
film's climax.
Remarkable casting has resulted in some fine
performances by key players, although even the bit
parts are filled out convincingly. D Santosh as the
affable maintenance guy, Mukesh Bhatt as the tea-man
with computer-repair skills, Naveen Kaushik as the
oddly sideburned team head, and Gauhar Khan as the
cutting receptionist pitch in commendable
performances. |
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iOf course it's topped off by Ranbir Kapoor's
compelling, effortless portrayal of Harpreet Singh
Bedi. Ranbir adds the little touches that make all
the difference: combing the beard, tucking in the
turban, lifting the 'kada' further up his arm before
dipping his hand into a bucket of wet clothes. He's
an actor you can't take your eyes off.
In the end, Rocket Singh is a clean, honest film
with noble intentions. It requires patience to
appreciate it fully, but deserves a viewing because
films like this are |
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find. I'm going with three-and-a-half out of five and a
thumbs up for director Shimit Amin's Rocket Singh: Salesman
of the Year; whatever else you do this weekend, don't miss
this film. |
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