Review: 'Soundtrack ' is safe and sound!

Film: Soundtrack
Director: Neerav Ghosh
Cast: Rajeev Khandelwal, Soha Ali Khan, Mrinalini Sharma, Mohan Kapur
Rating: ***

The posters scream Soundtrack: Based on a true story. On watching, one is compelled to believe in the highs and lows of DJ Raunak Kaul’s journey, whereas the fact is that he is actually only a fictional character. The film itself is a remake of the 2004 Canadian Indie film It’s All Gone Pete Tong based on the legendary DJ Frankie Wilde — a hotshot Ibiza DJ who had fought his way to the top and then mysteriously disappeared from the music scene. The filmmakers make no bones about the film being a remake and credits are duly mentioned too.

No doubt that the groundwork is done already, but despite being a remake, the director shows sparks of creativity and talent, adapting it perfectly to fit the Indian music scene. The film’s story is taken forward using ‘talking head sequences’ with real artists, mishmashed with a few fake characters too that spin a believable tale, and lend the film a false sense of authenticity.

Raunak Kaul’s (Rajeev) passion for music is well-established in the opening shots itself. His uncle (Yatin Karyekar) helps him land a job in a popular nightclub where he starts DJing and soon becomes a crowd favourite. The owner Charlie (Mohan) impressed with his talent promises him the sky and even sets up a studio for him in Alibag where he leads the life of a rockstar with girlfriend Shonali (Mrinalini). It’s as much a workplace as it is a haven for wild women and wilder parties. His ascent to the top as the most celebrated DJ in showbiz, also marks his simultaneous descent in the sex, booze, drugs and rock-n-roll kind of lifestyle.

Combined with insecurity and fear of failing like his musician dad had, see him create his own demon — (a joker replaces a badger from the original here) — that follows him around. The lifestyle takes a toll on his music and his career hits rock-bottom when he goes deaf. Frustrated, severely depressed and desperate, he locks himself in a buffered room for weeks. Finally, he decides to exorcise his inner demon and chases out the ‘joker’, a metaphorical way of showing him take back the reins of his life.

On his U-Turn to life he meets Gauri (Soha) a lip-reading teacher, who gives him the incentive to carry on. What follows is Raunak’s struggle to not let his hearing disability keep him away from his passion of music.

Paul Kaye, the actor who played the DJ in the original won a few awards for his performance, Rajeev should be no different. It’s a dream role for any actor and lends itself to some very intense moments that Rajeev does full justice to. Soha and Mrinalini do their bit well, as do Yatin and Mohan. The film’s obviously made on a shoe-string budget, but the director doesn’t let that affect the production quality. Clashing with a multistarrer, this one clearly proves that interesting cinema doesn’t need moolah, exotic locales or mega-stars. Go watch!