SOUNDTRACK MOVIE REVIEW

BY minal abhange

– OCTOBER 7, 2011

Rajeev Khandelwal with Soha Ali Khan in SOUNDTRACK

Star Cast:

Rajeev Khandelwal…… Raunak Kaul

Soha Ali Khan…… Gauri

Mrinalini Sharma

Mohan Kapoor…… Charlie

Yatin Karyekar

Ankur Tewari

Anurag Kashyap

Siddharath Coutto

Manu Rishi

Producer: Sanjiv Goenka, Apurv Nagpal

Executive Producer / Co-Producer: Aditya Shastri, Venessa Roy

Director: Neerav Ghosh

Singers: Anushka Manchanda, Kailash Kher, Vishal Vaid, Suraj Jagan, Ankur Tewari, Papon, Malini Awasthy, Karsh Kale

Lyricist: Dhruv Jagasia, Anushka Manchanda, Gaurav Raina, Kailash Kher

Vishal Vaid, Khalid Alvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Ankur Tewari, Papon

Anand Bakshi, Aslam Parvez, Karsh Kale, Tapan Raj

Music Director: Midival Punditz, Karsh Kale, Kailash Kher, Vishal Vaid

Laxmikant Kudalkar, Pyarelal, Ankur Tewari, Papon

Cinematography: Anshuman Mahaley

SOUNDTRACK stands on factual events, it is an official remake of the cult English film It’s All Gone Pete Tong (2004). The film traces the sudden rise and fall of a Rajeev Khandelwal who plays DJ Raunak Kaul who has immense talent to make the world dance to his tunes and passion for music. The first track What the F*** could turn a party number soon with its novel beats. But too much of sex and drugs, not only makes him lose focus towards work, but lead to a permanent physical disability. In his world dominated by loud music, Raunak turns completely deaf and is unable to pursue his dreams to make music.

Rajeev Khandelwal in SOUNDTRACK

Things start changing when he meets Soha Ali Khan, who plays Gauri, she too is hearing impaired but has mastered the art of lip-reading. In Gauri, he finds a tutor and a companion. Also his passion for music is regenerated, as he attempts to sense sound and study digital waveforms of tunes to create new music. Thereby a deaf DJ turns a renowned composer.

Debutant director Neerav Ghosh attempts to give a docu-drama narrative to make it seem like a biographical take on the life of his protagonist. The first half seems preoccupied with close-up shots of alcohol, drugs, smoke and sex. Raunak boozes as if he were drinking water and smokes like he is breathing air. But after a point of time, it only gets repetitive and seems forced.

The attitude of the film rapidly changes in the second half when the plot turns more soft and sober, as Raunak goes on a self-rehabilitation drive, shunning all addiction. His saga track with Soha is happy as compared to his hardcore sex-drive scenes with Mrunalini Sharma in the first half. But beyond the positive and negative shades the narrative does not create as much contrast in relating and feeling the protagonist’s dilemma better.

The second half seems very soft in comparison to the intensity in the initial buildup the film adds strength where not needed and vice versa. A basic idea of a deaf person composing decent music makes for an inspiring story but the influences of drugs and alcohol make situations obvious and monotonous.

Rajeev Khandelwal with Mrinalini Sharma in SOUNDTRACK

The entire track of Raunak’s struggle with his inner devil the clown looks foolish over being symbolic it looks dull and unnatural. It gets annoying after a point and the entire track could certainly have been avoided. For a filmdealing primarily with music, the actual ‘soundtrack’ is not exciting as one would have expected. Also the length could have been shorter editing several repetitive portions. Dialogues, in the second half, are well written and leave an impact.

Rajeev’s performance is splendid as he has done complete justice with his charm and persuasive acting ability. His involvement with the character amazes at the conviction he brings to his role. Soha Ali Khan not only plays a deaf character, she has to lisp in her diction too. And the actress does it with absolute detail and brings grace to her role. It would have made more sense if the story enlightened on the reason behind her lisp. Mrinalini Sharma looks refreshingly sexy and is not one-bit vulgar in her skimpily-clad character. Mohan Kapoor does a great job supporting the entire plot. Manu Rishi doesn’t get much scope. Yatin Karyekar suits the character perfectly with his charming aura.
While it does have potential as a good film, Soundtrack, at least, turns out to be sound cinema. Worth giving an ear and eye too with its loud tracks and well adapted quotes.