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SUPERSTAR OF TOMORROW: RANBIR KAPOOR



Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year is a 2009 Bollywood film directed by Shimit Amin and produced by Yash Raj Films. Screenplay of the film is by Jaideep Sahni, who collaborated with Shimit Amin for Chak De! India. Ranbir Kapoor, Shazahn Padamsee and Gauhar Khan play primary roles in the movie. Shazahn Padamsee, daughter of Alyque Padamsee and Sharon Prabhakar, made her debut in the film.

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SUPERSTAR OF TOMORROW: RANBIR KAPOOR



Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) has just graduated, and his marks are, well, let's say a little embarrassing. But marks never stopped him from dreaming of an exciting and adventurous career, and they never will. 'Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year' is the sometimes thoughtless, sometimes thoughtful story of a fresh graduate trying to find a balance between the maddening demands of the 'professional' way, and the way of his heart - and stumbling upon a crazy way which turned his world upside down, and his career right side up. Welcome to the world of sales, boss!

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SUPERSTAR OF TOMORROW: RANBIR KAPOOR

In the dog-eats-dog world of marketing and sales, Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) is an oddity - an honest man. Director Shimit Amin and Jaideep Sahni, who also collaborated on Chak De! India for Yash Raj Productions, have found inspiration in everyday life in this modest film which contrasts hierarchical, competitive business arrangements with the more transparent and ethical practices of a true partnership. The themes of Rocket Singh may well resonate with Indian graduates who are trying to find their feet in a ruthless, self serving business world. Although well intentioned, it did not provide me with the entertainment quotient that I expect from a Bollywood film. Chances are that if you too are into fantasy, romance, music, dance and big emotions, you may find this film lacking. I watch Bollywood films to get away from the nasty reality of office politics, not to be immersed in it.
Like Chak De! India, Rocket Singh is about the underdog - the loser who challenges his lot. Harpreet just scrapes a pass to graduate from university and so feels privileged to score a sales job with a computer firm. He soon realizes that in business, corrupt practices are usual and honesty is not only unrewarded but also punished. Singh is alienated from co-workers and chastised by management for taking a moral stand. His small office cubicle is bombarded with paper planes thrown by fellow workers forced to work harder to cover his “act of conscience”. The symbol of the ‘paper plane’ or ‘rocket’ - initially highlighting his oppression also comes to symbolize his salvation as Singh decides to fight back with a business venture of his own - Chak De! Singh.

A point of interest is this film is the portrayal of the Sikh as hero - not as a curiosity or a character used to establish local color. Unfortunately the ‘feel good’ factor in a movie only seems to work if the audience empathizes with the plight of the main character. All I perceived in Rocket Singh was a young man’s unhappiness with regards to his work place - a common enough occurrence which is usually remedied by changing jobs. (Although granted, this may be a lot harder to do in India.) In Chak De! India, coach Kabir Khan was dishonored on a national platform in a career altering, shameful way. His hurt was palpable and his struggle to overcome adversity was clearly defined. There is no real sense of struggle in Rocket Singh - no tension to make success the sweeter. Harpreet’s vow to get even translates too conveniently into possibilities.

Jaideep Sahni’s previous screenplays seem to evolve in similar ways. Disenfranchised individuals bond and become a force to be reckoned with. Together Bunty and Babli defied the law. Dia and her theatre group (Aaja Nachle) defied business interests. Kabir Khan and the girl team (Chak De! India) defied society’s view of women in sport. These films are also characterized by an episodic, languid style which often makes use of multiple sub-stories related to supporting characters.

In Rocket Singh, information related to the members of Harpreet’s small company, was only sketched out. They were defined by their office behavior and a few quirks but nothing that had me rooting for them - hoping that they would give management the slap in the face it deserved.

Harpreet’s girlfriend played by newcomer Shazahn Padamsee was just a shadow and not in any way essential to the story. The other female character - Koena - the receptionist (Gauhar Khan) comes across as yet another lightweight Yash Raj nod to women’s rights. Koena has great business acumen but the Managing Director does not promote her to an administrative position, preferring a male to do the job. Some Yash Raj films such as Chak De! India and even Dil Bole Hadippa! (to a lesser extent) engage more authentically with women’s issues; others like Bachna Ae Haseeno and Rocket Singh succumb to placard waving without substance; the branding of new works with a kind of empty mission statement. The three supporting male characters and Singh’s co-conspirators are a little more interesting. They are Nitin - the sleazy but savvy assistant manager, Mr. Mishra - the down-trodden tea-man and Giri - a sex-obsessed fellow worker.

Although Ranbir Kapoor is being feted as the new contender for the Bollywood throne, I don’t believe we have yet seen a career defining performance from him. In this film he is again portraying the role of someone who is boyish and rather naÃŊve - (Saawariya, Wake Up Sid, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani). A configuration of fresh screenplays that connect with the social pulse, coupled with repeated stellar performances can earn an actor his place in a list of luminaries. However, Kapoor has not yet rocketed to that lofty abode.

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SUPERSTAR OF TOMORROW: RANBIR KAPOOR

When you see him smile, you know why he has such a fan following. Charming, soft-spoken and chivalrous to the core, Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor has had a long day shooting for a mobile brand's ad campaign. But not one to disappoint us, Ranbir relaxes in his vanity van after the shoot to share his wishlist:

Good, better, best

You can't take the titles like 'Bollywood heartthrob' and all seriously. You might have a hit today, while your next film bombs big time. All I want to do is to work with good directors, big banners and beautiful co-stars. When I was starting out, I'd made a list of 50 directors I wanted to work with. Today, I'm just four down. So there's a lot of work still to be done.

Daddy cool

I want to be versatile like my dad. He's my favourite actor and my biggest critic. His acting is so natural and effortless; there's no definite style as he moulds himself according to the roles. As a dad, he's never been preachy. When I was just starting out, he suggested that we see all forms of Indian cinema. And I did ” from Raj Kapoor to Mehboob Khan to Bimal Roy to Guru Dutt, I'm an avid Hindi film buff. Dad's taught me to envision what the directors' want from me and my character, and deliver it accordingly.

What gives me a kick

This is one dream that I really hope comes true. I want to coach a football team. I'm extremely passionate about football. I was in my school's football team and later went on to play at the district level for my college. But now, I don't get to play too often. But if I'm in town, I make sure I play at least once a week with my friends. It's a lot of fun.

Not too grand

My wishlist isn't anything outrageous. All I hope is that my films and the brands I endorse connect with my audiences, as I really believe in them. And my sincere wish is that everybody has a good life. I'm just a regular 27-year-old guy who does things like any other person my age. I watch films, hangout with friends in Goa and spend time with my family.

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