Rocket Singh : Salesman of the Year

Wrote this one for Viewspaper too. Original here - http://theviewspaper.net/rocket-singh-salesman-of-the-year/

Have you ever felt that your potential is not being utilized fully in your job? Are there some processes in your organization that you don’t approve of? Have you always dreamt of starting your own venture where working will be fun and fulfilling? If your answer is yes, this movie is a must watch for you! If your answer is no, this movie will surely leave you thinking.

Produced under the Yash Raj Films Banner, Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year has been directed by Shimit Amin. Shimit Amin who has previously directed award-winning movies like ‘Chak De India’ and ‘Ab Tak Chhapan’ has etched the characters in Rocket Singh very craft-fully. The star cast of the movie includes Ranbir Kapoor as the main protagonist, Gauhar Khan, veteran actor Prem Chopra and the the much-awaited debut of Shazahn Padamsee, daughter of critically acclaimed theatre personality Alyque Padamsee and pop diva Sharon Prabhakar. Ranbir Kapoor as always is indistinguishable from the character of young Harpreet who always follows his heart. Gauhar Khan’s role as the office receptionist Koena, who handles customer relations, is impressive. She represents the discrimination that pretty women face in some offices being judged more for looks than their work potential. Prem Chopra plays Harpreet’s father. Shazahn Padamsee has a minor role in the movie as the owner of a design firm, which does not give much room to evaluate her performance. However, she does look absolutely stunning. Other characters whose roles credit a mention are D.Santosh as Giri – a computer engineer addicted to pornography; Naveen Kaushik as Nitin – an industry hardened sales manager, and Manish Choudhary as Puri, the shrewd owner of AYS.

Rocket Singh is the story of an average Indian student. It is the story of Harpreet Singh Bedi, a fresh BCom. graduate who just about manages to pass in his final exams. Unfazed by his academic performance, Harpreet, confident in his ability to negotiate with people, chooses to become a salesman. After a number of interviews, he lands himself a job at AYS computers, which is the market leader for assembled computers. Harpreet’s interview at AYS is interesting too (I will not spoil it for the readers by divulging details!). Soon the story takes a turn as Harpreet finds himself in the midst of corrupt corporate practices, unsatisfied customers and hostile colleagues. He however does not believe in giving up. He fights his way through all odds and in the process, discovers the key to running successful organizations and a lifetime of happiness.

The movie is about following one’s dreams and fighting against all odds, giving high priority to customer satisfaction, valuing people and their skills, standing up against corruption and dishonesty at the workplace and believing in oneself. Cheers to the writer Jaideep Sahni for packing so much wisdom into such a simple story line. Although a comedy, the movie subtly addresses a lot of serious issues and stereotypes. “Number kam hain, Dimaag nahi” (My marks may be less, but my brains aren’t) – a simple dialogue that aims to shatter the mindset of linking a student’s intellect to his marks. “Superman ko bhi risk lena padta hai, Main to phir bhi ek salesman hoon”(Even superman must take risks, I am only a salesman) – inspires us to take risks in life. The movie also tries to romanticize the job of a salesman by exploring its challenges.

Rocket Singh seems to have a number of product placements, inline with the current industry trend. Products like Apple Mac Books, a Chroma store, a red TVS Scooty, and a lone Pepsi Can stand out but at the same time gel well with the script. Maggi seems to be a likely sponsor too as Shanzahn can be seen with a Maggi bowl in three different frames! All said, Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, is a feel good and entertaining comedy, which is very well written and directed. I would recommend this movie to anyone looking forward to three hours of fun.