The 56th National Film Awards for year 2008 were announced today.

Upendra Limaye is awarded the Best Actor award for the Marathi film Jogwa and Arjun Rampal the Best Supporting Actor award for Rock On.


Best Feature Film in Hindi language has gone to Rock On, while Best Feature Film in Marathi language is bagged by Harishchandrachi Factory.

‘Taare Zameen Par’ is India’s entry to the Oscars and for a change, people from within as well as outside the industry are unanimous in believing that Film Federation of India has finally got it right in sending a potential winner at the 81st annual Academy awards.

However, not many are aware that apart from ‘Taare Zameen Par’, ‘Rock On’ was in close contention as well and closely lost out on making it to the final list.

“Hey, but I don’t have any regrets whatsoever on ‘Rock On’ not being the final selection”, Farhan Akhtar says in a honest tone, “We all know that ‘Taare Zameen Par’ is a very good film. I liked it immensely. I have worked with Aamir in ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and he is a very good friend. I wish him all the success in the world. He had earlier taken ‘Lagaan’ to the Oscars and got so close. May he be the second time lucky.”

There was a time when the names Salim-Javed were thought of together. Then a rift tore the duo apart. But it seems the time has arrived when the differences seem almost forgotten, at least by Salim.

Recently, after the success of 'Rock On', Salim invited Farhan Akhtar to his home, and gave the young star a grand treatment. He praised the multifaceted performer's movie to great lengths, and Farhan was really touched by his warmth and sincere feelings.

How do you let off steam when cinema houses in the city are pulsating to the successful beat of your new film?

You go to Hard Rock Cafe at Lower Parel and jam, impromptu. That’s what the young and successful producer-duo Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Rock On did for TOI.

Farhan, with gelled hair and in chequered grey shirt; Ritesh in a blue tee with two tattoos ‘Nirvaan’ and ‘Aarav’ (his sons’ names) showing. “Even I have one,” said Farhan exposing his arm. “I got it at 16 after a night of wild partying. I wanted a dolphin but it looks like a shark, so I call my tattoo ‘Sholfin’!” He took the mike and belted out Beatles numbers while Ritesh hammered the drums, though not as convincingly as Purab Kohli did in the film. A fan with spiky blonde hair and earrings walked up and said, “Dudes, you rocked man! You are the best.” Charged further, the duo then jammed unplugged in a chat session, a mannequin dressed like pop singer Prince standing by silently and listening into the rockstars’ conversation...

Farhan Akhtar and his rocker colleagues want to carry the film's music beyond films. But not in a sequel to the successful film.

Farhan feels he has had enough of the Rock On saga. "The director Abhishek Kapoor should know about the sequel. As for me, I'm not for it. I feel Rock On is a sequel to my own Dil Chahta Hai. Both transported me to the same emotional space. So I've had enough of it. I think Abhishek has a lot more to do as a filmmaker than a sequel."

Playing as a band is what Farhan wants to do with the Rock On gang. "Suddenly there's an upsurge of rock… We suddenly have an Indi-rock revival. Regional bands are again playing. Newspapers articles are being written about desi rock. Suddenly, I feel we've started something we can't control. It's all very encouraging. It's a great thing happening here. Credit must go to our director Abhishek Kapoor who was very adamant on doing a film on a neglected cultural phenomenon."

The popularity of Excel Entertainment's latest hit 'Rock On' released some two weeks ago has soared higher as its music album stood at number 13 on last week's iTunes US World Music chart. This is great! That's why Ritesh Sidhwani who has produced this album along with Farhan Akhtar is so thrilled as to say, "Music has no boundaries." In the same breath, he adds that for the first time an Indian album has reached so high up on the iTunes charts. Not only the producer and his colleague, but the people at large have found it amazingly excellent. No sooner than was it released, the film attracted acclaim for its robust rock soundtrack.