Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009) User Reviews (55)

That's how Indian Cinema can progress.

[bobbysing · 8/10 · 21 December 2009]

Frankly speaking, "Rocket Singh" is not the usual bollywood kind of movie with the same ages old ingredients of action, love & comedy. It may not be appreciated by the masses, but for a change it's a simple and refreshing flick with everything just in the right proportions as required. The movie neither has any sick side stories yelling loudly to impress the viewers nor there are any silly unwanted songs jumping into the screenplay from nowhere. In other words it's a great piece of art made by a thinking team strictly on the lines of innovative Hollywood projects which are based on variety of subjects written around our daily routine life.

The story talks about a fresh and honest graduate who is looking for a descent job to make his future career. The wickedness of his colleagues and seniors in the office helps him transform into a clever and strategic businessman. But in the process he also has to opt for some unethical means and uses his present job office and resources for his personal benefit. The innovative plot not only enlightens us about the cut throat competition in the Sales line but it also showcases the hardships faced by the innocent customers due to the evil practices adopted by the service providers. The film commences slowly and starts growing on the viewer with its to the point narrative and highly realistic sequences. In fact most of the viewers will find it very easy to relate with various characters in the script portrayed just like the real life people we meet every day.

After his masterpiece "Chakk De India", Shimit returns with another brilliant work which again has a huge contribution coming from his writer Jaideep Sahni. Shimit's subtle treatment of the subject never slides down and he maintains a firm grip on the movie right till its impressive climax. Interestingly, all the incidents in the movie strongly point towards some similar personal experiences of either Shimit or Jaideep in the past. Jaideep splendidly comes up with the most original description of his characters quite close to his "Khosla Ka Ghosla" which also revolved around Delhi and its Punjabi culture. Actually the whole setup of a computer company and its premises in "Rocket Singh" is more relevant to New Delhi's computer hub, Nehru Place (which Jaideep must have seen) and everyone who has visited the premises would readily agree to that. Taking into account all their works together in the past, the writer-director duo is a great team in formation and you can easily expect many more brilliant projects coming from them in the near future.

In the performance arena there are good things to write about almost everyone in the cast. With the most authentic Sikh character's portrayal on the screen till date, Ranbir Kapoor once again excels and makes everyone in the Kapoor family feel proud of their young energetic and hardworking kid. His choice of projects after the unexpected debacle of "Saawariya" clearly proves his gifted cinematic sense and intuition power. While watching him on screen, not even once you feel that he is in a fictional get up of a Sikh. In simple words he just slips into the body of Harpreet Singh Bedi and delivers an effortless, enjoyable and the most impressive performance of his career.

Prem Chopra delivers a lovable cameo. Gauhar Khan impresses in her role of a receptionist and she surely has got the oomph factor to burn the screen. Shazahn Padamsee is fresh and confident as Ranbir's customer cum friend. Everyone else in the team lead by Rocket Singh is perfectly chosen and they skillfully act as true to life realistic characters, especially the computer engineer and his sexy desktops glowing in the night. Cinematography is nothing exceptional and Salim-Sulaiman music is just above average with all the songs used shortly along with the background score.

However, the only probable mistake, the marketing team of "Rocket Singh" has made is that they wrongly promoted the film as a comedy. The promos with Ranbir dancing to the tune of "Pocket Mein Rocket Hai" clearly give you an idea of the movie being a funny take on office politics and life of an salesman. Whereas in reality it's a sensible story of a fresh graduate who goes on to make a confident mark in his very first job of a salesman. Though it has many comedy sequences coming in at regular interval throughout, but still that doesn't allow anybody to simply call it a comedy movie. In fact all the viewers coming in for seeing just another routine, over the top, bollywood comedy may get highly disappointed from the end result they get. So, once again it's an example of wrong promotion tried by the makers to bring in some more crowds in the opening weekend.

But if you ask me then just don't take it as a comedy and go for it if you really want to see a fresh, cool and uplifting movie completely different from what we have been seeing in all this year. In short, "Rocket Singh" is one of those few rare movies which are made without thinking of any favorable box office results. If majority of the viewers like it then that's a good sign of progress being made in the Indian Cinema. But if most of them take it otherwise then that will be the most unfortunate outcome of 2009.

Highly recommended for everyone yearning for a change in Bollywood's choice of subjects.

Rocket Singh - ROCK IT Singh!!

[jaskunwar993 · 8/10 · 11 December 2009]

Wow. What an unexpected surprise! Fresh out of the box... Rocket Singh looks you in the eye with an innocent yet promising look - as if it were saying, "I'm sweet, amn't I?" And you have no choice but to agree.

It's full of everything - subtle, clean, sensible, humane, but, above all, GENUINE humour; witty dialogues that make you smile; a good flow; touching moments; moments that make you smile... and what else do you want? Oh, yes, ladies and gentlemen, Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year is worth every penny you spend on it. It starts with a humorous yet touching scene, where our very own Harpreet (Ranbir Kapoor) finds out that he's passed his MBA - with 39%. You expect him to cry, be frightened, sweat... but no. He smiles, and thanks Wahe Guru. And then he says, "Number kam hai, dimaag nahin." Rocket Singh is that boat-ride that makes you want more and more of it. This year has been full of disappointments for the industry, starting with the strike, moving on to some drastic releases... but here we are! One of those gems that bollywood has produced this year... after Dev.D, Kaminey, Paa... Rocket Singh.

It has a soothing soundtrack and some amazing moments, and it once again reminds us why Sardars are some of the most amazing people on this earth. The biggest disappointment to me was that the first day first show hall here, in Punjab, was only 1/5th full. What could be more disastrous? We have people rushing to see an SRK or an Aamir Khan production, but why are the seats empty in better movies like Paa, Kaminey, and now Rocket Singh? Why don't we have to FIGHT for the ticket? I give it a well-deserved 8/10, and I'm cutting off 2 merely because it ended.

And yes, people. Go watch it.

I promise you'll smile.

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year is a film with all heart.

[sumanbarthakursmailbox · 9/10 · 19 December 2009]

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year is a film about the importance of basic goodness. In an industry driven by opening weekends and bumper collections, it's that oddball film that seldom compromises on its intentions for the sake of becoming more box-office friendly. As a result the film feels too long, indulgent even, and ever-so-often it appears uncinematic. That's hardly surprising, considering much of the film is shot in basic office spaces and features long conversations between its characters. But don't be fooled by its appearance; Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year is a film with all heart. Ranbir Kapoor plays Harpreet Singh Bedi, an idealistic young graduate who lands a sales job in a computer firm run by a boss who sets unrealistic targets for his team. His rose-tinted glasses come off early in the day as he watches receptionists being wooed for prompt appointments with busy managers, and security guards being bribed for information on rivals. For his own part, he stays strictly upright, going so far as to file a complaint against a client who wants his palm greased. That act of honesty, however, is rewarded with a demotion. Convinced that a business can be run clean, Harpreet sets up his own company within the one he works for, roping in a handful of fellow colleagues as partners. Operating honestly and diligently, this team discreetly sets up a thriving business that eventually rivals the one they work for. Meticulously written by Jaideep Sahni, the genius behind such gems as Khosla Ka Ghosla and Chak De India, the script of Rocket Singh is its real star. Seeking inspiration in real life and real people, the film avoids stereotypes and goes for characters and situations that are refreshingly familiar – the team-leader who fudges conveyance vouchers, the cut-throat competitive co-workers, the porn-surfing maintenance guy, even the promotion-seeking receptionist. Taking the cue from Sahni's script, director Shimit Amin bravely resists any temptation to glamorise the world they've set the film in, by rooting the drama in a space that is basic and without frills. An office party scene is filmed with colleagues drinking out of plastic cups, loosening their ties and dancing to songs being played out of a computer. Even the film's opening credits sequence in which the camera lovingly floats over a middle-class home's bric-a-brac is evidence of the makers' commitment to authenticity. But Rocket Singh touches a chord because it's that rare film that urges us to examine our lives and to question the rules by which we live it. It has a life-affirming quality that will appeal to every one of us who has ever hesitated before taking the easy way over the right way. The film isn't without hiccups, though. Overly long, especially in its first half, Rocket Singh suffers on account of sluggish pacing, and occasional indulgences like that unduly stretched-out confession monologue by Harpreet's boss in the film's climax. Remarkable casting has resulted in some fine performances by key players, although even the bit parts are filled out convincingly. D Santosh as the affable maintenance guy, Mukesh Bhatt as the tea-man with computer-repair skills, Naveen Kaushik as the oddly sideburned team head, and Gauhar Khan as the cutting receptionist pitch in commendable performances. Of course it's topped off by Ranbir Kapoor's compelling, effortless portrayal of Harpreet Singh Bedi. Ranbir adds the little touches that make all the difference: combing the beard, tucking in the turban, lifting the 'kada' further up his arm before dipping his hand into a bucket of wet clothes. He's an actor you can't take your eyes off. In the end, Rocket Singh is a clean, honest film with noble intentions. It requires patience to appreciate it fully, but deserves a viewing because films like this are hard to find. I am giving a thumbs up for director Shimit Amin's Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year; whatever else you do , don't miss this film.

Rocket Singh Rocks!!!!

[sumanthkg-1 · 10/10 · 12 December 2009]

I went to watch Rocket Singh with the expectation to see a good movie knowing that the same creative team (Shimit Amin and Jaideep) had put together a good movie previously with Chak De India. By the time "Rocket Singh" was over I sat in my seat spell bound and amazed by some excellent story telling by the same creative team. Half way thru the movie I was certain that I was witnessing a special piece of work by a talented team. What works for Rocket Singh is an absolutely crisp script, screen play, dialogues (some of which are very witty), sharp direction and awesome performance by an amazingly talented cast. The casting fits perfectly and Ranbeer deserves special mention for his performance, it is hard to believe that he is only a handful of movies old as an actor. In fact I could not pick anything negative or faulty with the film in my first viewing. Coming to the plot itself, it is about a fresh graduate with ordinary grades who lands a trainee salesman job and is shocked to see the cut throat methods used to succeed both at individual and team levels. He is soon found wanting in terms of the "killer" instinct necessary to survive. But he continues to believe in his ways and shows everyone how success is achieved with out resorting to cut throat/unethical means. The climax is very interesting; the conversation between "Rocket Singh" and Mr. Puri (his ex-employer) is one of the highlights of the movie.

In summary Indian cinema needs more of these movies - engaging stories of "real" people made with utmost attention paid to the story itself. Indian cinema can do with out "Love stories that have blood on them".

--S Rao

Bollywood getting mature

[meghal · 9/10 · 28 December 2009]

With a funny sounding name and Ranbir Kapoor as a lead character, I assumed that this might be one of the popcorn movies that target the college going demographics, who want a "time pass" movie. But boy I was wrong.

This movie is not a typical Bollywood movie. There are no spoilt rich college kids, characters do not hangout at McDonalds or other "hip" joints, no designer clothes, no gaudy weddings and "balle balle" dances, characters do not break into a song every 5 minutes. There are no "Rahuls" and "Priyas" and "Poojas".

The movie deals with the issue of business ethics - especially ethics in sales and its importance in customer relations. The hero - who is almost a failure in studies, but has very high moral standards, tries to fight and survive in the dog-eat dog world of selling assembled computers.

The story line is taut, focused and do not deviate from the main theme, the direction is excellent. In directorial terms, Rocket Singh is far ahead of Chak De India. I think that has more to do with storyline.

The only weak point is an unnecessary love angle - the director could have complete avoided that character. Also, the storyline could have avoided a predictable mushy ending

Also, why does characters have to swear so much - "s**t" word is careless tossed around in the movie, while the female characters uses the word "a@@&**e". Is swearing in English considered to be "hip and cool" while criticising Vishal Bhardwaj for using Hindi swear words in "Omkara"?

But the real show stealer is Ranbir Kapoor. He breathes life into the role of computer salesman. He gets into the skin of character, he is not afraid playing a role of loser and does not look uncomfortable speaking Hindi or Punjabi. I hope he gets a nomination for this role.

9/10 - 8 would have been fine, but 9 because it is a Yash Chopra production and still avoid all the clichés of Yashraj banners.

Ranbir Kapoor: Find of the Year

[codenamepaulie · 7/10 · 12 December 2009]

The way the opening credits are presented, they raise your expectations from the film. And the first 30 minutes are typically reflective of a salesman's life. It is easy to connect with the situations and giggle at the workplace jokes. Our protagonist has just barely graduated & wants to make a career in sales. But he is naive, and has to learn the tricks of the trade soon. To complicate matters, he has demanding bosses & non co-operative peers. Been there.

But soon enough, our guy, with a few other employees of the same company, hatches a plan to prove a point & make some money by creating a dummy company that provides superior service & works on ethical lines only. A good intentioned simple storyline from Jaideep Sahni, but a bit too far-fetched. So, once again, it is up to the director & the actors to elevate it. And they do. Once you get past the fake moustaches & loose wigs, the movie engages you. The script is kept tight & there are no silly song & dance routines to break the flow.

Ranbir Kapoor & Prem Chopra (who plays Ranbir's grandfather) have very good chemistry & all their scenes together are so real & touchy. Ranbir's friends & his love interest do have their moments in the sun, but the movie is not about them. As the director did with ChakDe India, the characters who take the movie forward, including the office peon & the receptionist, are developed well & are given ample screen time & they also carry their characters with ease. Salim-Suleiman have little to do barring the title track (which is missing in the movie), because the movie is not a dramatic melting pot a la Chakde. The screenplay is good, direction is good, and the actors deliver. What the film really lacks is a climax. It ends without a bang; it ends all so smoothly, with a social message thrown in.

One thing that this film confirms is that, in Ranbir Kapoor, we have found the next big thing. As with all his other movies this year, he gets right under the skin of the character, hence making it utterly believable. A director's actor, never the star. 2009 may well be the year in which all his movies came oh too close to being the biggest hits of the year. Rocket Singh may well be the next in that category.

Rocket Singh: Clever, witty and smart

[rhitwick · 8/10 · 12 December 2009]

Rocket Singh:Salesman of the year 8/10

One of the best movies of this year.

Well, watched it last night but couldn't get a chance to write about it. I had my eyes on it since its news came in papers that a movie of such a name is going to be released. I made a it in my mind it being a must watch and yesterday I got a chance to watch it.

Its about a new guy in salesman-world, how he handles all those un-realistic goals set by his boss, clients and tackles his ideologies.

Now the movie has very dynamic characters with most witty and cut-throat dialogs ever seen or heard.

Don't go to watch this movie thinking of watching Ranabir giving a very powerful performance. IMO each and every character has given same brilliant performance as anyone.

Specially mentionable are D. Santosh (PC assembler), he has the most witty and funny lines in the movie. After he opens his mouth in the movie for the first time, you'll always be eager to listen to him whenever he comes again. And, he never disappoints you. Koena (Gauhar Khan as operator) has the all cut-throat dialogs. Executes her role properly. Nitin (the boss) is very good. His parts are very well crafted. One thing I want to mention is that, only two scenes in the movie brings out the feel that this is a movie and its the two scenes where he's leading. Chotelal as peon, is a good character. Puri as the M.D. is also good character.

Another thing I like is the choice of girl as GF for Ranbir. She is not very beautiful or so-called actress material. She is just another girl-next-door character that u interact everyday but ignore. Yes that is the kind of gal who can be GF of the character Ranbir is playing in this movie. Hats off to whoever did the casting. Not a single character is out-of-place.

If I analyze the movie:- Acting: Brilliant Screenplay: Asset of the movie Directing: Brilliant Cinematography: Very good, just watch out for the initial scenes when the title rolls and the background chosen for it. Simple but portrays enough. Editing: One and only weak point of this movie. Could have been much shorter than its current length. A few stretched scenes just spoils its sleek approach.

In a nutshell: its directed to a part of the crowd, not everyone would like it or understand it. But, whoever is somehow related to sales or any corporate would find something in it. (At least for India its true :P)

Zip, zap, zoom

[sniperswagat · 7/10 · 20 December 2009]

Shimit Amin returns with his latest offering after 'Chak De India', and expectations skyrocket! Sorry, had to get that one out.

Harpreet Singh Bedi, a fresh graduate, has barely survived college, while getting just enough marks to pass muster. Unable to get a well-paying job elsewhere, he decides to go into sales and joins AYS computers as a sales trainee. On his first day on the job, he refuses a bribe and reports the client. Unfortunately, this ends up making him the ridicule of the office staff for his naiveté. Stung by this criticism, Harpreet proceeds to set up his own firm - Rocket Sales, right under his boss' nose. He gets 3-4 people from the office to join him on this venture, and together they set out to take on AYS in the field.

The story is a simple one, and it has been effectively brought alive by the lifelike characters and dialogues. The screenplay is brilliant through most of the movie, though the final 20 minutes play out a little strangely.

Shimit Amin has an eye for detail. Everything looks and feels like it does in real life, with people drinking from plastic cups in office parties, to no one wearing designer clothes, and Ranbir's mentor telling him methods to keep the shirt clean. Amin extracts great performances from his ensemble cast as well. My only grouse is that the flick could have been around 15-20 minutes shorter. That would have kept the effort crisper.

Ranbir Kapoor as Harpreet is great. As refreshing it is to finally see a Sardar in a non-comic lead role, it is because of Ranbir that the character becomes real. Even when he dances at the party, he doesn't do anything hero-ish. He just dances like a normal guy would. Naveen Kaushik as his mentor, who joins him at Rocket Sales, stands out. In fact, he overshadows Ranbir in many scenes! Manish Chaudhari as the unscrupulous boss Puri is brilliant, as is D. Santosh as the techie who surfs for bikini-clad women on the net. Prem Chopra as Ranbir's granddad is a delight. Mukesh Bhatt as Chote Lal, Gauhar Khan as Koena and the many actors playing the sales team are effective. Shazahn Padamsee hardly has 3 scenes in the movie.

The songs in the movie are there only as part of the background score, and serve no purpose. The background score is good. The set design is brilliant. You truly get the feel of the constricted office space and the inside of a regular middle class home.

Final Verdict: The effective story-telling and great acting lifts this story, which could have been shorter by 15-20 minutes.

A Nutshell Review: Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year

[DICK STEEL · 10/10 · 11 December 2009]

When I started to look at Bollyfood films more seriously, it was at the time when Saarwariya was released, starring the rookie Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role as a man pining, and scheming to get the girl of his dreams. Then came films like Bachna Ae Haseeno in 2008, and the acclaimed and successful Wake Up Sid and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani this year, propelling him to become one of the promising young actors who could take over the reins from the reigning, ageing Khans of Bollywood. And his latest film Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, just cements his position as a front runner of emerging stars.

One cannot talk about the movie without first raving about his delivery of the role, where he disappears behind the heavy beard and turban, and plays not a romantic superhero, or an unbelievable all singing all dancing lead, but an everyday, average joe in Harpreet Singh Bedi whose mediocre grades (pass with grace marks, as the trailer puts it) spells out his destiny of hard work, supported only by an old, doting grandfather who has no qualms that his grandson can become a somebody in the world.

As with any graduate, Harpreet enters the work force full of idealism, if only to see that being shattered early on, together with his wide-eyed amazement of how the world actually works, with the greasing of palms to get appointments, insider information, and even the closing of deals. His foray into Sales, which once he would have thought was his calling with his slick ways of persuasion and negotiation, was to turn into a nightmare given his uncompromising stance on integrity and principles.

I suppose in the world of business, you can either make your millions through corrupt means, or with solid work ethics. In some ways the film, written by Jaideep Sahni, serves as a critique that old and corrupt ways of current (Indian) society can be changed, and everyone will likely be in a better position through fair competition and an even playing field. Business ethics based on sound values of customer service, and non-exploitative profits could be working business models, as opposed to one with deeply seeped orruption across all levels.

There's also the focus on the ethics of the workforce, where rookies are belittled, and those who make mistakes ostracized without remorse. The first half of the film, with Harpreet Singh joining the firm "At Your Service", a computer assembly company, sees a myriad of caricatures in a typical office environment which piles on the laughter. Rocket Singh is not a one man show, and the ensemble here, though at times cardboard, do present enough avenues for laughs, with the emphasis on teaming and the leverage of one another's strengths to achieve results. After all, there is unity and diversity in strength, where people count and shouldn't be just treated as digits.

And on Harpreet's side are carefully recruited partners from within the AYS firm to form a renegade competitor Rocket Sales Corporation from right under the nose of AYS Managing Director, Mr Puri. Rounding up the supporting cast are Mukest Bhatt as the tea-man Chotelal Mishra, Gauhar Khan as the multi-tasking and under-appreciated receptionist, Naveen Kaushik as the slimy sales manager Nithin, and D. Santosh as Giri the computer genius with a penchant for scantily-clad pictures of women on the internet, and almost steals every scene with some of the most hilarious lines and antics.

The film has an effective, delicate balance between comedy, drama and being a social critique from within the confines of the office eco-system, and there's always that sense of immense danger once Harpreet's plans kick starts itself into action, given that there's an angle of fraud and the abuse of company resources in going about doing his own thing, and not to mention being in direct competition with the company and the director he loathes. You know two wrongs don't make one right, and each slip up they make comes with it the threat of being found out, especially when business for RSC starts to boom.

Rocket Singh also departs from the usual Bollywood masala formula, and there's no musical song-and-dance interludes to detract you from its very pacey narrative that makes this quite the definitive film for those in the sales line. One will probably chuckle at how sales folks tend to over-promise and under-deliver (or at least it's left to the service folks to fulfill), and contains many real world elements and treatment that you'll come to expect from the profession. Definitely one of the best I've seen this year, and it's no doubt highly recommended!

Superb film

[silvan-desouza · 7/10 · 5 September 2012]

Yashraj is a banner who normally does mainstream entertainers with huge cast and big locales.etc but this time there made an offbeat film ROCKET SINGH. The trailers gave an indication of a youthful entertainer something like WAKE UP SID. But the film is completely different.

It shows life in a corporate world, the snake and ladder games played by the corporate bosses.etc The characters aren't sugarcoated but seem straight to life though the resolution may seem a bit hard to digest but in the end the film manages to make a large impression.

Direction by Shimit Amin(Ab Tak 56 and CDI) is superb Music by Salim Sulaiman is used as background, Pocket mein rocket is missing

Dialogues are superb

Amongst actors Ranbhir Kapoor plays a normal character and that works, he isn't larger then life like APKGK. He does a superb job and proves he can carry films that are offbeat too Shazahn Padamsee does a superb job for her debut, Prem Chopra is admirable, Gauhar Khan is superb too D.Santosh for once in not a cop role does a superb job Manish Chaudhary who went on to prove his villainy further in Jannat 2 and Blood Money was launched here and he does a brilliant job The guy playing his subordinate does a good job too rest are all good

Rocket Ranbir!!!

[puneet-kkv · 10/10 · 12 December 2009]

Ranbir Kapoor has truly taken the Kapoor legacy forward today. He is exceptional as a young sardar guy. The movie is as great as its script, story and dialogs. The movie captures the ethical dilemma of a young entrant entering the corrupt world of selling. The protagonist takes the lead out of the compromiser of values and creates his own organization with ethics and values. He shows that for your long term sustainability one must be honest with his work and people he is working with. The dialogs were well written by Mr. Sahni. One of my favorites is "do business but don't become businessman". Some might not like it not being like a typical bollywood movie with naach-gaana and melodrama but still it has something for everyone - a great lesson - don't be hypocrite.

Award For Best Original Attempt

[kaushikshashwat · 7/10 · 14 December 2009]

So, after quite a while i went to see a Hindi cinema in Theater(as compared to the frequency of me going to see movies of Hollywood) and I must say it was a nice Decision taken.For me, going for cinema means entertaining myself and at the same time the film should be able to make me reflect on its central issue.Rocket Sing succeeds here, Rocket Sing aka Harpreet Singh Bedi is so fresh out of current lot of Bollywood characters of those cheesy movies.The movie scores so much on its original theme, which is totally missing from Bollywood these days and on top of that Acting Skills which are displayed by its all the actors specially Ranbir Kapoor and Gauhar Khan is really commendable.The screenplay is really good.The setup and situation described of offices are so realistic.This movie can be given the award for the best attempt to break away from the usual boring Love-Song-Dance sequence of Bollywood movies.Go for It!!!

Decent movie....

[next_change · 15 December 2009]

Well.....here is my short review:

The 1st half : Interesting ,very well directed with witty one liners and fun to watch

The 2nd half : Dragged a bit.

The Climax :I think the writer must have thought "I've spent a lot of my time and energy on this movie, now I'm tired, so lets wrap it up as quickly as possible."

The cast :excellent performance by the actor who played 'Girish Reddy' and 'Nitin Rathore'. Ranbir Kapoor has improved a lot since his last movies...but still room for improvement.

Overall a decent escapist movie.

incoherent and extravagant drag on

[mostlysilly · 2/10 · 23 October 2010]

The theme was good, but its implementation in the movie was disastrous. imo was ill directed and senseless with an evident lack of thought put into its script, characters and presentation. Moments of inspiration were few and far between and for the most part, the events in the movie fairly challenged the idea of reality of a deluded day dreamer. It didn't do the viewers any favours when it came to the length of the movie either, it was rather stretched and tedious to watch at times. There were individuals who acted well, but that came to nothing as the movie failed miserably in generating an interest or connection for a sustained period of time. This might seem to be a bit of a scathing, but its my honest opinion aggravated perhaps ever so slightly by the off putting portrayal of this movie by many as a gritty, inspirational and above all, realistic masterpiece.

Ahead of its time

[targetrg · 9/10 · 26 June 2021]

This film is truly ahead of its time, i just watched this film and it's hard to believe that this film released in 2009. At a time where bollywood movies were still typical hero heroine and villian(infact most of them still pretty much are), this movie was different and innovative from the rest of the industry. Moreover the message that this movie gives "having ethical business practices, valuing and understanding the customers and their needs is what helps a business to ultimately grow and be succesful instead of deceiting and conning them" is something people have realised quite recently(atleast here in India) and so companies and businesses have quite recently started taking ethics and customer satisfaction more seriously, so yeah this movie is quite ahead of its time. It's sad to see such amazing bollywood movies being underrated and hardly known.

Exceptional Storytelling

[pranav-61201 · 10/10 · 12 May 2017]

Rocket Singh is my favorite movie till date after chak DE till date. The movie is excellent in every aspect - story , screenplay , acting , casting. It is not only just about Business , but also about many important facts that we forget in this success pursuit mission called as life. It talks about people bonding,teamwork and most importantly seeing people with an unbiased vision. It also highlights the fact that every individual has an x factor hidden inside him, just need an opportunist to see and bring that out. A business can never succeed without a happy and bonded team .That opportunist who puts all these things together is called the Businessman/Salesman of the year as the title suggests . MUST WATCH TO EVERYBODY .

As a customer of this movie..I am more than satisfied with the Movie.

[Samrat888 · 7/10 · 10 January 2010]

What does it take to sell a product?...well if u ask a sales guy he speak loads of stuff,,,some one liners...a fake smile...but will forgets to mention the most important aspects of the Selling...i.e Honesty,commitment and After Sales Service.

Rocket Singh Sales Man of the year--The Film. Delivers in every sense of movie making and originality. Shamit Amin has done research over Sales as a department and over Middle class Sikh family. Bollywood films have never been so true to the ground realty.

In the beginning of the film when Ranbhir Kapoor gives that million dollar teenage smile after results,itself shows have well the character is developed for the salesman. The typical office scenario where every one running n fighting among each other, cursing the sales manager...with celebrations for achieving big sales targets,with music played from laptop and drinks served in a plastic glass with tie hanging loose dancing like brats. The way film moves around rabir kapoors teenage life hand in hand with his struggling life at office. With a constant advise of friends pursuing him to leave the job...but the just passed commerce graduate doesn't give up of demotion over his honest actions against a client.The other characters in the movie are eqaually powerful as the north Indian accent boss and the bhaiya puen and the desperate service manager and the perfect example of todays salesmen the sales manager who teaches ranbir the ways to get client by all other but practical means with proper field trip.

Above all the movie is about a honest way that ranbir singh opts to take which he feels is not difficult just profit margins are below market rates.I must admit at times the movie is difficult to digest of ranbir copes up both the ways.well and some Minor flaws.well what do u expect a filmmaker to give u in such a time span.

Finally i must say,the movie is a honest attempt by the makers with some power-pact acting and dialouge.Ranbir is the next breakthrough Hindi film industry will have in terms choosing the movies that sets bars.

Must watch------7/10

Journey of an honest salesman

[navneet-01191 · 8/10 · 9 October 2017]

This is not an usual Bollywood flick with songs, action and comedy. The movie revolves around a Sikh graduate(portrayed authentically by Ranbir Kapoor) who aspires to be salesman. As he steps into the corporate world, he is shocked by the reality of sales business where unethical practices, cut-throat atmosphere, unrealistic targets, selling products with high markups are norms & customers are seen just as numbers. He doesn't wishes to abide by these norms drawing a lot of flak from seniors and colleagues and gets isolated by them.

He realises that by being nice one can never survive in this competitive world. So he decides to crave his way through the sales business by following his ideology of treating customer as people with heart not as numbers as they are the one who gives business to them and not the other way around. Also stressing on services before sales.

Realistic movie, definitely worth a watch.

Scores with its simple story and its core of honesty!

[ssvikas · 6/10 · 15 December 2009]

Coming from the writer of movies like ‘Khosla ka Ghosla’ it was expected that Rocket Singh would have in core, a simplistic protagonist driven by values put in an unforgiving world leading him to come up with intelligent solutions driven by honesty albeit with a twist. Directed by Shmit Amin of ‘Chak De’ fame, the movie lives up to its expectations, especially those hinged around Ranbir, script writer Jaideep Sahani and its Director!

Fresh out of college and low on marks, Ranbir, the young Sardar lives on the principle of ‘number kam hai, dimaag nahi’ (my marks are low, but not my brains) and believes firmly in his skills of persuasion. His belief leads him to join the sales team of AYS, a computer assembly and service company. Tough benchmarks set by his street-smart sales manager Nitin and boss Puri and revelations of corporate corruption bring the honest youngster down to earth with a thud.

Sympathizing his helplessness, receptionist Koyna played by Gauhar Khan minus the charm from her Miss India days, gives him a lead. He soon discovers that the profit on delivering those computers on his own gets him more money, he recruits his porn obsessed colleague Giri to assemble them for a share in profit. An insult by Puri, leads him to expand his own ‘Rocket Sales’ business based on values, secretly within AYS.

Going the Khosla ka Ghosla way and living on the essence of goodness and heart that movies like the Munnabhai or its likes thrived on, Rocket Singh sells his way by being a decent entertainer with realistic characters. The sales struggle, typical office environs, simple office parties, hard nosed bosses, etc make sure that the movie does not lose its touch of reality. Nevertheless, sermons on goodness tend to bore you at times though.

Neat script apart, Music doesn’t have emphasis. Even the song ‘pocket mein rocket’ is not seen in the film. Other pitfalls include the seemingly long first half. Talking of his look, was it really relevant to turn Ranbir into a Sardar for the story? I don’t think so. Probably the makers of the movie wanted the young star to wear different look this time Or, were they keen on not making this movie look like ‘Wake up Sid’ part two! Any guesses?

Ranbir Kapoor proves yet again that he is completely capable of carrying a movie on his shoulders. Taking to his roles as a fish to water, his talent is undeniable. Debutante Shazahn Padamsee doesn’t have much to do in the movie. In supporting roles, Naveen Kaushik as the sales manager with the long side-burns and the role of Giri are very well scripted. In all, Rocket Singh sells itself to you as ‘values’ for the money you've spent!

Rocket Singh: Attempt of the Year

[satyanshu_singh · 8/10 · 11 December 2009]

As I came out of the theatre, a lady was telling to her husband, in one of the most innocent tones possible in Mumbaiyya Hindi, which roughly meant: "I did not get what they were talking throughout the film". It did not surprise me at all. During the interval, my brother had called me. He was in the interval too, coincidentally. We talked for 10-15 seconds. And in that short period, we mutually agreed: it is a difficult film.

What do you expect from the director of 'Ab Tak Chhappan' and the writer of 'Company' and 'Khosla Ka Ghosla'? What do you expect from the next project by this duo, after the hugely successful 'Chak De India'? The problem is, whatever you expect gets hugely affected by the promotion of the current film, and the filmography of these talented people remains nothing more than factual details in the minds of people who care.

This problem, promotion, or selling itself, is the biggest error committed by a film that, ironically, comes with a tag line: "Salesman of the Year." And this could be fatal for the film. It has been promoted as the story of a protagonist who appears to be funny enough to entertain. Sadly, the film is not a comedy. So, if you want a laugh-riot that can make your weekend, it is not the correct film for you. It is a difficult film. And not all difficult films are masterpieces! Rocket Singh is far from that. It is not even the story of this young Sardar. The protagonist of the movie is 'Rocket Singh' which does not exist in person, but as an idea. That idea is the theme, the story and the protagonist of the film. That idea is the message.

But this film manages to achieve something that is rare in this industry madly following a 'formula' that does not exist. This film takes some daring steps. It tries to bridge the gap between the actual changes Indian society has been going through and the stagnancy that has plagued the commercial cinema of this country. The traditional villain has been replaced by the corporate set-up. The point of confrontation is not modesty of a woman or the love-interest of the hero. Here the humiliation is not physical. It is verbal and mental. And it hurts you as much as it has always done. And you want revenge. But even the revenge is not relying on adrenaline, but on planning and making smart moves, and taking calculated risks. There is no comedian. The life itself is a big, dark comedy. And the hero is not a tough guy protecting the poor, but a middle-class man who is running as a salesman in spite of having a place to live, food to eat, and friends to party with. But this is what the life of today has become. And this film tries to explore that reality. The reality that does not have strong, emotional points of conflict, but which is a continuous, never-ending struggle.

In its attempt, it has become a difficult film. During the interval I was thinking: is this subject powerful enough to be made into a feature film? The second half picks up and there are some genuinely funny moments. And a convincing Ranbir Kapoor tries his best to keep you emotionally connected, as does most of the support cast. But in the end, Rocket Singh remains an honest and gutsy 'salesman' that did many things right, but failed while trying to sell itself. If you can ignore this mistake and appreciate the attempt, you might like it. An actor who makes her debut with this film has said that it does not belong to any genre, and this is what will work for the film. I almost agree with the first part of the statement. But will it work? If it is successful, I would be pleasantly surprised, but it is unlikely. As for me, well, I liked it, almost.

Movie was nice but poor ending and actress

[akshayacharya-94010 · 6/10 · 2 November 2020]

Movie was nice but poor ending and actress. Ending could have been better

A nice lesson for the business world....which they'll probably never adopt!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 27 August 2012]

"Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" is a very enjoyable film--and one that has some great lessons for the business world...if they cared to learn them. The film begins with Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) graduating from college and realizing that with poor grades, he isn't qualified for being an executive. So, he gets a job in sales--but he's like a lion among the wolves. The computer company where he works is cold and cut-throat-- and he needs to learn the art of bribes and half-truths to make it there. But he's basically a good guy at heart and it's soon apparent he'll soon get fired--as he's too good. Then he comes up with an idea--to beat his own company by forming a NEW company, Rocket Sales. Rocket Sales is dedicated to being honest, providing a product with far less markup and providing 24-hour service. Not surprisingly, clients LOVE getting what they pay for and Singh's such a nice guy, the company soon takes off. However, here's the kicker--now Singh has several employees--most of which STILL work for the old company and work for Rocket Sales on the side.

There's much more to the film than this, but what I liked was the film's heart and the many lessons it COULD use to their own betterment. However, bribes (especially in certain parts of the world--where it's routine), lying to customers and providing crappy service are just EASIER and probably will continue to be the norm. However, I can think of a couple huge computer companies that are now MUCH smaller--as a result of their standards. We can only hope they watch this film. In the meantime, however, it's great fun and is well worth your time.

Also, just to let you know--the usual song and dance numbers you'll find in modern Indian films are not in this one. There are some musical interludes but the characters themselves neither sing nor dance during these.

Clean, Well-intentioned, Honest

[arpitjawa · 6/10 · 12 December 2009]

Rocket Singh is one of those clean, well-intentioned, honest films that end up getting appreciated by a select group of people. I admit it requires patience to appreciate it fully since quite a few bits seem dragged & dry for a wholesome big screen experience. The Kapoor boy continues to charm & carries this one almost single-handedly. Supporting cast is believable (porn-surfing admin being my fav), screenplay is decent & direction satisfactory. The only hiccup is a sluggish pace & self-indulgent monologues which could've been avoided.

All in all, nothing extraordinary but a worthwhile 1 time watch. I give it a well deserved 6 on 10.

fantastic movie

[nikoncloud · 8/10 · 22 September 2016]

ACTOR is exceptional as a young PUNJABI guy. The movie is as great as its script, story and dialog. The movie captures the ethical dilemma of a young entrant entering the corrupt world of selling. The protagonist takes the lead out of the compromise of values and creates his own organization with ethics and values. He shows that for your long term sustainability one must be honest with his work and people he is working with. The dialog were well written by Mr. Sahni. One of my favorites is "do business but don't become businessman". Some might not like it not being like a typical Bollywood movie melodrama but still it has something for everyone - a great lesson - don't be hypocrite. I HAVE STARTED FINDING OUT GREAT ULTIMATE MOVIES THROUGH FLICKSTREE.COM AND IT ALSO HELPS TO FIND OUT WHERE TO WATCH THESE GREAT MOVIES. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Its not about numbers, its all about the people

[CAMKG · 10/10 · 25 December 2009]

Because Rocket Singh the movie does nothing by the numbers. When, a loser type filmi hero passes his exams, he usually pumps his fists and goes to his 'dadaji' saying 'main pass ho gaya, main pass ho gaya'. But Ranbir's Harpreet Singh Bedi just heaves a subtle sigh of relief that he passed and moves on with his life. And in the penultimate scene of the film, while working as an inventory clerk in a department store, when Harpreet gets a very unexpected pleasant surprise from the most unexpected person, he doesn't have glycerin tears in his eyes or some superhit theme song playing in the background. He just smiles to himself and goes back to work. Ranbir and his heroine Shazahn have some brief tender moments in the film, but no romantic song to 'heighten the romantic effect'.

Why? Because Rocket Singh is a fantastic film that is focused on its characters and on staying true to who they are. Jaideep Sahni should get every award that there is out there for writing the best screenplay of 2009. He has brilliantly incorporated the present day metropolitan corporate culture of the non MNC mid-size firm. Having perfected that, he has taken his everyday life characters and followed them faithfully to their logical conclusions.

Shimit Amin obviously knows that a brilliant director of brilliant films rests on the shoulders of brilliant screenplays. He has shown wisdom and maturity in translating Jaideep's pen onto the screen. This is what every young brilliant director should do. Make a commercial and critical success like Chak De and then, leverage that success to make something that really pushes the envelope without having to compromise. At all.

Ranbir Kapoor has definitely done a great job in playing the title role, but he is also supported by an excellent ensemble - Mukesh Bhatt, Naveen Kaushik, Shazahn Padamsee, Prem Chopra, D Santosh, Gauhar Khan and Manish Choudhary.

Over the past few years, I have been occasionally critical of Yashraj's films, but I must really give Aditya Chopra credit for green lighting this project and allowing it to exist in its entirety, untarnished.

To really sum it up, Rocket Singh is so unspectacularly spectacular that for me, along with Kaminey (haven't seen Hirani's 3 Idiots yet) it is the best film of the year. 10/10.