Freddie Mercury: Tale of a rockstar

Legendary band Queen’s biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is releasing in India this November 16. The audiences are all set to dance to the tune of this cult rock group, which has shunned inhibitions; walked the unbeaten path; and ignored the critics to script its own history of success. Behind the meteoric rise of ‘Queen’ is only one name, Farrokha Bulsara, who is better known as Freddie Mercury – the music legend who redefined “Rock and Roll” and won scores of music aficionados for both – the band and himself.

Freddie Mercury, a singer and songwriter, had conscientiously steered the band to fame and achievement. His incredible stage presence and his four-octave vocal range gave audiences a high in a manner their contemporaries couldn’t. Earlier, a not-so-popular band, which comprised Brian May and Roger Taylor had not many takers. But once Mercury joined the force, he set the stage ablaze and Queen’s music sales started to skyrocket.

Mercury, in particular, was praised for belting out bewitching numbers like “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “In the Lap of Gods”, “Hammer to Fall”, “Killer Queen”, “Seven Seas of Rhye”, “Need Your Loving Tonight”, among others. Of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which catapulted the band to astounding heights of glory.

In fact, what put Queen and Mercury on the trail of immense popularity was Mercury’s composition of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which made audiences scream in ecstasy for its distinct peculiarity. Freddie scripted, this six-minute suite, comprising several compositions, for the album ‘A Night at Opera’. It was an exorbitantly expensive composition ever made till then and left men involved biting their nails in pre-release anxiety.

Eventually, “Bohemian Rhapsody” turned out to be a huge commercial success. The iconic photographs and the official video further threw open the doors for similar music videos, making it a trendsetter of sorts. “Bohemian Rhapsody” not only cemented the band’s position but went on to break records of sorts. What happened afterwards was a cult following, Mercury becomes an iconic legend.

Although Mercury is the star performer of the music band, the biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is all about Queen. Walking this tightrope, the movie captures the rise of the band, which is not-so-spectacular as there are no visible bumps on the road to glory. On the flip-side, the movie also carries a rich tale of the front-man, Mercury, who is juxtaposed with contradictions and unforeseen incidents.

The biopic supposedly captures diverse magical moments, including the one where the band members coin their own kind of music to pep up the audiences. Rami Malek, who donned the role of Freddie Mercury, happens to seize the spotlight with his extraordinary acting skills. His commanding screen presence seems to be a major draw, outshining the other players in the game.

Within the realm of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, Mercury’s short-lived life was captured with sensitivity. His encounter with AIDS and his sex life is dealt subtly without shedding much spotlight on them.

The movie culminates with Queen’s performance at LIVE AID in 1985, bringing back sweet memories and nostalgia. As a wave after wave of reminisces keeps hitting, as Mercury’s haunting voice reverberates with songs like “Radio Ga Ga”, “We Are The Champions”, “We Will Rock You”, it’s time to pay tribute to this music legend by soaking and revelling in the much-talked-about biopic, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.

- Daniel Indrupati