Music composer, Nadeem Saifi, has alleged that screenwriter Honey Irani, had passed on his idea of making a film on band of boys to her actor-filmmaker son, Farhan Akhtar, and it was later made into the 2008 hit film "Rock On". However, Irani has denied the allegation.
The 2008 musical drama film directed by Abhishek Kapoor, starred Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab Kohli as members of the Mumbai-based rock band, "Magik" (formed in 1998), who reunited in 2008. Farhan is currently working on "Rock On 2", directed by Shujaat Saudagar. The second part of the film will star the prequel actors, Arjun, Farhan, Prachi Desai, Purab, along with new entrant, Shraddha Kapoor, to the franchise.
"My idea of making a film on a rock band with four boys, was stolen by Honey Irani," Nadeem said. "We sat with her for a year or so, and signed her to do a film on a boy band. She had written it, but had also wanted to direct the film, which we felt less confident about," he explained.
"She had heard the songs and had loved it. We paid and signed her for the film, but she gave the idea to Farhan who made ''Rock On'' and is now making ''Rock On 2''," he said.
Nadeem claimed that he was going to produce the film with two friends in London. Also, he was going to give music for the project. "I had recorded 12 songs, which were sung by Sonu Nigam, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Shaan, Babul Supriyo and others. The original idea for the film was mine," he stated.
The composer said that he had even planned to rope in actor Shahid Kapoor and four other boys for the film.
However, Irani has rubbished the allegations levelled against her. "It's not true at all. The story of ''Rock On'' was not written by Farhan Akhtar. The idea
was from an English film. So, it was not Nadeem's original idea," says Irani.