Starring: Bill Murray, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson, Bruce Willis, Danny McBride, Scott Caan

Director: Barry Levinson

‘Rock the Kasbah’ takes us into Afghanistan, a country that is still way into age old tradition and religious beliefs, but is slowly trying to get out of it and bring music into their homes.

Richie Lanz (Murray) a small time music agent in the US of A has got a chance to take one of his second-rate acts to tour Afghanistan to entertain American troops. On arrival, Ronnie (Zooey Deschanel) is terrified of the security concerns and cultural differences and sneaks out from her hotel with Richie’s passport and money. Richie is stranded next morning. He tries to befriend the locals, and finally finds one in a taxi driver who drives him around ultimately bringing him to meet up with fellow Americans. Richie partners with a savvy hooker Merci (Kate Hudson), a pair of hard-partying war profiteers (Danny McBride and Scott Caan) and a ruthless mercenary (Bruce Willis) arms dealers who offer him money if he would deliver ammunition to one of their "friendly" clients. He accepts the offer while the US embassy gets a new passport for him.

Richie jams on a rabab (an Afghan string instrument) as he croons Smoke on the Water before an audience of Pashtun villagers. Later that night, Richie overhears the very beautiful Salima ((18-year-old Palestinian actress Leem Lubany) singing a Cat Stevens song to herself in a cave. He decides to launch her career by getting her on Afghan Star which, to date, has only had male performers. But getting her to Kabul is not easy. Convincing her parents, the show’s producers is a huge task. Despite death threats to both himself and Salima, he overlooks it all just to help the girl.

The movie is loosely based on an actual event on Afghan TV Show and features three original Cat Stevens covers by Lubany, as well as songs by artists including Bob Dylan, Isa Machine. Lubany’s rendition of Stevens Peace Train is touching and so is her performance in the movie.

Rating: ****

Reviewed By Verus Ferreira