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Fanaa

Fanaa’s flaws and strengths
30th May 2006 22.00 IST
By N. K. Deoshi

Kunal Kohli’s movie Fanaa has met with a mixed response from audiences and critics. While some have liked the film, others have trashed it outright.

One factor that has both propelled the film and has become the primary reason for the disappointment of those who did not like it was the immense hype and expectations attached to the film. A Yash Raj banner production, starring in the lead roles two of the most-liked actors in Bollywood and directed by the maker of the hit Hum Tum – the brouhaha was a tad too much. The end result being that even if the film is worth watching once, it invites lot of flak from those who expected the heaven out of it.

In my opinion, ‘Fanaa’ can be seen once. Without offending those who liked the film, I wish to state that the movie does have certain flaws that cannot be compromised with.

First and foremost, the movie’s story offers no reason at all why the character Rehan Qadri that Aamir Khan plays in the film became a terrorist in the first place. All we know is that he receives his orders from his stern Nana who speaks Azad Kashmir spiel from his hideout in snow-covered mountains.

Secondly, the director takes too many cinematic liberties in telling the story. It is surprising how easily Aamir is later shown as the soldier Rajeev Singh in the Indian army. The fleeting reason offered by the director is that Aamir slipped into the army ranks when all of the soldiers of a regiment, save Rajeev, perished in a terrorist encounter. The militants take the real Rajeev hostage and put their own man (Aamir) in the army instead. Just incredulous! And then, at the movie’s fag end, when Kajol airs to the Anti Terrorist Unit (ATU) that she has the trigger, their agent ( Tabu ) tells her that she and her team would be there to help her in the morning. In the morning? For a moment it seriously had me believe that ATU is perhaps still living in the age of bullock carts.

Thirdly, it is amazing how easily Kajol falls for Aamir’s charms in the first half. It is a known fact that a love story makes a deeper impact if the acceptance of love is preceded by its denial. But Kunal Kohli wastes no footage in showing Kajol fall hook, line and sinker for the flamboyant tour guide.

Then, it is hard to find the rhyme or reason for the cameos by Lara Dutta and Shiney Ahuja . Lara comes onto the screen, flashes her cleavage, and walks away even before the audience could have an eyeful. Likewise, Shiney enters the frame, flashes his 100-watt smile, hops onto a chopper and is dead within a wink. Any other small-time actors would have done the same with no less conviction.

And last but not the least, the movie’s songs, except Chaand Sifarish are just mediocre compositions and not keeping with the standard of music in Yash Raj films.

Having enumerated the flaws, now let’s look at the movie’s strong points.

There can be no two opinions that Aamir and Kajol have delivered excellent performances in the film.

They are particularly exceptional in the second half of the film, when an injured Aamir takes refuge in Kajol’s cottage from the raging blizzard outside. Kajol is brilliant in her expressions as she gradually begins to sense something familiar about the injured man. Aamir, too, maintains a stern demeanor and mellows down gradually after some light moments with his kid. Aamir and Kajol lift the movie to a new high in the antakshri sequence and particularly while singing the song Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam. The chemistry between the two in this sequence was simply awesome.

Kunal Kohli does add a bit of subtlety in certain parts of the film. When Kajol sees Aamir after seven years, she screams ‘Rehan’. But she calls out to her son who has the same name as his father. Then, the child referring to Aamir as the ‘dead man’ and asking him is he ‘Mr Dependable’ are fine allusions to Aamir’s past.

The presence of the two top stars works in favour of ‘Fanaa’ in a big way. The movie might even go on to become a hit, riding solely on the star value. But it is by no means a piece of good quality cinema.

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Fanaa
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Kunal Kohli
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