Not So Fanaa-tastic

Fanaa finally openend with a lot of expectation and a equal measure of controversy. Luckily controversy had nothing to do with the movie itself and was with the stand taken by Aamir on a social issue. There was also another minor controversy involving Yashraj production bargaining for a bigger share of the earning, why blame them who wouldnt? Thats if ur line up included movies like Fanaa, Krrish, Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna, Kabul Express and Dhoom 2

Expectations were also high considering the movie has most things going for it, a Yashraj Films Banner, Jatin Lalits Music(for the final time too), Two extraordinaire performers who never have been paired before and a director who has proven his worth with tthe very likeable "HUM TUM". So does "Fanaa" live up to all this hype. Lets find out.

To be fair to Kunal Kohli he has got most things right in this movie, nice production vallue, decent storyline, very good performances and quite good direction. But somehow Fanaa fails to raise above the good to a Great movie, which it so easily could have been.

And to the most important question, How is the chemistry between Kajol and Aamir? Is it even close to whats it between Sharukh and Kajol? Different people may have different feelings about this, but I do believe this pairing is absolutely magic on screen too. The two spontaneous actors, work up a lot of magical chemistry between them. This only brings you to a question that "Why on Earth weren't these two caster together before?". This is a question every person in the hall would be asking. :)

Before i go on to the plot let me go through the performances, coz I dont want to ruin it for the people who want to watch this movie.

Performances

Performances in this movie are of the top draw. I feel its a movie where the casting is absolutely perfect. No body could have played the Romantic, Street Smart(not the tapori kind of Ghulam and Rangeela) part of Rehan Khan and the brooding, stubborn(Sarfaroshish) Rehan Qadri of the Second half with as much elan has Aamir in this movie.

Kajol too is at her best. Looking absolutely stunning in this movie, she dislays the vulnerabiity and the blind love of a blind girl in the first half and the steely resolve and the maturity required in the second half with great finesse which can only be expected of a actor of her calibre.

The supporting cast including Rishi kapoor, Kiron Kher and Tabu who is aptly cast thankfully, in a long time in a mainstream movie, all perform their parts well. mention also has to be made of the jr. Rehan, he is too cute in the movie too.

Music

I think this is the most disappointing part of the movie, Expectaions were high from the Jatin lalit pairing considering the kind of music they have delivered in the past. But this isnt a patch on their previous efforts. The song "Chand Sifarish" is the highlight and other songs are passable. The Background music is quite good and syncs well with emotional overotnes of the movie.


The Plot - Plot not revealed completely

The Plot involves a Blind Girl Zooni Ali Baig(Kajol), who comes from Kashmir to Delhi to perform at a concert near the Chief Ministers office. There she meets the charming and dreamy eyed Rehan Khan, their tour guide. Rehan being the ultimate play boy manages to charm Zooni off her feet. The scenes here between Aamir and Kajol are definetly worth a mention, they r quite beautiful and their exchanges are the highlight of the movie. te song "Chand Sifarish" at the beginning of the movie is worth a mention and has been shot absolutey brilliantly with the back drop of Delhi's exquisite monuments.

Zooni now feels she has finally found the prince of her dreams, Rehan tries to convince Zooni that he isnt the right guy for her and she would never be happy with him. But Love has taken root very deep and in true filmi fashion( a la DDLJ with the Train sequence and all) Aamir finally decides that he couldnt live without Zooni too.

So preperations are made for their Nikaah, and Zooni's parents decide to coem down for their marraige. Meanwhile Rehan gets Zooni's eye tested and gathers that a operation could give her sight back. They prepare for operation and on the D day, kajol asks him to go for his work i.e. as a tourist guide. The operation is successful and Zooni gets her sight back, When she opens her eyes she sees her parents there, but cannot find Rehan. news trickles inthat there has been a bomb blast near a tourist spot and Rehan was killed in the blast. Zooni is distraught and shattered.

But there is a twist to the tale yet. Rehan is well and alive and is not Rehan Khan but Rehan Qadri, member of the IKF, a terrorist organization who fight for a Independent Kashmir. the director has appently tried to play safe and not take sides and make the outfit a Pakistani or an Indian one. Apparently Rehan was the master mind behind the blasts.

What happens to Zooni after this? Can Rehan leave his love for his principles? These are the questions one leaves with at the interval and these questions get answered as movie moves on.

i wouldnt reveal the ending here.. because I donot want to spoil it for a lot of People who want to watch this movie in its entirety. But for all those people who cannot resist knowing what happened you can move to the section right at the end where I tell all :)


Summary

Overall Fanaa is quite a good movie, definetly worth a dekho, for its performances if not for anything else. Aamir is truly charming and sweet in the movie and shows the amateurs how things need to be done. Am sure he would be competing with his own RDB performance with this movie at the awards.

Kajol is the best thing in the movie, she is absolutely brilliant.. other actresses can take notes. And she definetly proves that when it comes to female actors she still is the Queen Bee.

Kunal Kohli is adept in his craft and the movie doesnot drag too much, but second half could have been a lot better, and the climax was a bit too predictable. But kudos to him to have given something that is bit more than a mushy romance. The locations are absolutely beautiful and are a treat.

So i would recommend you to watch this movie over the weekend if you have nothin else to do. It wont disappoint you much, except for the fact that it could have been so much better.

** And a request Do leave in your comments **


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If you dont want to spoil your movie watching experience stop here
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Plot Revealed

Seven years pass since Rehan left Zooni and now Rehan is on his next mission to acquire a Trigger which is apparently need by the IKF to activate the nuclear missile which now IKF apparenlty possess. Rehan is planted into the Indian Army in disguise of and officer and he manages to get the Trigger, while escaping he get badly hurt and crawls to a house in the midst of a snow storm.

Luck has it and he has come to Zooni's house in Kashmir and he collapses in front of their house. Zooni and her dad cannot recognise him as Rehan had left before Zooni got her eyesight. They nurse him back to health. Zooni becomes aware that its her Rehan. But rehan is adamant on his mission. When they realise his true identity they try to stop him for the Greater Good of humanity. Alas he doesnt listen and kajol is forced to kill a man she so much loves. The film showcases how you can kill the person you love without still any one having any hard feeling about each other.

So another Aamir Khan film ends with his death... the clmax was quite predicatable for them moment we know that rehan was a terrorist. So all you guy s who read this part of my review can go ahead and watch the movie anyway, if not for anything else just to check what I said was right ;)