Fanaa - Film Review
Warning : For those who havent seen the movie - the review contains spoilers!
Subhan Allah! They still make movies with an old-worldly charm, which is like having a tasteful and lovingly served meal that leaves a lingering aftertaste of flavor and fulfillment. Fanaa is a fantastic follow up by Kunal Kohli to his other emotional mellow-drama Hum Tum ; and as a director he displays a natural maturity progression in his craft and subject, tackling a deeper version of romance than his previous two films.
Fanaa is definitely not for GenNow. They will not understand the leisurely pace; nor the hushed unfolding of a tender romance between a blind girl Zoonie Ali Beg (Kajol) and her guide Rehan Quadri (Aamir Khan) set against the backdrop of Delhi’s historical heritage - who suddenly leaves here with love, eyesight and a child; neither would they gauge the strained undercurrents between Zooni and Rehan when they finally meet again, constrained by a storm raging outside, destroyed by a storm blasting within.
But if you can leave the hectic hustle bustle of life outside the theaters, sit back and enjoy a story which is not perfect, but is told affectionately and astonishingly beautifully! This is Kunal Kohli’s ideal tribute to his mentor Yash Chopra’s style of film-making from his earlier days. The narrative pace is graceful, without any bumps or burps!The film’s strong point is Shibani Bhatija’s brilliantly fleshed out script, to which Kunal Kohli adds a fine dollop of memorable dialogues - they add grace to the film. Each scene, every little piece of information given builds up to the entire whole. In a way, the first shot itself where Kajol’s patriotic fervor is hinted paves way for the heart-wrenching climax. And thereafter, we are engrossed in Zoonie-Rehan’s tedhi life, merry life - a well-oiled narrative!
The film provides for this year’s best hero-heroine meeting sequence, and a subsequent romance build up that takes place with an easy exchange of shaayri, some pedestrian, some eloquent; nothing overtly funny, but mildly amusing that ensures a genial warm smile. Leitmotifs like Aamir placing a hand on Kajol’s heart and saying ‘tumhe darr lag raha hai‘ are introduced, that will get repeated later on. Adages like ‘choosing between two rights’ ominously hint on forthcoming events without telling it all. The terror is introduced mildly at first, and then full blast as we are introduced the dark side of Aamir’s character, and the story moves with him in his vile mission, leaving the audience with that rankle wondering about Zoonie’s fate - till destiny places him again at her doorstep! This portion, with the kid taking centrestage, is endearing - once again, it’s not like watching a film, it’s as if we are made privy to the private lives of the characters. The movement in this part is flawless. The build up between Rehan and his son, also named Rehan by his mother, is engaging.
The characterizations are vivid. Zoonie’s yearning for romance at the first given instance is understandable, and well portrayed; however, Rehan’s falling in love needed a small background to delianate that he was predisposed towards love in the first place. Keeping that aside, Rehan’s visible portions on screen are pretty complete, logical and rounded off. Details are otherwise taken care of, providing even the background to Zoonie’s parent’s marriage, and the no-nonsense cop’s (Tabu) family life (not shown, but mentioned adequately).
Now for a bit of negatives - the film falters just a wee bit before the climax, at the portions dealing with Rishi Kapoor and Satish Shah’s death. Somehow, the intensity of Rishi’s death doesn’t grab the audience with the guttural shock that it should have, which in a way tames the ensuing the climax. In actuality the film’s peak and end is the point where Aamir and Kajol face each other with guns pointed at each other - a marvelous shot juxtaposed with montages from their memory; it scales the emotional peak as individually both the characters reach their existential nadir.
This is Kunal Kohli’s attempt at ‘Wife India’ (as opposed to ‘Mother India’ where a mother shoots her errant son) - and maybe doesn’t succeed fully there, but what the hell - the overall film is so sweet that we readily forgive him for that.
Fanaa makes you wistfully lament at Kajol’s absence all these years; she fires up the screen yet again with her effervescent magic in thousand-watt luminous glow. As Zoonie, a naïve blind girl, ready to fall in love at the first instance, she etches the hesitation with remarkable finesse- histrionics at their best, without for once letting the audience be aware that she is actually acting it all out. That’s naturalness at its peak! And does she look ravishing! Well, I will not even begin on that - watch it on the big screen as Ravi Chandran’s adept camerawork fondly captures her charming beauty. Kajol - please do keep doing films forever!
Aamir Khan comes out trumps in the emotional scenes - especially in the second half. Credit to Kohli for keeping him very restrained (and not going the DJ-Rang De Basanti way) in the first half, though sometimes these scenes seem labored- plus he looks horridly haggard in those shots. It looks the emotional ones come out the easiest and most natural for the actor.
Together Aamir and Kajol provide a crackling screen chemistry.
Rishi Kapoor and Kirron Kher - as Zoonie’s parents - are exceedingly sweet. Shruti Seth (of Shararat /Star Plus/Friday evening) makes a fine debut as Zoonie’s friend. Like Hum Tum, Kohli has gathered a plethora of known faces to fill in for bit roles - so, Shiney Ahuja, Lara Dutta and Lilette Dubey appear for few minutes on-screen. Tabu is wasted in an inconsequential role though she gives an honest portrayal.
The child artiste is cute and thankfully, child-like!
Salim-Suleiman’s background score is outstanding. They use ‘Chand Sifarish’ theme and ‘Ya Maula’ to a haunting effect - in fact, the background music enhances the scenes several notches.
Jatin Lalit’s main score is already a big hit, and rightfully so. The songs that were a delight aurally are given a majestic treatment visually. Lata Mangeshkar’s evocative Lag ja gale se has been magnificently used to unite the lovers.
Ravi Chandran’s lush cinematography is poetry in itself - Delhi has never looked so beautiful. Poland’s virgin landscapes (posing for Kashmir) are stunningly gorgeous and the opening Kashmiri winter collage is eye-candy!
In all, Fanaa is a very satisfying and exquisitely mesmerising film. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Whether the length was long or short is something I can comment after a second view - its only then one can see the redundancies - as of now, I wouldnt have wanted it any shorter than what it is! And when the film stays back with you long after the last frames are over, then it’s a success. For me, Fanaa is this year’s Black - a film that will not be forgotten soon.
Overall: Must See!
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June 2nd, 2006 at 6:35 am
After reading your review, I think I have to see it for sure and that too in cinemas and not DVD!
June 2nd, 2006 at 7:38 am
Anu - Yes Fanaa is meant for big screen - the combo of Background score - Cinematography - Acting is just superb! Do watch it and tell how u liked it!
June 2nd, 2006 at 9:20 am
It’s there
but you know I won’t read until I watch the film 
.
My plan is to watch it tomorrow at Jai Nepal
June 2nd, 2006 at 9:21 am
Again it acted the same but I hope my comment is there
.
I don’t understand why it happens???? It’s only with me or others too ????
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:35 am
Wah, superb review! Kehte hai na ‘Sabra ka phal meetha’. LOL.
Yes, first thought came into my mind that after long time I got something to match with the ‘old kinda films’.
Injured Rehaan comes to Zoonie’s door reminded me of Daag.
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:38 am
True, Rishi Kapoor’s death’s part lacks effectiveness. Thats the reason I said in my earlier comment that they cud have made it better. Even the end part is not handled so effectively I feel.
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:42 am
I read your review in the morn..but ‘kitchen work’ restricted me from voicing oops i mean typing moi comments
As you have already read my take on the movie..so no more comments on that…
BUT
I loved your review…:)
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:43 am
Like other Yash Chopra movies this film’s dialogues are senti and romantic. I am fallen for “tere dil mein meri saanson ko panaah mil jaye….teri ishq mein meri jaan fanaa ho jaye”.
Nice locations,photography, nice story and music (typical Yash Chopra’s style) and overall film is beautiful indeed but still I feel that if it was Yashji, it wud have been THE MOST BEAUTIFUL!!
June 2nd, 2006 at 11:42 am
you’ve revealed the entire story here
June 2nd, 2006 at 12:38 pm
SM - Yep ur comment is sahi salaamat Dunno y it happens…and it happens with ur comments only
Do tell ke kaisi lagi and say my hi to Jai Nepal 
MADHU - Yep, the dialogues were beautiful. Ab Yashji ke chele ne film banayi hai , toh thodi kasar toh rah hi jaayegi But i really feel the film is beautiful. I always like these flowing kind of narrative - the kind Sanjay Leela Bhansali uses now , or what Yash Chopra / Raj Kapoor did previously
MEHAK - Yep read ur review - was a bit surprised to see itni beizzati for the film.
ANKS - That’s y i gave a warning in the first line itself !
June 2nd, 2006 at 12:48 pm
as you said ‘apne apne pasand’
June 2nd, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Yes, I can see it now
. But I don’t understand why it wasn’t there then. And surprised to know that it happens only with me. It’s because wordpress has some problem with me orrrr I’m the only person from Nepal 
.
Will definitely pass your “Hi”
. You know what after Black I’m gonna watch “Fanaa” there 
.
And what happen about the assignment I gave youuuuuu??? Taking na
June 2nd, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Not again!!!!! But I know it’s there
Hey don’t say I’m spamming her but you know it’s forming to do so
June 3rd, 2006 at 6:09 am
hey DJ!!…how are u?..
must say, u have ur own style wen it comes to writing reviews..
..but now realy want to..esp. after reading ur review..
i have got mixed reactions from the friends who have seen the movie..some of them are like u..*must see*..but most of them, that includes anubha, insist that the movie is not worth the hype..rediff too had 2 reviews and were like opp poles of a magnet….i dunno wen i will get to see the movie
the same thing happened with RDB too..some ppl declared it an oscar winner right away..and some thrashed it down to pieces, picking up glitches all over…!
and srry for the ‘gayab act’..:)..i hope u are doing gud!..
hum aate rahenge..
June 3rd, 2006 at 6:48 am
I would prefer reading your review to any other review. Couldn’t have agreed more on each and every thing that u said.
BTW I read this news on indiafm yesterday, “Mukta Arts’ invitation to professional writers”…and I thought about u. Am not sure about the details, but do check it out.
June 3rd, 2006 at 9:00 am
MEHAK - - Yep
KAPS - Hey, great to see you here … welcome welcome welcome
Mai toh theek hoon , par tum kaise ho?
Yeah i would want everyone to watch the movie - its pretty much my style of moviemaking - the kind that Raj Kapoor / Yash Chopra and now SL Bhansali uses
Now, Anubha’s reaction is a bit inexplicable - when she spoke to me she said she liked the movie …
I dont understand the ‘hype’ also associated with it - till the time Aamir’s Gujarat controversy erupted, the movie was being just decently publicised - like any other Yash Raj Films would be - in fact to be honest, I saw more of Himesh Reshammiiya’s songs trailors than Fanaa’s. Then came, Aamir’s controversy which led to a bit of overkill for the movie’s name- but then that has nothing to do with the film per se, and that cant be producer-generated ever!
MANNAT - Thanks so much ; happy to see the review is liked. Sure will check Mukta Arts’ thing now - thanks
June 3rd, 2006 at 1:26 pm
SILKY MOON - Even I dont know why it happens. Anyways, the comments are always there and come back. So dont worry. Yep, will take up the tag shortly
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Hey I am trying to download latajee’s “kuch dil ne kaha”. Goosebumps eh! came in from Anks, long time since I bloghopped. Ask me…. aise bhi baaten hoti hein… NOONE can even dethrone Lata…
I am glad u have shifted to wordpress. I can now read u from bloglines
June 3rd, 2006 at 4:24 pm
on the review: the best review ever. After reading all the critical reviews, i was like WHAT.. Am I crazy? I mean I liked the first half so much, the way they carried off such an unrealistic story. Second half though was a little melodramatic, and too december 16 nist..lol. But rehaan Junior stole my heart. Watched it first day, evening show….
June 3rd, 2006 at 6:03 pm
Thanks for the review and i am gonna watch it for sure……
June 3rd, 2006 at 9:06 pm
I watched it and I absolutely LOVED it! Agreed with everything you said and LOVED LOVED LOVED the last scene where the two are pointing guns at each other and in this shot especially, the background scores enhances the emotions . Kajol is stunning - especially in chand sifarish and you are right, worth watching on the big screen! Also, aamir ke baare main - looking haggard in the first half is so true! sahi review hai! I loved the movie — loved it!!!
June 3rd, 2006 at 9:07 pm
lekin ek aur baat bhi hai…story is nothing to go bonkers about but the storys presentation ie Kunal Kohli and the script —add to that the finesse of these actors and voila!
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Wow… DJ every thought of writing for the movie magazines, ur summary was great.. will definately see the movie now
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:28 pm
wow thats nice review..i read some but all said crap movie dont watch.
but aroused some hope to watch it…
and kajol ke liye i wanna watch it
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Finally I get to comment on this review….i liked the movie…but to be honest did find some loopholes in hte movie. However, it is surely worth a watch…n that too in the cinema hall coz the effects would simply get lost somewhere!! Loved the haunting tunes of Chand Sifarish and more so of ‘Ya Maula’ from Mere Haath mein. I was expecting the picturisations of the songs to be a bit better than this. but then overall the movie was something i liked!!
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:50 pm
And i sooo agree with you about hte kid being childlike for a change…:P About Aamir…he does look haggard yet theres something that was soo exciting about his entry! especially before the song. And Kajol what to say about her…shes looking as beautiful as ever. Lots of favorite scenes in the movie…one of them being…’Tumhe darr lag raha hai’, then aamir’s entry in so called Bangkok though it was KLIA. n the cute n innocent dialogue…’rehaan aapse jitna pyaar karta hai, utna pyaar aap rehan se nahi karte!!!’ n many more!!!
Nice movie!!!
June 4th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
TONY - Great to see u here
And ooooh, i luv that song. Hope u found it 
Yep, its a relief to be on Wordpress - its simply awesome.
About the film, written all now
CHANDANJALI - Sure, and lemme know how u found it
KAUSH - I am sooooo delighted to see u here . You know what, the moment i got out of the theater, my first reaction was ke yeh film Kaushie ko zarur pasand aayegi
ANU - Am a bit confused now - u and the Anu who commented above are different persons?
Dunno about film magazines, if they give a chance why not? But just like this, no one entertains … not even online portals!
NEETIE - Its definitely worth a watch ! Do see it and tell how u found it
ANZ - Good u liked it … ur comment on Mehak ’s blog suggested otherwise
June 5th, 2006 at 10:08 am
hi sirji, saw it but was highly disappointed.
June 5th, 2006 at 10:13 am
PRIYANGINI - Really - case of too much expectations, or prob too romantic
June 5th, 2006 at 11:17 am
I watched the film and read your reviews too and here I’m to comment. The comment box will act but hope my comments will be there as usual
.
You know that what I would say about the film
but before that I want to say …………….
There are lots of loopholes but the main thing I want to point out is - the film is based on Kashmir but we the audience don’t get such feelings. Feeling the far way we not even found Kashmir ka “K” except in Zooni’s speech when she says why we can’t say the same for the rest of the world as we say for Kashmir. We find Delhiness but completely missing Kashmirness… not even in the surroundings, not in the houses, not in the interiors, not in the dress ups…….. nothing… not a single strand of thing was there that would speak or represent saying that “Yes, I’m the Kashmir…… ” This point really DISAPPOINTED me
.
June 5th, 2006 at 11:20 am
And Zooni’s trying to find out Rehan’s looks on others’ face is quite understandable but it’s really surprised that no one (Zooni’s friends) has taken a single photo or her friends could not describe how does he look like whereas Rehan has got Zooni’s photo that he tore just a second before the interval!!!!
The scene when Zooni took the papers out from the drawer and through them on the floor has not much emotional and feelings that should have. This scene could have shot with extremely high feelings. If one has to try to find his/her own’s face in others’ face is a height of pathetic. Ajanabee chehoron meN uss apnon ke chehra doondana jise dekha toh nahin par sirf mahesus kiya ho rooh se……………. Just imagine how helpless one could be in such situation.
These are few points, otherwise,
Yeap, Delhi looked more beautiful
(Hope you caught my smiley).
June 5th, 2006 at 11:24 am
There are many scenes, I liked are ‘Tumhe darr lag raha hai’ ‘Rehan aapse jitna pyaar karta hai, utna pyaar aap rehan se nahi karte’ when both Rehan say
.
I like both entries of Zooni and Rehan, specially Rehan’s. His entry with the shayeri was amazing. As you said exchanging the shayeri brought a genial warm smile
.
And the climax scene is the best scene of the film. The film tried to show the patriotic love is greater then everything. One destroyed oneself for the love and other destroyed own love forsake of her country. Both are love but whenever the matter of testing love comes, not the love of beloved, not the love of mother but the love of country wins. It’s proven Universal truth so in the film it is tried to show and also it tried to show that one can die in love and this is the height of unconditional love.
June 5th, 2006 at 11:27 am
I liked Rishi Kapoor as Zooni’s father. Such a sweet, caring, loving father and Ali Beg. He looked a real father indeed. I love junior Rehan a lot. ((((((hagz)))))) him for being childlike
. Yes, it’s BLACK of this year. Not exactly BLACK but at least somehow it’s been able to give some flavors of Black.
I had became fan of Prasoon Joshi after hearing “Sanso ko sanso men dhalne do jara” now hearing Fanaa’s lyrics I became big fan close after Gulzar and Javed.
“Tere dil mein meri saanson ko panaah mil jaye….teri ishq mein meri jaan fanaa ho jaye”. This is the jaan of the film and it speaks all about the story itself. You know what when I heard it first time in promo, TV, it inspired me to pen down the following lines….
“Khuda ke bajm meN muhbbat ban jaaye panaah
.
Insan ke anjuman meN Ishk ban jaaye gunaah”
I have used this line in one of my stories that yet to publish. Hopefully it will be done in a week or so
June 5th, 2006 at 11:30 am
hmmmmmm… Are you thinking that I’ve forgotten to mention here something……. Nope. So here it is, last but not the least– lag jaa gale ke yeh hasin raat ho na ho, shayed iss janam men phir mulaaqat ho na ho………….” I wished if the complete song was shot on them. There would not have any better song then this. It was PERFECT song for the scene.
There are lots to say but you already have said a lot. A precise and well-written review nothing left us to say much
.
And if you ask me to tell you about the film in one word then I want to say “Simply, I loved and enjoyed the film.”
June 5th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
hi deepak, too many flaws came to my notice. You are right on one of the counts, it was too romantic for my taste. couldnt digest a mom of a blind girl encouraging her to find her soul-mate and giving her shayaris to recite when she met him. My eye-sight is intact but the first and last thing my mom told me in my first trip alone (incidently to Dilli) was to stay away from strange guys.
Liked the part where rehan showed Dilli to zooni but felt that zooni zoomed into falling in love much two fast. she almost seduced him. Rehan’s background was hidden all the while so how from a auratein are like cities to dilwala dulhaniya le gaya was a little jerky.
rains on Jan 27th in Dilli were too much of a forced coincidence, just meant to wet the heroine though Kajol looked great, a wet aamir with his paunch was bad. also eyes operation was odd. I think the parents would definately be getting eye test done for their children and the “kisine mere liye aisi dua nahi mangi” was undigestible. another thing was a dialogues, too many of them asserting on zooni’s blindness in the first half.
by the end of the first half I was so sleepy and bored, I caught a mini-nap. The second half was refreshing. Tabu was good enough but the whole army seemed complacent and an assembled nuclear missile is too far-fetched. Shiney woke me up. He was a surprise but i would have liked a nice
mid-air fight between the two instead of the chase on snow mobiles.
The scenes in zooni’s house did bring a smile on my face. she excelled as the hassled mom was probably playing herself then. the kid was sweet too. All the characters did well in those scenes.
The end was as stupid as can be. The deadly terrorist who is supposedly the master mind of a terrorist organisation keeps a nuclear missle trigger hanging out from his jacket pocket for the world to see?? the indian army waits an entire 8 hours inspite of the exact information on the location of a deadly terrorist to go and catch him and the deadly terrorist also takes 8 hours to reach the other house? They all get together at the same time?? ridiculous.
June 5th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
But I agree on a couple of your points Music was good and Prasoon Joshi’s lyrics were beautiful. Background score was great. Camera et al was fine but sometimes too slow. The long shot of Rehan and Zooni with guns pointed at each other was really effective. though Rishabh was quite mad at me because I made several comments aloud on how stupid the story was and people around me were about to throw us out.
Lastly I can tell you that I would have ignored all the above khaddas in the script if and only if I could have seen the real Aamir in the movie. I felt he was not giving himself to Rehan Qadri. His acting gave me a feeling that he was doing it just for a heck of it and would have rather been elsewhere. I am used to forgetting Aamir Khan and knowing only the character when I see his movies but here it was just so superfluous. I can’t place what disturbed me in his performance but it was definately not up to the mark.
And sirji, kya yaar u are rating this movie with Black nahhiiiii, don’t do that please. Black was outstanding, this one is average bollywood fare and I am not surprised at not liking it. all this pyar vyar is not my cup of tea. I ask with utter surprise and a tinge of mockery, “koi kisise itna pyar kaise kar sakta hai” and to add on it, “kyun karega, aur koi kaam dhandha nahi?”
June 5th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Hey Pri..mazaa aa gaya aapke comments padh ke
ROFL @ “kyun karega, aur koi kaam dhandha nahi?”
This movie cannot be compared with BLACK…..never ever..
June 5th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
SM , Pri , Mehak - I guess a case of too much expectations - coz aisi galtiyan can be found in any book/story/movie - after all there hv been sites on DVC’s bashing as well, when we know the amount of research and effort Dan Brown has put in the novel.
When I compared to Black I meant its effect on me.
If a movie stays with me after its over, for a lingering effect, that’s when i give a whole-hearted review for it. Black did that last year. So did Kyon Ki
And I luved the way the story was told and characters built up - the entire combination of shots/music/cinematography is a delight - the narrative flow is lyrical (and mind you, these days, its the cut-and-project style more prevalent as seen in Taxi 9211/Bluffmaster/RDB etc etc). Again, what I liked in Black as well - I refused to see Black on Star Gold when it was telecast because I knew they would spoil its flow with all those horrible and innumerable commercial breaks.
And yes Zoonie nearly seduced him - coz he wudnt hv done the same to her, not that he was ’shareef’ or anything, but obviously coz of his background. But, then for a girl like Zoonie who has no other chance to go out in the world, she is bound to grab the first man who provides even a semblance of love - silly shayaris included!
Aamir is not a fav actor - for once, esp in the second half, I felt he was not ‘acting’ and prob being the character - I guess, Pri, its a diff of opinion on seeing a performance; I hate it when I feel that an actor is ‘performing’, in his case this comes out a bit too loudly in film after film - the height of which i found it in RDB!
In any case, i doubt the film was meant to be a study in ‘realism’ - there are enough directors doing it. After all it was a Kunal Kohli/Aditya Chopra combine creation, it was meant to be filmi, fictitious… and somewhat dream like … I felt that this movie had the background score in perfect sync with the scene/shot, something that Black also had - plus the wide angle shots, the tight close ups, the fine acting - after all, this what the magic of cinema is - the sheer beauty of an audio visual medium to be seen on a large screen with a Dolby surround sound system. And Fanaa, sucks you into this intoxicating beauty - agar yeh sab na ho toh kya faayeda, nahi toh ghar baith ke novel padh lo, ya tv dekh lo…
Fanaa gives all this … and that too all this built in a fairly logical story per se - the story structure has a proper beginning, perfect middle and a defined climax.
It was this captivating quality of the film which I loved. Usske baad, how does it matter ke Kirron Kher was ’realistic’ mother or not - maybe aisi maa hoti ho duniya mein. Or maybe not. Maybe it was a character Kunal Kollhi/Shibani Bhatija created as a wishful one. Maybe not. (In the film’s ambit the mother’ s character was complete and consistent, so that matters more) SLB showed us a husband who goes off to find his wife’s lover (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam) - in real life, in all probabilities, husband do thappad maarke kitchen ka raasta dikhata biwi ko, na ke Rome (or Budapest as it really was) leke jaata. That was one ideal husband…this was one ideal mother. So what’s wrong in showing it?
And doesnt it rain in January in Delhi ? It does sometimes, and it can- in fact, often it does rain around that time. Plus, Delhi’s weather these days is quite erratic - kabhi bhi barsaat aa sakti hai
Wikipedia tells that in winters “Northern India does receive some rainfall due to the western disturbances originating in the Mediterranean Sea. As these disturbances travel eastwards, unable to “climb” the Himalaya they drop their rain over north India”
Again, compared to RDB ki Dilli and Fanaa ki Dilli , i will always credit Kunal Kohli for doing justice to my city
Only thing, he should hv made the junior artistes/crowd at least wear sweaters during that time - hero / heroine ka toh samajh aata - in Hindi films, a heroine cant be too overtly dressed in a shawl/sweater , plus Kashimiri thi toh shaayad aadat ho ;P
Frankly, somehow I feel if I make a film, it will be something like Fanaa (or what SLB creates) - in fact, it felt like i was reading a story of mine (with a kahani ka demand scene to boot
) - like i said , it’s the so called hated ‘escapist’ fare, which i love. And then, real life mein kahan time hota, itni problems hoti hai , itni practicalities hai … tabhi toh there should be movies where one can voyeristically enjoy characters who hv all the time to fall in love.
After writing so much, i still feel i hvnt been able to really tell why i liked Fanaa - let’s say it was for its sheer beauty - kabhi milenge toh bataoonga vistaar se…
Till then , lets agree to disagree on this one
SM - Happy to see the positives listed , and phew! this time ur comment didnt disappear!
June 6th, 2006 at 9:16 am
haila! Itni saari discussion, Bhai mereko to film bahot pasand aayi…”aandha pyaar” hi samjho :p
June 6th, 2006 at 9:25 am
Kaush - Mujhe bhi bahut pasand aayi …
June 6th, 2006 at 10:03 am
hi deepak, agreed about it not being realistic and not supposed to be because its a movie arguement. Perhaps I am not the right person to appreciate disabled love.
June 6th, 2006 at 11:16 am
“And yes Zoonie nearly seduced him - coz he wudnt hv done the same to her, not that he was ’shareef’ or anything, but obviously coz of his background. But, then for a girl like Zoonie who has no other chance to go out in the world, she is bound to grab the first man who provides even a semblance of love - silly shayaris included!”
I differ with what you said DJ….
To find so called true love someone like Zoonie wouldn’t fall for just anybody!!! The way it was projected in the movie…was a little silly but the sentence made by you makes it seem like a desperate cry rather than real love (relating it to the movie!)
Maybe it is difficult to find love with regards to someone in zoonies place but then not impossible and certainly not soemthing to be done out of desperation!
June 6th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
I agree with Pri’s many points (as I also felt in that way) and many more such as Zooni could not recognize Rehan’s voice when she hears first time. How can she forget his voice whereas blinds are too sensitive in hearing and smelling.
And Zooni says I was trying to impress you like a boy and a girl when they meet first. It was not their first meet and why she needs to impress him in that way whereas there would be many more ways. He knows that she is blind and a blind person tries to go towards the vehicles running roads for impressing someone!!! She was not a deaf. Does not it look funny?
The sweater what she was knitting fits to Rehan!!! (I’m not raising the point here how a blind can knit a sweater!!! I say a blind also can knit a sweater. It’s not that hard if one practice then it is possible. You know what even there is not lights my sister knits sweater, and she knits sweater keeping her eyes on TV)
There are many more loopholes but I didn’t mention here as it’s not your story (You know if it was your story then how many criticism you would have to bear from me
) and you have expressed what you felt after seeing the film. And I agree on your reasoning as a film you enjoyed it.
Because even having so many loopholes, the presentation and narrating the story, music, characterization, Cinematography etc. is good to make us to sit and enjoy the film. And I also enjoy means somehow the film is successful to entertain the audience. I think we discussed a lot.
June 6th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Your saying, “…….. plus Kashimiri thi toh shaayad aadat ho ;P”
reminded me my visit to Delhi
. We were there from 1st to 15th February but during our staying we didn’t use our warm cloths. People used to look us strangely. And when people found us that we were from KTM then they said that’s why you people were not wearing any warm cloths. You can imagine the temperature of KTM at that time. We had felt in that way then after all they were from Kashmir, the more cooler place then KTM.
June 6th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
Pri , Anz , SM - Itni discussion ke baad toh film hi nahi yaad rahi ab Must see it again to refresh
When I find something beautiful and nice, I dont go too much into the whys and wherefores, perhaps I m quite uncomplicated person
June 7th, 2006 at 8:19 am
Loved the discussions on this post
June 7th, 2006 at 9:47 am
I think you must see once again but don’t come and say that you don’t like the film seeing after second time.
June 7th, 2006 at 9:48 am
It’s film and we take it as film that hardly match with the real world. Of course it is made inspired by the real world even though the maker can’t show all the reality. If they start to make the film of real world without any fantasy then who will go and spend their three hours as well as money to see the same story what they are living.
June 7th, 2006 at 9:48 am
It’s about Fanna and the discussion lead to upto here and why I back out here just a step before.
June 7th, 2006 at 9:49 am
So here is my Fifty for Fanna.
. 
June 7th, 2006 at 9:50 am
and it is here shagun for the post as well as the success of the Fanaa. Veer Zaara collected 22 caror but Fanaa collected 32 caror (without showing Gujrat) in a week
June 7th, 2006 at 10:46 am
oye mera 52 here !!!
June 7th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Mehak -
Happy u enjoyed it …
SM - - Thanks for the fifty and shagan
June 14th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
Excellent review. Fanaa is an old charm indeed, a movie to be savored and stays with you a long time. It is more special than Black, Black, you just marvel at the new style of filmaking in Bollywood, but the characters didn’t stay with you very long. True, you marvel at the performance of little and adult Michelle as well as the teacher. But it didn’t that well for me.
In Fanaa, Rehan and Zooni managed to garner of a lot of empathy and tears on their tragic love story.
Bollywood at its best, but only could be done by Aamir and Kajol - you can’t relate Rehan and Zooni to any other actors in Bollywood. The roles are theirs exclusively. You don’t wish for different interpretations by others.
But since you raised Black, I do wish to see how Kajol would interpert Michelle.
June 15th, 2006 at 11:44 am
KEVINJ - A warm welcome to the blog,hope to see you as a regular . great to see someone liking the movie else everyone has ripped it apart so badly that I feel that it is unfair to the director . After all , there have been worse goof-up’s in bigger hit movies yet everyone seems to be having fun in nitpicking out the minor details of this fil.Anyways I enjoyed the movie so I wrote this review .As they say pasand apni apni…
June 20th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
U speak pretty high of the film … but you are very arty in your thought. Art apart, technically the film failed on many counts. Ill researched story - lot of lacunae in the plot and most important - extremely rubbish casting of Tabu and her team.
I dont mean to say that all you’ve written above isnt true - I loved the movie - how could I dare not to do that for a kajol flick!
But somehow Indian film makers do not strive to perfection which pains me … Kunal Kohli had a superrrrrrrrb concept with him .. little more research could have made it a classic story and a fool proof plot … he had a plethora of good actors to choose from to suit the cast .. but alas he was carried away by the praise he got for the casting coup (Amir + Kajol) that he forgot to match the right person for the RAW agent’s role which was very crucial to the stiory …
I have always belived that the Hollywood directors and producers arent as bright as our ones - but they are infinitely more hard working and in-complacent. Its this quality of Hollywood that makes them better than us ..
June 24th, 2006 at 8:45 am
Nikhil Kulkarni - Well said
August 5th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Fanna is nonsense movie from human emotions point of view, technical point of view and reality point of view.
Aamir’s character in whole movie is either irritating or nonsense. In the first half, lover boy Aamir has less dialogue to deliver than those 3rd grade cheap SMS shayaris. Moreover there is very poor characterization of Aamir as a terrorist. If you compare Aamir’s characterization as a terrorist in Fanna with Manisha’s characterization as a terrorist in Dil Se, you can see the difference in the level of quality. The later, though complicated but was quite convincing.
Story-wise Fanna can be a good concept but Kunal Kohli needs to go long way to take such a complicated subject, portraying conflicts between human emotions of Love and jehadi idealism. The movie completely fails to portray such conflicting emotions convincingly.
Technical point of view, the movie is full of flaws. I wonder Kunal Kohli does not even know the basics of Islam. No other word but foolishness can best describe your work Mr. Kohli when you show some jehadi fanatic terrorist drinking alcohol in your movie. I remember one more such scene when army officer tells Tabu that he needs some time to decode Aamir’s location information when they intercept Aamir’s radio broadcast message but when Kajol broadcast SOS message from same device, Tabu identifies location just from radio frequency with no need to decode any information this time moreover she doesn’t even bother to ask Kajol about the location and there are many such scenes in the movie which are complete nonsense.
People dont even bother to watch the movie once as it is complete waste of time and money.
August 6th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
h.Majida A warm welcome to the blog. Have said enough on the movie now, so no more to add or refute. And in the end, it is a matter of individual choice
Do be regular here…
August 27th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
“tera dil mein saanson ko panaah mil jaye…” “…tera ishq meri jaan fanaa ho jaye”
Can anyone tell me what this means in English please?? Thank u..
August 28th, 2006 at 10:48 am
Manisha–x - A warm welcome to the blog
A very loose translation of this couplet would be:
‘Let my breath rest within your heart
Even if my life gets destroyed in your love’
August 28th, 2006 at 7:35 pm
Ohh.. Ok thank u
August 29th, 2006 at 2:51 am
‘Let my breath rest within your heart
Even if my life gets destroyed in your love’
Sorry,Does it mean something good then??
April 9th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Good site!!!