~Destroyed in Love~. Review on Fanaa

To chose between the lesser of the two evils and better of the two goods, Fanaa meant to convey the same. Fanaa's treatment and enrichment of the ongoings with the love story is completely niche and different as compared to other love stories. I wouldnt go on and call this an exceptional movie but yes it is worth a watch.

The way things proceed on the canvas of Kashmir (shot in Poland). The movie has complete Yash Raj feel to it. The romance gelled with exclusive locales make it a trademark Yash Raj movie and for this I guess Director Kunal Kohli gets full marks from me but I would say the 2nd half could have been more crisp giving fine touches to chemistry which worked extremely well in the first half.

The Script

I guess by now smses have been doing circles making different outcomes of the orinigal product. Fanaa's premise is simple, its a Love story wrapped under the darker side of humanity, terrorism. Kajol plays Zooni Ali Beg, a blind girl whose only hope in the life is her will that there's something better written for her. She meets Rehan played by Aamir Khan and life begins to take a new path. Love evolves but destiny isn't kind to them and things change course. Rehan has a second aspect to his life and how will this lead to stance there relationship now remains to be seen. You know more or less about the story, so what all happens, go and watch Fanaa.

As I said I am not too keen on love stories but Aamir Khan actually makes a big appearance back in these genre after a long hiatus. Remember Lagaan, MP and RDB, now its lover boy with some grey shades. Despite being a middle aged cast it works wonder on how fresh and ripe the two look onscreen. The first half is all plus perhaps the best that Kunal Kohli can deliver.

The interactions between Aamir and Kajol, the teasing shero shayari are all well recieved and the main highlight are the 2 songs namely Chand Sifarish and Dekho na add more life to the premise. As the intermission arrives audiences are content that the love story has a seperate path to travel and make us think a bit more.

The second half till 20 mins is all the more engaging untill the screenplay stalls there and the movie becomes a little predictable. Since, we get to see the full length of the motion picture without any trimmings on FDFS hence I feel scissors might be used to trim the movie in the 2nd half and the song Chanda Chamke might pay the price. Flip side of the movie is predictable course in the 2nd half but contrary to Prassidha's view I would say the climax is logical and understood. I feel this wouldn't have ended in any way else.

Another weak point is shading Rehan's character a little more grey then needed, I guess considering his deeds everyone watching would think and feel the same way as the movie does. Hence I said climax is logical.

Leaving aside other glitches like rains in January for the song (for me it was a little hindi movie kinds :D) and Aamir picking up his sketches from the fire all well when Kajol actually had threw it and in normal scientific terms the moment paper catches fire, it burns.

Fanaa works for it chemistry between the leads, the first half and twist the story takes at the end of it, the performances, locales and ofcourse the well gelled music especially the main three songs. By the time you walk out of theatre you are intune with Mere Haath Mein. I would say that you arenot that mesmerized by the movie but you are surely happy on what you saw.

Performances

Aamir-Kajol together are high points of the franchise. Aamir surprises me every now and then, I thought the DJ of RDB gets a complete makeover and he comes out as more fine tuned as a lover boy then ever, he doesnt look 41 at all. Kajol, good to see her back after 5 long years (some competition to Aamir Khan considering the gaps between films).

The performance never make me feel that Kajol is making a comeback and it is one of the most effortless and sublime as ever, she isn't her usual self i.e. loud and buzzing but more mature and thats good. Tabu is good and its nice to see her after a long time. Lara Dutta comes and goes followed by Shiney Ahuja, it leaves me puzzled that what's use of such special appearances.

Kirron Kher has not much scope but is dependable. Rishi Kapoor has done a fine job as Zooni's abba jaan. I must say the kid surely impresses, the one who plays small Rehan with his innocense.

Technicalities

Music is hi point of the franchise and moment you see them turn into visuals you are more mesmerized by it. Chand Sifarish was my favorite before I saw the film but it is Mere Haath Mein that made me watch it again n again. JLit as there last effort have done an good job with it.

Shibani Bhatija as a writer impresses me for the twist in the love story but also she's caught napping in the 2nd half as I mentioned when screenplay takes a halt, so I would say I give her few marks to do a good job in the first half plus I take few marks out for jarring the screenplay in the later part of the 2nd half.

Dialogues which are also penned by Kunal Kohli are good especially the lot of shero shayari in the beginning. Overall as a director I would treat him better to Shibani coz I felt he did an excellent job with the first half i.e. value adding to the script but in the 2nd half he sticks too much to the script and making it predictable.

Ravi Chandran needs 101/100 for his work as a cinematographer and I feel he will get more assignments from the banner as he has lived up or even bettered the Yash Raj trademark style in picturization. Editing needs some work especially in the 2nd half.

Salim Sulaiman are excellent in background scoring and especially the haunting tunes at the start with credits plus when the story take a twist in the middle, the music makes you feel the grandeur.

Well put aside the controversy, leave aside the hype. Take it as a different love story told well with excellent performances but tilted due to a mixed script in the later part of the 2nd half. I would say Fanaa is a good movie with some vital misses which don't make it a great movie.

Cticize's Quote:: ''Being an Aamir Khan fan, I give this 4 stars but I will say that the movie needs a little trimming (which I am sure will be done). Its worth a watch for performances, music and Aamir-Kajol pairing''

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PS:: I saw KANK's trailer and thought hmm another KJohar film but what made me curious was Kabool Express' trailer, that looks exciting

Next in line is The Da Vinci Code.