Fanaa (film)

Plot

Zooni Ali Beg (Kajol) is a blind Kashmiri woman who travels for the first time with a dance group to New Delhi to perform in a ceremony for Republic Day. On her journey, she meets Rehan Qadri (Aamir Khan), a Casanova tour guide who flirts with her. Although her friends warn Zooni about him, she cannot resist falling in love. On her last night in Delhi, Rehan and Zooni spend the night together and end up in bed. As Zooni is leaving the next day on a train, Rehan comes in and takes her away with him. Her parents arrive in Delhi to marry them. Zooni has a procedure done that helps her see again, but when she comes out of surgery, she finds out that Rehan was killed in a bomb blast in the city, and is heartbroken. She is taken to the hospital mortuary, and told to identify his body. As Zooni cannot see anybody there, she is quickly made aware of the sweater that Rehan was wearing which she knitted for him covered in blood and soot.

Meanwhile, Malini Tyagi (Tabu) is a special intelligence agent brought in to assess the threat of the bomb blast and the group responsible, an independent organization fighting for an independent Kashmir known as IKF. She believes it is the work of one man who is helping IKF. It is revealed that the man is Rehan, who placed the bomb blast in motion, then faked his death so Zooni wouldn't come looking for him. He privately admits that he loves Zooni, but also concedes that he can never see her again because of his dangerous life.

Seven years later, Rehan is on an Indian army camp on another mission for the IKF. IKF has acquired a nuclear weapon but needs to get hold of the trigger, which is in the army's possession. Rehan manages to steal it, but Tyagi has figured out his plan and sends forces to stop him. In the ensuing shootout, Rehan is injured severely. He makes his way to a remote house looking for help. The door opens, and it turns out to be Zooni's house. It's also revealed that Zooni had given birth to Rehan's son after Rehan's supposed death. Zooni and her father manage to save Rehan, though neither knows his real identity. Though initially distant from them, Rehan develops an affection for his son and becomes friendly towards Zooni and her father.

Rehan eventually reveals his true identity to them. Initially hurt, Zooni refuses to let Rehan leave her again, and the two of them are married by her father. Tyagi has a report published about Rehan, warning the public that he is a dangerous terrorist. Zooni's father sees this report, and realizes that it's Rehan. He holds him at gunpoint, but Rehan thwarts him and manages to get the trigger back. In the process, though, he accidentally throws Zooni's father off a ledge, killing him. He radios the IKF from an army officer's house describing his position. However, the officer discovers Rehan, who then kills the officer.

Zooni finds her father's body later, and when she tries to tell Rehan, he covers. However, Zooni later sees the news report, and finds the trigger. She takes her son and the trigger, and goes to the officer's house. When she finds blood there, she radios for help, and gets in touch with Tyagi, who tells her to stop Rehan at any cost. Rehan arrives at the house the next day, and tries to convince Zooni to hand over the trigger. He takes it from her, saying the IKF will kill her and their son if he doesn't. Zooni, though, follows him outside and shoots him in the leg. Rehan draws his gun on Zooni, but can't bring himself to shoot her. Zooni shoots him again to stop him. Tyagi arrives and stops the IKF from shooting Zooni. Rehan dies in Zooni's arms.

Zooni and her son later visit the graves of both her father and Rehan, who are buried next to each other. When the son asks if his father was wrong, Zooni tells him that his father did what he thought was right. Both tell Rehan that they love him before leaving.

Cast

Critical reception

At Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 100% rating critical approval rating, based on six reviews.

The performances from the leads, Aamir Khan and Kajol, as well as their on-screen chemistry were praised.

Box office

The film grossed an estimated ₹725 million in India and ₹316 million overseas markets, for a worldwide gross of approximately ₹1.04 billion. Adjusted for inflation, its adjusted gross is ₹2 billion (US$31 million) in 2016.

Filming locations

Fanaa was originally planned to be shot in Kashmir before the lead actress backed out due to the continuing insurgency in that region. The director chose to move the Kashmir segment to the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland, which also provides suitably snowy and mountainous terrain. It was filmed at historical locations in Delhi including the Red Fort, Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar, Purana Qila, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Lodhi Gardens.

Controversy

While promoting the film in Gujarat, Aamir Khan made some comments regarding the Gujarat chief minister's handling of the Narmada Dam and the necessity to rehabilitate the displaced villagers. These comments were met with outrage from a political party BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). The government of Gujarat demanded an apology from Khan. Khan refused to apologise, saying "I am saying exactly what the Supreme Court has said. I only asked for rehabilitation of poor farmers. I never spoke against the construction of the dam. I will not apologise for my comments on the issue." An unofficial ban of Fanaa was put in place for the entire state of Gujarat. Protests occurred against the film and Khan which included the burning of posters of the star in effigy. As a result, several multiplex owners stated that they could not provide security to customers. Thus, all theatre owners in Gujarat refused to screen the movie.

Producer Aditya Chopra moved a petition to the Supreme Court of India asking them to direct the Gujarat government to provide protection to all cinema halls that wanted to screen the film, but was rejected. Their response was that if a cinema was concerned for their protection they could call on the police.

Addressing the media, director Kunal Kohli said, "All theatre owners or exhibitors who wish to release this film can request for protection and the government should extend support. We as filmmakers request all theatre owners of Gujarat to come forward and release the film. We have earned 470 million (both domestic and overseas) in the first week and have lost approximately 6 to 70 million of business in Gujarat. However it's not about money... it is about a principle. As a democratic country where Aamir has a right to say what he feels, even the people of Gujarat, who are protesting have the right to say what they feel ... but in a democratic fashion, and not by burning posters and threatening people."

A single privately owned cinema in Jamnagar, Gujarat, screened the movie with police protection despite the threats. It ran for over a week before being withdrawn again following a self-immolation bid by a man protesting against the screening. The man, Pravin Joshi, entered the bathroom of the theatre during intermission of one of the screenings and set himself on fire. He suffered 85% burns and succumbed to his wounds nine days later.

Music

The music of Fanaa was composed by Jatin-Lalit with lyrics penned by Prasoon Joshi. Five songs are featured in the movie while the soundtrack contains seven songs. This was the last movie for which Jatin-Lalit composed as a duo (they split afterwards).

Gaurav Sathe of Planet Bollywood gave 8 stars stating, "Jatin-Lalit's last offering doesn't give us a Dilwale Dulania Le Jayenge or a K3G, but it is still a notch higher than some of the run-off-the-mill music we've been hearing as of late." According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 17,00,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the year's third highest-selling.

Aamir Khan and Kajol recite lines of poetry in "Chanda Chamke" and "Mere Haath Mein".