Finding Fanny

Agree or disagree, this movie is not great at all. I didn't watch it with great expectations but thought it would turn out to be a decent one as I've really liked the Director's previous 'Being Cyrus'. Casting is the only plus point I see in this movie. The plot doesn't have the grip to glue the viewer to the movie. Story is about searching for a person and the events are very flat and dull. Very boring I must say. Not complaining about not having the regular Bollywood ingredients but this movie could've been better. Narration style was not interesting. Felt like the mood of the movie was going off at places.

Personally didn't like this movie at all.

Homi Adajania is back after his commercial mainstream outing in "Cocktail" to what he does best, tell another quirky tale of dysfunctional individuals which he convincingly told with his debut "Being Cyrus".

"Finding Fanny" let me warn is not your run of the mill movie, it is abstract in its narration but the soul is at the right place.

Homi Adajania adapts Kersi Khambata's story again after "Being Cyrus". "Finding Fanny" primarily tells the story of five individuals Angie (Deepika Padukone), her mother-in-law Rosie (Dimple Kapadia), her naïve affable friend Ferdie (Naseeruddin Shah), her mother-in-law's admirer Don Pedro (Pankaj Kapur) and her brooding secret lover Savio Da Gama (Arjun Kapoor). Based in a small village of Goa Pocolim, the story unfolds when these five principle characters take a road trip to find Ferdie's love, whom he confessed love 46 years back Stefanie Fernandes a.k.a "Fanny" (Anjali Patil). How each character comes to his own and discovers themselves is what the story is all about.

The story premise by Kersi Khambata is wafer thin but it is the screenplay which accentuates the narration. It is the situations that make the story funny; each character is defined well with their set of eccentricities and insecurities. Kersi has done a brilliant job in defining the characters well. But I felt the proceeding goes from quirky to awry as the movie comes to an end. The climax could have been written better. But overall the pace never dips and at the end you have a smile. Well as I said earlier this is not your conventional film so do not expect the obvious.

The Dialogues written by Kersi and Homi is the highlight of the movie which complements the narration and lifts the scenes. They are brilliantly written with subtle humor but the impact is hilarious.

It is the performances by the ensemble cast which is a major highlight and the reason why the movie is a delight to watch. Homi undoubtedly had an enviable cast. Naseeruddin Shah as Ferdie, the emotional affable post master is brilliant. Naseer underplays his character,he has modulated his voice and his body language to portray Ferdie and the outcome is just mind-blowing. Pankaj Kapur who plays the eccentric lusty painter Don Pedro, he again proves his brilliance with this portrayal. Although amongst the five characters, Don Pedro's character is wafer thin as far as the writing goes but Pankaj Kapur with his portrayal takes the character to the zenith. It was delight to watch both the thespians in one frame. Dimple Kapadia as Rosie is brilliant and gives one of her best performances; she captures the nuances of Rosie's character well. Deepika Padukone again gives a good performance with Angie, Homi extracts another cracker performance after her Veronica act in "Cocktail". Arjun Kapoor as Savio, the brooding loser and lover shows his range as an actor.

Anil Mehta's cinematography is so breathtaking that after watching the movie you want to take a trip to Goa. He captures the old Goa so well, something which has not been highlighted well after "Trikaal". Goa's beauty lies beyond the beaches as well and Anil has captured it brilliantly.

Costumes by Anaita Shroff Adajania are so well done that it actually blends with the narration and does not look out of place. Production Design by Manisha Khandelwal is another highlight, every detail is painstakingly executed. The last highlight being the Music by Mathias Duplessy especially the backgrounds score, it just transports you to another world.

Homi Adajania breaks the conventional norms of film making and tries to create an Indian "Little Miss Sunshine"; well he partially succeeds as well. The movie's unconventional take makes it for niche audience and it may not find takers in the masses.

The one unique feature about this film is that though it is shot in English and Goan, the English that is spoke is Indian-Indian-English. People speak this kind of English in Mumbai, Goa and neighboring places so I was pleased to see them play attention to the distinct language accent that various parts of India employs. I laud the director for that.

I thought all the actors did a good job. The reason I saw this film was because it had come highly recommended and secondly I wanted to see what Deepika would do with a film where she has to speak in English. I came in with expectations but I enjoyed the film. It is very unique, some scenes are funny, the film has its own gripe with the character subtleties.

The film is quite unpredictable except for the end. Yes, it is humorous but don't expect the best film of the year. It is far from it. It's a good film that doesn't take itself too seriously. Neither is it indulgent at all. This stands in its best favor.

Dimple Ji was outstanding I thought. Arjun Kapoor who I actually dislike a lot was also tolerable so the director has done something right.

Watch at the theaters, please don't be a cheap-skate and go with 7/10 expectations. Bye now.

Review Finding Fanny

Direction and Filmography is fantastic... Story was simple and dialogues made movie subtle comedy and fun ride... Music is enchanting and characters are made with very special treatment... Acting and actor chosen are really great.. weather it is Naseeruddin Shah as shy lover like teenager, Dimple Kapadia as Egoistic lady, Pankaj Kapoor as lecherous artist, Deepika Padukone as simple and sweet girl, and Arjun Kapoor all are simply superb...

Must watch for everyone's performance...Specially of Don Pedro(Lecherous Pankaj kapoor)

Finding Fanny definitely helps you in finding the expected solace. The plot presents a road journey involving a post master and his troupe of hysterical companions.

I went inside the cinema hall with an expectation of experiencing something unusual and that was exactly what the movie bestowed upon me. Most of the Indian flicks in recent times are supported by hackneyed ideas and illogical story lines and this is the region where Finding Fanny stands out. Also, the film gets covered up convincingly within a tolerable run time of 110 minutes thus managing to keep the audiences awake. According to me, the conclusion drawn out was slightly stereotyped. But even then, it was acceptable.

The performers assembled were certainly top-notch. Naseeruddin Shah is charming as ever while enacting the character of a depressed post master belonging to a delirious village. Deepika Padukone looks completely adorable while playing a lonesome widow. The naturalness that she is able to carry along with her throughout the movie is unquestionably worth admiration. Arjun Kapoor as Savio is greatly expressive. His last couple of projects have undeniably managed to bring out the best in him unlike his initial performances which were not really up to the mark, in my opinion. Dimple Kapadia is bold while playing the role of Deepika's mother-in-law. Pankaj Kapur too is one of the several laudable elements.

Direction by Homi Adajania is fair. A quirky adventure where the protagonist tries to find his long lost love is wonderfully put on the big screen. Screenplay by Homi Adajania and Kersi Khambatta is odd yet likable. Editing and Cinematography departments have managed to pull of their respective jobs decently. Music by Mathias Duplessy is disparate and alluring.

In addition to the above mentioned qualities, a number of unpredictably bizarre sequences are bound to leave you hilariously flabbergasted. If you are someone who is tired of watching clichéd narratives and masala dramas, then this must be the movie that you're looking for.