Finding Fanny

Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Pankaj Kapur

Director: Homi Adajania

Producer: Dinesh Vijan

Plot: Finding Fanny is a hilarious and heartwarming bilingual film about a man’s search for his childhood love, Stefanie (Fanny) Fernandes, and how a group of dysfunctional characters go on a road trip with him to find her. The journey, riddled with a funny chain of events and life changing moments that impact everyone involved, forms the crux of the film.

Rating: 4/5 Star (Four stars)

Star Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Pankaj Kapur

Director: Homi Adajania

What’s Good: Performances, Cinematography and the novelistic approach of the narrative.

What’s Bad: It’s a loopy plot that invests too little on its story. But does that perturb? Not one bit.

Loo break: None

Watch or Not?: It is not often that I can recommend a film with this confidence. Finding Fanny was an exhilarating film that is consistently enjoyable. From the first scene to the last, my smile stayed. Full of unexpected moments, filled with cheeky delight and a bold approach, this isn’t the kind of film you’ll get very frequently. Everyone will certainly have something to take back from this film. For some, it is hassle free breezy entertainment and for me, it was a lesson in what Homi’s muse Gabriel Garcia Marquez puts well, “There is always something left to love.”

User Rating: 

Set in the village of Pocouli, that the map doesn’t mention either, the way of life and it’s pace is as you wish for. Angie, a young widow lives with her mother in law Rosie who is often referred to as the first lady of the village. Angie’s best friend Freddie is the local post master who gets the undelivered letter he had once posted to hos lady love, Stephanie Fernandez proposing marriage to her. The letter never reached her and is back in his hands 46 years later. Angie convinces him to go meet her and find out what she would have said had she received it.Angie, and a bunch of oddballs set out on a journey to find Fanny for him and end up discovering their own selves, their desires and their love!

Finding Fanny Review: Script Analysis

The script isn’t a work of genius I admit and so are the caricaturish characters in the film. But they are unpredictable and plotted to care and love. That’s what works. More than anyone it is Don Pedro who has a certain affinity towards large women who work as his muse. A self proclaimed lover of the body, he isn’t exactly what a pervert stands for. The scene where he is finished with painting Dimple is what explains the character of the man with such honesty.

The best thing about the script is its simplicity. It is a layered film and one will prefer to understand it from their own perspective. I particularly felt a certain empathy with Deepika; I did get her. When in the film, she tells Arjun that if she could smoke and roll away into slumber after sex, she would be the one doing that. And in another when exasperated with Don, she curses him aloud. It is at no level a comedy at all. Despite its light moments, the film has a heavy story to tell if you are willing to look beyond and notice it’s subtleties. It’s never on the face but you journey towards it as the story progresses.

The broken English dialogues rather kept me more entertained. ‘Don’t scream you will scare the robber away’ exclaims Dimple in a scene or in the amusing words of Don Pedro when he blurts out, ‘It’s difficult to overcome the fear of the Dark especially in the day. To much light my dear!’ The lines have their own unconventional charm to keep you engaged. And as for the story, it says more when it tries to little. That is the beauty of it.

Finding Fanny Review: Star Performances

Deepika Padukone is so brilliant in her role as Angie. She is probably the one with whom I bonded instantly. Her fluidity with her craft is memorable. It definitely enables her to create an instant liking for her charcater and she brings Angie to life like no one else could have.

Arjun Kapoor matches up the caliber of his team with his own unique enthusiasm. He is fascinating to watch and the metaphorical use of the kid who shows him the middle finger everytime he passes by, helps get a better view of his role. Kapoor is pitch perfect with his angst and innocence and both in equal measures.

Nasseruddin Shah is an institution of brilliance. And yet again, he proves that he knows how to mould himself as per his films. Known as the Romeo of Pocouli, he is endearing and does so with perfection.

Pankaj Kapur with enthrall you with his brilliance. He gives Don Pedro, his own eccentricities probably. How else will explain the ease in his shades of playing him. It’s marvellous to watch him always and I can safely say Pedro would have lost meaning without.

Dimple Kapadia is exemplary. Kapadia plays Rosie with her stern demeanor and yet in the pre climax scene where she vents out at Arjun, after being used by Pedro, she delves a real flair to it. She knows how to make her roles crackle and Rosie is just another example of her versatile caliber.