Finding Fanny (2014)

Excellent adaptation.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

even though film is having a talented star cast of nasseruddin shah and pankaj kapur , it fail to make a mark on audience, they are good actors but doesn't mean that we have to smile and laugh at everything they show on screen .The film was supposed to be a comedy drama road trip but nothing was funny in it throughout the film , lame jokes and cliché formula just to make us believe that we are here to watch a feel good movie, visually film was good only because of the location Goa, apart from that film is a cliché awfully acted movie which is labeled as feel good road trip. Please stay away from this !! according to me film is 3/10 ,makers of the film somewhere have thought of making a little miss sunshine type but failed miserably .. please stay away

Beginning with a harsh truth, FINDING FANNY is one of those rare, enjoyable comic gems which is not going to find an unanimous applause from all as it seems. Many are going to love it and a few not, mainly due to its distinctive city feel and urban humour served through all wacky Goan characters living life according to their own preset notions. Particularly the film is not going to satisfy the ones expecting it to be another slapstick comedy keeping in mind its intentionally made comical promos. Plus many might find it a bit vulgar too in its verbal confessions and eccentric charactersiations, judged through a conventional mindset unable to accept their frank expressions.Further admitting the fact, its not that FINDING FANNY is a perfect masterpiece scoring much closer to the maximum as it might sound. The film has its own set of flaws like a slower start, a lazy pace and a stumbled end which leaves many expectations raised as unfulfilled. Yet I would like to recommend FINDING FANNY for its pleasant freshness, authentic feel and many charming performances which slowly make their way into your hearts as the film ends at a less than 95 minutes of duration with a worth watching song video shown with the end titles.Also it has one particular extraordinary sequence, which I would like to rate as one of best cinematic expressions made in Hindi cinema till date dealing with an artist (painter), his art and his personal depiction of a subject placed in front of him. But keeping this important eye-opener to be discussed in details in an exclusive article later, let us talk about the film in totality and its key features as mentioned below.Beginning on a slower note, Homi Adajania, the director introduces all its main characters in the first 15 minutes of the film with some interesting scenes. And the moment you have the one and only Pankaj Kapoor on the screen playing the master painter, Don Pedro, obsessed with women and their body curves as his sole subject of art, the narration gets the much required lift and the mood is built for a much wackier film ahead than expected.Based on a very thin plot of finding the lost/forgotten love of an elderly person (Naseeruddin Shah), FINDING FANNY is actually about five people from Goa (Deepika, Dimple, Arjun, Naseer and Pankaj Kapoor), who decide to search for Naseer's lady love in an vintage imported car and their experiences on the road leading to some unexpected, enjoyable outcomes. The wonderfully written characters and the unpredictability factor remain its two strong merits throughout and the film successfully makes an impact as it ends with a small pinch of realistic sadness in its final scenes. Having said that at few places it does tend to be a bit over the top or weird too, like the way the poor cat gets treated in the car, the manner in which the actual truths get revealed by the lady's daughter herself or the mess in which an unintentional gun-shot hits the wrong destination raising many further questions in the climax. Still the film never goes off the path completely and keeps you engaged most of the times with its worth watching performances, entertaining dialogues, catchy music, excellent cinematography and the unusual story progression with many sudden twists in the second half. Musically, I really loved the title song having an instantly likable Goan composition and Punjabi lyrics amalgamated beautifully along with a pleasing camera-work capturing the landscapes well.Among the admirable performances, we have the outspoken, lonely and a little hammy Dimple Kapadia winning your heart after the unexpected humiliation coming from the funny painter, Naseeruddin Shah elegantly playing the puzzled old man after receiving a forgotten letter and Arjun Kapoor coming up with a surprisingly bright act clearly showing the signs of growth learning from all the veterans around (in the film) quite intelligently.But above all there is the lovely, charming lady Deepika Padukone with a sparklingly natural performance looking simply great in every single frame and Pankaj Kapoor who once again proves that even if you give him only 20 minutes in the script, he is capable to deliver the finest act of the film with an amazing, outstanding ease as always.In all, FINDING FANNY is bold, dark, sad as well as light, funny and enjoyable, bringing in the much desired freshness in our Hindi films. So do give it a try especially for Don Pedro (Pankaj Kapoor) who is sure going to give you a good time in the theater, in this deliciously smart film revolving around five lively characters from the city of Fenny. And just don't hesitate watching it in Hindi since that's the version I saw and I never found it awkward or anywhere compromising in the dialogues and their real meanings.

A great cast cannot save the movie, if there is no storyline. Only saving grace of the movie is good cinematography of Anil Mehta. Some amazing frames. And yes, his camera does find fanny three times each for Deepika, and Dimple. Naseer does find his Fanny, resting on her Fanny on her journey to eternity after treating her fanny well.Both the Kapoors Pankaj and Arjun didn't have a character with a reason in the plot.Between them at least, Arjun gets a chance to rest on his fanny.Director Homi Adajania seems to be obsessed too much with Fanny since he, and the co-writer Kersi Khambatta have planted lots of Easter eggs referring to Fanny.

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)Rating: 3.9/5 stars"Imagine a puppet show as large as a village", says young widow Angie in an introductory voice-over. She attempts to nudge us into the idle world of a Goan village named Pocolim – an off-the-map giant retirement home where Angie is perhaps one of two surviving youngsters. The other one is an enigmatic 'prodigal son' Savio – the man she once loved, and her dead husband's bitter childhood friend. She looks too radiant to physically fit into this environment, but her tragically proud mother-in-law makes up for the light in the house.There is also an eccentric cat that seems to be a feline extension of Pocolim's very own self-proclaimed Mario Miranda – an artist and sensual connoisseur of Rosie's conspicuous derriere – named Don Pedro. Don Pedro oozes the foolhardy arrogance of Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau; an inside joke to the outside world, but a poet in his own eyes.Yet "Finding Fanny" – a deliciously quirky tale that can best be described as a Goan "Little Miss Sunshine" -isn't about these dysfunctional characters. It is about a love that inspires them to pull off what seems like a selfless roadtrip; a love that they wish is theirs. This love belongs to old Ferdie, a hopelessly romantic man-child, who refuses to do justice to the 'Casanova of the Konkan' title bestowed upon him by Pedro. All he wants to do is find Fanny – the woman who never received his 46-year-old proposal letter."Finding Fanny" is an offbeat comedy, yet it is one of the most consistently witty and chucklesome films to emerge from Bollywood. And for once the English diction doesn't sound unnatural amidst Indian actors, because it is uttered exactly the way it was meant to be – with an authentic Goan accent. But when veterans like Kapur, Kapadia, and Shah decide to understand the uncompromising vision of their director, even broken Russian (as demonstrated by Pedro) lines can bring the house down. The laughs are character-driven and occasionally situational; the anticipation of conflict and their behavioral oddball kinks keep you chuckling even through the silence. The use of time and space by Adajani amidst the unconventional treatment, the symmetry within frames, the rustic landscapes, breezy well-placed background score by Mathias Duplessy, and lingering strands of melancholy coupled with quirky humor all gel perfectly together to reflect a fine palette of nuanced filmmaking and soulful musings. The slowly disintegrating vintage aqua blue Dodge Kingsway carrying the idiosyncratic quintet, the unreliable, confusing road, the cat Nareus, the middle-finger shoving boy from the feast procession, the eponymous lady they're pursuing — they all represent bittersweet metaphors of that hysterical adventure called life best enjoyed when traveling in company.Much like on talk shows, where young actors momentarily forget that they're actors, even Padukone and Arjun Kapoor shed their images and inhibitions. They let a lesser-known Goa take over as the setting, and bare their souls for 100 endearing minutes. Arjun's late screaming match with Rosie is a remarkable example; he isn't so much acting here as summoning desperate moments of real deep-rooted angst. Deepika and Arjun aren't exactly known for their dialogue delivery but they too steer clear of affectations and don't try to sound like Oprah is interviewing them. This lack of rehearsed refinement when they go, "I toh don't know" and "Stingy bugger" only makes them endearing. Besides, Deepika Padukone exudes that famous relaxed warmth of hers, which lights up almost every frame as mightily as Goa's golden sun. As far as Arjun Kapoor is concerned, he does what olive oil does to spaghetti; he holds the flavors of the film in place.While the younger actors seem understandably chuffed about possibly realising their potential, it's the seasoned pros who display a confidence that renders aging as powerful and blemishes as beautiful. The trio of Shah, Kapur, and Kapadia almost lead us to believe that they've spent the better part of their life traversing the scenic Goan climes. While Pankaj Kapur's wanton energy lends Don Pedro a rhythm that finds a kindred spirit in Finding Fanny's unpredictable vibe, Dimple Kapadia as Rosie Eucharistica marvelously portrays the most opaque character in this ensemble tale. And finally, its down to that powerhouse performer, one of the country's most brilliant actors, to run away with every scene he's in, in spite of the esteemed company he's in. His entire body language, each mannerism he displays, his gait, dialogue delivery, and facial expressions all blend seamlessly together to convince us that his character is a thoroughbred Goan, and a man who's still an innocent man-child nursing a broken heart.Much like the niche-bending Delhi Belly, the mere existence of "Finding Fanny" is a minor miracle. For this, the producer, Dinesh Vijan, must be acknowledged. This film is exactly the kind of brave clutter-breaking effort that most critics wish for while lamenting the rigidness of mainstream stars. That it left me grinning long after the credit-roll is a testament to its ability to amuse, without resorting to toilet humor.Even at its funniest, ""Finding Fanny" is not so much about seeking a person as it is about wanting closure. And because life, like love, has no rules, it's conveyed here in a manner most strange, albeit cinematically inspiring. There is hope yet for Indian entertainment, and this is the ideal time. Otherwise, in the inimitable Don Pedro's words, "It is impossible to conquer the dark in the day."