Fanney Khan Movie Review - Much song-and-dance about nothing!

Fanney Khan

Fanney Khan
U/A: Comedy, musical
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Rating:

"Sapno ke saath do baat hoti hai -- ya toh pure hote hai, ya toot jaate hai," says Anil Kapoor to his daughter in the film. Unfortunately, the latter half of the philosophy holds true for Fanney Khan. You'd be dumbstruck at the unnecessarily complicated mess that the hero finds himself in, merely to serve the purpose of an over-imagined plot. Debutant director Atul Manjrekar's film is an official remake of Belgian satire, Everybody's Famous!(2000). While the original was nominated at the Oscars, the remake doesn't even come close.

A local orchestra singer, Fanney Khan aka Prashant Sharma (Kapoor) aspires to become the next Mohammed Rafi. But, life deals him a rough hand and our wannabe-singer becomes a taxi driver. However, his dreams get a new lease of life when he has a daughter (Pihu Sand). Christening her Lata, Fanney promises that his daughter will become a singing sensation like Lata Mangeshkar. While the overweight teenager has a beautiful voice, she is constantly body-shamed and ridiculed for her attempt. But that doesn't deter Fanney who decides to go to any length to fulfill her dream. In the process, he kidnaps singing icon Baby Singh (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) with the help of his buddy, Adhir (Rajkummar Rao), and demands his daughter be heard.

Watch the trailer here:

The problem lies with the execution -- as a viewer, there are so many questions that come to your mind that 20 minutes into the film, you stop caring about the proceedings. Why does Kapoor's character have a Hyderabadi twang? How can a taxi driver lock a pop icon down in a factory for days without anyone noticing it? Did Rai's character carry her L'oreal kit even when she was kept in confinement? The ridiculous plot, which intertwines the kidnapping and a live talent show, is impossible to buy.

While music should be one of the strongest points in a musical, Amit Trivedi's score is average at best. What redeems the wafer-thin plot are the performances. Kapoor is simply top notch. With an affable personality and natural ease in front of the camera, he adds charm to any project he is a part of. Rao makes his presence felt despite the limited screen time. Divya Dutta is earnest as the supportive mother.

At a juncture in the film, Dutta asks Kapoor, "Star banna zaroori hai kya?" I have a similar question for the director -- "Yeh movie banana zaroori tha kya?"

Also Read: Fanney Khan's Badan Pe Sitare: When Anil Kapoor Meddled With Sonu Nigam's Mind

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