Fitoor (2016) Review!!

Synopsis – Thirteen-year-old Noor falls in love with Firdaus, daughter of Begum, the wealthiest woman in town. As their potential romance grows despite their class issues, the vengeful Begum plots retribution on their young and innocent love.

My Take – Walking into this film I had no idea what author Charles Dickens‘ novel Great Expectations was about, but with a director such as Abhishek Kapoor (Rock On!, Kai Po Che) at the helm, there’s not much that can go wrong with the plot, right? Unfortunately his film begs to differ. Honestly the film is not as bad as people are making it out to be & is definitely way better than the film it released along with – Sanam Re (more on that later). From what I have understood from the synopsis of the classic novel, the film was meant to be an emotional love story but muddled down by a weak screenplay & direction. What could have profound impact but turned to be a huge letdown. With themes of wealth and poverty, love and rejection on one side Abhishek Kapoor’s film runs itself down by focusing more on the visual aids set in Kashmir something which was done way better in 2014 masterpiece Haider. Even though it seemed Abhishek Kapoor had wonderful story to tell, but the lethargic pace and superficial drama could not salvage the film from falling into the pit. The story follows an orphan Noor Nizami (Aditya Roy Kapoor) who lives with his married sister and caring brother-in-law. During an assignment with this brother in law at the house of the Kashmiri heiress Begum Hazrat (Tabu), Noor meets her daughter Firdaus (Katrina Kaif). Smitten by her good looks and charm, he falls in love for Noor at first sight.

But Firdaus is cold and does not reciprocate his feelings. Encouraged by Begum Hazrat, Noor pursues his love only to realize that love is elusive. While the teenagers develop friendship, Noor is constantly alerted by the vengeful Begum about his obvious projection of being in love with Firdaus. And as part of an orchestrated retribution, one fine day she sends off Firdaus to London leaving the heartbroken Noor with her memories. But as luck would have it, they meet again after a gap of fifteen years in Delhi where Noor has landed through an anonymous benefactor to pursue a promising career in arts and Firdaus has blossomed into a haughty and ravishing beauty, but engaged to a Pakistani Politician (Rahul Bhat), which is more like an elitist alliance. What follows is a tumultuous saga of love that faces friction, hardships and volatility of emotions. This is a movie heavy in mood and symbolism. It gives the impression of having a lot to say but it seems to have no words to articulate what it wants. The narration and uneven pacing of the movie are murky and the movie blindly progresses into a world where everything is done without consequence. It seems to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of exposition in the second half of the film and nothing is as clearly defined as it should have been, blurring what could have been a perfectly adequate narrative into an irregular sequence of events which seem to have no substantial consequences or side effects whatsoever. Love suddenly seems easier when convenience has a bigger role in the film than Lara Dutta‘s character (Yup! she is also in the film). Director Abhishek Kapoor tries to emulate a complex plot but the inconsistencies are glaring for its snail pace. No doubt, he has envisioned a historical masterpiece and mounts it lavishly in a contemporary milieu and deserves all credit for shaping this ambitious project. The film takes off with promise and all credit goes to the young actors who play the younger versions of Firdaus and Noor. It’s the earnestness of their bond that captivates us for a sizable part of the first half. The first half of the film is engaging, it draws us into the characters soaked with sorrow and anguish. Its only the second hour that disappoints where the film derails off the track and digresses into unintentional moodiness. Kapoor‘s screenplay takes too long to establish the central conflict, and the romantic chemistry between Noor and Firdaus keeps losing the fizz with every passing minute. Regardless of the lack of an even narrative, the film does a brilliant job of showcasing the wonder of love through visual effects. What it cannot seem to articulate, it still seems to beautifully capture in artistic shots involving gorgeous sets, stunning scenery and intricate costumes. Metaphors also feature heavily in the movie, quite cleverly might I add. Abhishek Kapoor frames every scene like it’s a piece of art. He’s a modern day Sanjay Leela Bhansali in terms of setting up his frame. Like the former, his attention to detail is exceptional.

This is a good looking film (and I am not talking about the lead cast). The first half is a visual treat. The long panoramic shots of Dal Lake, or the autumn lit apple trees are outstanding. It’s not just the pace, but the treatment of the subject that plays the spoilsport. Director Abhishek seems a tad bit confused on where he wants to take his characters. Does he want to take them to a dark place and bring out the worst in them or does he wants them to be beacons of hope? Firdaus and Noor’s romance goes from intense, to cold, to nothing. So much that the climax fall flat because the build up to it took so long. Also Begum’s back story comes a little too late in the second half. using Tabu‘s voice for Aditi Rao Hydari who’s playing the young Begum was a bad idea. Ajay Devgn‘s cameo act is not only random but also disconnected from the key plot of the film. Abhishek starts unraveling traits of his characters at such a rapid pace towards the climax that it becomes hard to keep track of their intentions. There is a lot of Urdu and heavy dialoguebaazi that creates a dreamy atmosphere but doesn’t add value to the plot. Rather than concentrating on making the film look good, Abhishek Kapoor could have made sincere efforts in the direction and screenplay area. Plus, if you have read the Bollywood’s manual on how to make a love story, you’ll find this one easy to predict. Speaking of, Tabu gives an absolutely striking performance as the deranged and downright frightening Begum. She steals the show! Aditya Roy Kapoor is completely spellbinding. One feels his emotions through his act, the angst, the longing, the sadness he feels for his love, is all emoted well on screen. Katrina Kaif, looks absolutely stunning on screen, its hard to take your eyes of her when she is in a frame. Her chemistry with Aditya is alright. Aditi Rao Hydari and Lara Dutta are both welcome surprises and impress in their respective roles. On the whole, ‘Fitoor’ with all its visual extravaganza doesn’t satisfy as a good movie, but nevertheless the film can be given a watch for its likable cast.