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Fanaa (2006 film)
2006 Indian film directed by Kunal Kohli From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Fanaa (transl. Annihilation) is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language romantic action thriller film directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Aditya Chopra and Yash Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films. It stars Aamir Khan and Kajol, with supporting performances from Rishi Kapoor, Kirron Kher, Tabu, and Sharat Saxena. Set in Delhi and Kashmir, the narrative follows Zooni, a blind Kashmiri woman who falls in love with her tour guide Rehan, unaware that he is hiding a dangerous secret.
The film marked the first romantic collaboration between Khan and Kajol, who had previously co-starred in Ishq (1997), and marked Kajol's return to cinema after a five-year hiatus following Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). Fanaa was among the most expensive Hindi films produced at the time and derived its title from the Sufi term meaning "annihilation" or "destruction of the self." Principal photography took place in Delhi and Poland, with cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran and music composed by Jatin–Lalit.
Released theatrically on 26 May 2006, Fanaa received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of Khan and Kajol, the cinematography, and the music, while some criticized its tonal shifts and pacing. The film was commercially successful, grossing over ₹1.05 billion (US$13 million) worldwide against a budget of ₹300 million. It was the sixth-highest grossing Hindi film of the year despite being banned in Gujarat due to political controversy surrounding comments made by Khan on the Narmada Dam project.[2][3][4]
At the 52nd Filmfare Awards, Fanaa won three awards, including Best Actress for Kajol. Over time, it has been recognized for its contribution to the genre-blending of romance and political thriller in mainstream Hindi cinema.
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Plot
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Zooni Ali Beg, a blind Kashmiri woman, travels to New Delhi with her friends Fatima, Mehbooba, Rubina, and their dance teacher Helen to perform at a Republic Day celebration. In Delhi, she meets Rehan Qadri, a charming and flirtatious tour guide. Despite her friends’ concerns, Zooni falls in love with Rehan and on her last night in Delhi, they end up making love at Rehan's place. Before returning to Kashmir, she undergoes surgery to restore her eyesight, in Rehan's request. On the day of her operation, a bomb blast occurs in the city, and Zooni is informed that Rehan was among the victims.
In reality, Rehan survives and is revealed to be a member of the Independent Kashmir Front (IKF), a terrorist organization. He faked his death to protect Zooni and avoid compromising his mission. Several years later, Rehan participates in the theft of a nuclear trigger device while posing as an Indian Army officer. During the operation, he is wounded and evades capture by Malini Tyagi, an anti-terrorism officer investigating the IKF.
Rehan seeks refuge in a remote house in Kashmir, unaware that it belongs to Zooni and her father, Zulfikar. Zooni, now a teacher and the mother of Rehan's son, tends to the injured man, not recognizing him initially. As he recovers, Rehan bonds with the boy and rekindles his relationship with Zooni, eventually revealing his identity. He conceals his terrorist affiliations, and the two marry in a quiet ceremony.
After discovering the nuclear trigger in Rehan's possession, Zulfikar confronts him, leading to a fatal altercation. Rehan attempts to complete his mission by contacting the IKF from a nearby army post, where he kills a soldier to maintain secrecy. Zooni finds her father's body and the trigger device, prompting her to flee with her son and inform Malini of Rehan's location.
In the final confrontation, Rehan attempts to take the trigger from Zooni, but she shoots him in the leg. Unable to bring himself to harm her, Rehan hesitates, and Zooni fatally shoots him. Security forces arrive and neutralize the IKF threat. The film ends with Zooni and her son visiting the graves of Zulfikar and Rehan. When the boy asks whether his father was a bad man, Zooni responds that he did what he believed was right.
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Cast
- Aamir Khan as Rehan Qadri
- Kajol as Zooni Ali Beg, Zulfikar's & Nafiza's daughter
- Rishi Kapoor as Zulfikar Ali Beg, Zooni's father
- Kirron Kher as Nafisa Ali Beg, Zooni's mother
- Ali Haji as Rehan Qadri Jr., Rehan & Zooni's son
- Tabu as Malini Tyagi (Anti Terrorist Special Force)
- Sharat Saxena as Susheel Rawat (Anti Terrorist Special Force)
- Lillete Dubey as Helen
- Shruti Seth as Fatima "Fatty" Ali
- Sanaya Irani as Mehbooba "Bobo" Siddiqui
- Gautami Kapoor as Rubina "Ruby" Ansari
- Ahmed Khan as Nana Jaan, Rehan's grandfather
- Satish Shah as Colonel Maan Singh
- Jaspal Bhatti as Inspector Jolly Good Singh
- Vrajesh Hirjee as Balwant, Rehan's assistant
- Suresh Menon as Venkateshwar Atti Cooper Rao
- Shishir Sharma as Indian Defence Minister
- Salim Shah as Defence Secretary
- Deepak Saraf as Chief Minister
- Puneet Vasishth as Captain Ijaz Khan
- Shiney Ahuja as Major Suraj Ahuja (special appearance)
- Lara Dutta as Zeenat (special appearance)
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Production
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Development
Fanaa was conceptualized as a romantic thriller that blended a love story with political and national security themes. The film was produced by Yash Raj Films, with Kunal Kohli directing his third feature for the banner following the success of Hum Tum (2004).[1]
Casting
Aamir Khan was the first actor approached for the role of Rehan Qadri. He readily accepted, marking his first collaboration with Yash Raj Films.[5] He had earlier worked with Yash Chopra in Parampara which was produced out of the Yash Raj Banner. For the female lead, initial considerations included Aishwarya Rai; however, on Khan's recommendation, Kajol was approached and ultimately cast as Zooni Ali Beg. The film marked her return to cinema after a five-year hiatus and her first full-fledged romantic pairing with Khan, following their earlier appearance in Ishq (1997). Kajol had also been offered Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) during the same period but opted to work on Fanaa instead.[6]
The role of anti-terrorism officer Malini Tyagi was initially offered to Sushmita Sen before being finalized with Tabu.[6]
Filming
Principal photography took place in multiple locations across India and Europe. Although the Kashmir Valley was originally selected for the film's key sequences, security concerns due to ongoing insurgency led the production to relocate to the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland, which provided a similar snowy, mountainous landscape.[7][8]
Additional filming occurred across various landmarks in Delhi, including the Red Fort, Jantar Mantar, Qutb Minar, Purana Qila, Rashtrapati Bhavan, and Lodi Gardens.[9][10]
Reception
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Box office
Fanaa was released theatrically on 26 May 2006 and opened to strong box office performance in India and overseas. Despite an unofficial ban in the Indian state of Gujarat—prompted by political protests against Aamir Khan's comments regarding the Narmada Dam project[11][12]—the film emerged as a commercial success. According to Yash Raj Films, Fanaa grossed ₹471.9 million in its first week worldwide, including ₹320 million from India and US$3.3 million (₹151.9 million) from overseas markets.[13] The film went on to earn approximately ₹1.05 billion (US$13 million) worldwide against a combined production and marketing budget of ₹300 million, making it one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2006.[14][15]
In India, the film collected ₹720.4 million gross (₹518.7 million net), while its overseas earnings were reported at ₹308 million.[16] Fanaa concluded its theatrical run as the sixth-highest grossing Hindi film of the year.
Critical reception
Fanaa received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances of Aamir Khan and Kajol, as well as their on-screen chemistry. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 7 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10.[17]
Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama awarded the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a beautifully written, effectively acted, and meticulously crafted effort." He commended the lead performances and overall production values but criticized the pacing, noting that the narrative "tends to get very lengthy" in the second half.[18]
Subhash K. Jha of the The Times of India praised Khan's performance, stating he "scales the ladder some more and almost creates an actor’s manual for impeccable acting," while calling the film "an emotional experience that showcases Aamir as never before."[3] Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com appreciated the dynamic between the lead actors, writing that they "share a dynamic equation, which makes their inability to let go of each other believable and heartfelt." While acknowledging issues with predictability and length, she concluded that the film was "engaging and entertaining."[19]
Raja Sen, also of Rediff.com, offered a more critical assessment, arguing that "a mere casting coup does not a good film make," and found the screenplay lacking.[20] Hindustan Times echoed these concerns, stating that the film "falters because of its storyline and script," though it praised Kajol's performance for its maturity and nuance, noting she "emotes with more maturity and looks trimmer."[21]
Internationally, the film drew mixed reviews. Anupama Chopra, writing for The New York Times, described Fanaa as "a polished, visually stunning production" but noted that the second half's tonal shift toward political thriller conventions diluted the emotional core established earlier.[22] Jaspreet Pandohar of the BBC called the film "an epic romance with thrilling undertones," and found Khan's transformation from a charming guide to a conflicted antihero "compelling," although she felt the tonal inconsistency weakened the film's coherence.[23]
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Soundtrack
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The soundtrack of Fanaa was composed by Jatin–Lalit, with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi and background score by Salim–Sulaiman. The album features seven tracks, five of which are included in the film. The music marked the final collaboration of Jatin–Lalit as a composing duo before their split.[24][25]
The album emerged as a commercial success. According to Box Office India, it sold approximately 1.7 million units, ranking among the top-selling Bollywood soundtracks of the year.[26] The first five songs were programmed by Salim–Sulaiman, while "Destroyed in Love" was programmed by Dhrubajyoti Phukan.[27] Aamir Khan and Kajol recited poetic verses in the songs "Mere Haath Mein" and "Chanda Chamke," adding a narrative element to the musical sequences.[24]
All tracks are written by Prasoon Joshi.
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Accolades
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Controversy
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During the promotion of Fanaa, Aamir Khan made public comments concerning the Narmada Dam project, specifically criticizing the handling of the rehabilitation of displaced villagers and calling for proper resettlement measures. He clarified that he was not opposed to the dam's construction but supported the Supreme Court of India’s position on resettlement.[38][39] His remarks drew criticism from members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Government of Gujarat, which demanded an apology. Khan refused, stating: “I only asked for rehabilitation of poor farmers. I never spoke against the construction of the dam. I will not apologise for my comments on the issue.”[40]
In response, an unofficial ban on Fanaa was implemented across Gujarat. Protests erupted in the state, including the burning of Khan's effigies and film posters. Several multiplexes cited the inability to guarantee customer safety, and theatre owners collectively decided not to screen the film.[41]
Producer Aditya Chopra filed a petition with the Supreme Court of India requesting that the Gujarat government be directed to provide protection for cinema halls willing to exhibit the film. The petition was dismissed, with the court stating that individual theatres could seek police assistance if necessary.[42] Yash Chopra also reached out to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in an effort to facilitate a peaceful release. Various members of the film industry—including Anil Kapoor, Govind Nihalani, Ashutosh Gowariker, Subhash Ghai, Anupam Kher and Hrithik Roshan—expressed public support for Khan, defending his right to free expression.
Director Kunal Kohli addressed the media, emphasizing that the filmmakers had lost between ₹6–70 million in potential revenue due to the ban but framed the issue as a matter of democratic principle rather than financial loss. He stated, “Aamir has a right to say what he feels, even the people of Gujarat, who are protesting, have the right to say what they feel... but in a democratic fashion, and not by burning posters and threatening people.”[43]
One privately owned theatre in Jamnagar screened the film with police protection. However, the screening was halted after a protestor named Pravin attempted self–immolation in the cinema's restroom during intermission. He suffered severe burns and succumbed to his injuries nine days later.[44][45]
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Film Reference
The second half of Fanaa is reportedly inspired by the 1981 thriller Eye of the Needle[46].
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