Fitoor is one such film were the reviews were so mixed that I couldn't make out before watching the film in theaters, that should I have a high or low expectations of Fitoor. Some called the film bad, some called it average, and some called it great. Well for me this adaption of Charles Dickson's Great Expectations was a good film. And I found that surprising because unlike the majority of Indian cine goers who liked Abhishek Kapoor's previous films Kai Po Che, and Rock On, I though both were just okay films. But with Fitoor Gattu (Kapoor's nickname) has made his best film yet in my opinion. Fitoor is a nuanced, perfectly layered, mature love story. On the outside the film seems like a a regular clichéd love story, of two people falling in love, that are separated because of the same predictable reason shown in every other love story such as class differences, one person is poor one rich etc. But the underlying layers to this love story is where Fitoor won my praise. Fitoor does start off as a innocent sweet (clichéd) love story (which honestly I also enjoyed), but by the end of the film, Fitoor ends up being a story of deception, and about having no identity, all because of love. Its a classical love story, which won't appeal to a pan India audience, but for a certain section of audience ( the classes) Fitoor is a winner. Fitoor's biggest strength is in its cinematography, and I say this honestly that I may have not seen a film as beautiful as Fitoor.But Fitoor also has its blemishes but more on that later.
Story wise Noor a thirteen year old Kashmiri boy who belongs to poor upbringings meets and is deeply infatuated with Firdaus who belongs to a rich elite family in Kashmir. Her mother who is referred to Begum was left heart broken in her younger age and is against the love especially with the social divide. She splits the teenagers and insults Noor about his social status. What happens next forms the crux of the plot.
Acting wise 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. She acts well, but needs to work on expressing, and emoting more on screen. Her chemistry with Aditya is okay. Tabu steals the show whenever on screen, she acts very dignified, and full of"Tezaab".She exudes her royal personality well.
Fitoor worked for me because I was able invest my time into the story, the whole milieu of Fitoor caught my attention right away and I was arrested in. The film never bored me, and I didn't feel the slow pace that other critics said was a downer for them.I loved the sweet innocent love story of the first half with all its clichés, and when things got serious (in the 2nd half)I was bowled over by the pre climax plot twists. The whole Begum love story was beautiful intertwined into Noor's love story, how the Begum wanted revenge, makes the viewers feel for Tabu's character. The whole Ajay Devgn angle in the film worked, perfectly in the film and was justified. Fitoor has a lot of emotional depth especially when it comes to Noor's character, which is beautiful written, his character in the whole film just longs for love, and the way Aditya was able to convey that on screen was just fire, for that I applaud Director Gattu who exuded the performance. The scene when Noor finds out that his whole life has been a deceit and lie, is the films highlight for me.The films ultimate highlight though is the cinematography which is done by Anay Goswany. The cinematography is truly breathtaking and beyond words. Fitoor is just such a beautiful film to look at on screen, its actually awe inspiring, the leafs, the snow, the Kashmiri fall has all been captured so beautifully you have to see it believe it. The films music is also a huge asset, and Amit Tridevi completely hit it out of the park with this album. Pashmina for example is a classic song in my opinion, which I am addicted to, and keeps on playing on loop in my head. However what bogs down the film is the clichéd manner the love story is dealt with. And even though I didn't mind the clichéd plot points at times, some of the stuff was too much.The whole class divide issue, the way forbidden love angle is shown in Fitoor, it's very commonplace in all love stories these. For example after Noor and Firdadus make love, how Firdadus just leaves a letter after that fact saying our love won't work out is something I have seen happen in films since the 60s, like come on be a little novel. Aditya's and Katrina's chemistry needed to be a little more crackling also.The whole drunk Aditya Roy Kapoor gives a deja vu feeling of A2, which isn't very good either. The ending was rushed too.But for me these are minor blemishes.
Overall I loved Fitoor, and if it was totally up to me I would give the film full marks, but I have to be true to my job,and with the films blemishes its far from a perfect film. But I will say this again that Fitoor is a nuanced, perfectly layered, mature love story. Its a classical love story, but its a film only a certain section of the Indian audience will like, and thats the classes. And for them this a highly recommended watch, heck even I will watch the film again too enjoy the beauty of Fitoor.
3.5/5* or 7/10
Story wise Noor a thirteen year old Kashmiri boy who belongs to poor upbringings meets and is deeply infatuated with Firdaus who belongs to a rich elite family in Kashmir. Her mother who is referred to Begum was left heart broken in her younger age and is against the love especially with the social divide. She splits the teenagers and insults Noor about his social status. What happens next forms the crux of the plot.
Acting wise 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. She acts well, but needs to work on expressing, and emoting more on screen. Her chemistry with Aditya is okay. Tabu steals the show whenever on screen, she acts very dignified, and full of"Tezaab".She exudes her royal personality well.
Fitoor worked for me because I was able invest my time into the story, the whole milieu of Fitoor caught my attention right away and I was arrested in. The film never bored me, and I didn't feel the slow pace that other critics said was a downer for them.I loved the sweet innocent love story of the first half with all its clichés, and when things got serious (in the 2nd half)I was bowled over by the pre climax plot twists. The whole Begum love story was beautiful intertwined into Noor's love story, how the Begum wanted revenge, makes the viewers feel for Tabu's character. The whole Ajay Devgn angle in the film worked, perfectly in the film and was justified. Fitoor has a lot of emotional depth especially when it comes to Noor's character, which is beautiful written, his character in the whole film just longs for love, and the way Aditya was able to convey that on screen was just fire, for that I applaud Director Gattu who exuded the performance. The scene when Noor finds out that his whole life has been a deceit and lie, is the films highlight for me.The films ultimate highlight though is the cinematography which is done by Anay Goswany. The cinematography is truly breathtaking and beyond words. Fitoor is just such a beautiful film to look at on screen, its actually awe inspiring, the leafs, the snow, the Kashmiri fall has all been captured so beautifully you have to see it believe it. The films music is also a huge asset, and Amit Tridevi completely hit it out of the park with this album. Pashmina for example is a classic song in my opinion, which I am addicted to, and keeps on playing on loop in my head. However what bogs down the film is the clichéd manner the love story is dealt with. And even though I didn't mind the clichéd plot points at times, some of the stuff was too much.The whole class divide issue, the way forbidden love angle is shown in Fitoor, it's very commonplace in all love stories these. For example after Noor and Firdadus make love, how Firdadus just leaves a letter after that fact saying our love won't work out is something I have seen happen in films since the 60s, like come on be a little novel. Aditya's and Katrina's chemistry needed to be a little more crackling also.The whole drunk Aditya Roy Kapoor gives a deja vu feeling of A2, which isn't very good either. The ending was rushed too.But for me these are minor blemishes.
Overall I loved Fitoor, and if it was totally up to me I would give the film full marks, but I have to be true to my job,and with the films blemishes its far from a perfect film. But I will say this again that Fitoor is a nuanced, perfectly layered, mature love story. Its a classical love story, but its a film only a certain section of the Indian audience will like, and thats the classes. And for them this a highly recommended watch, heck even I will watch the film again too enjoy the beauty of Fitoor.
3.5/5* or 7/10