Fan Movie Review: Shah Rukh Khan is back in form

Fan Movie Review:  Shah Rukh Khan is back in form with  his finest unconventional movie

Just when you thought Shah Rukh Khan is losing his edge, he makes a comeback. And how! Going back to his early acting days, where twisted characters gave him his big break, Bollywood’s king of romance still has what it takes to give you the creeps.

Movie : Fan 

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Waluscha de Sousa, Sayani Gupta

Director: Maneesh Sharma

Rating: 3.5/5

'Fan' is a brave attempt by Maneesh Sharma. You have to watch it for stellar performance by Shah Rukh Khan.

Though one of the better Shah Rukh Khan scripts in years, Fan is not devoid of loopholes, but it still makes for a thrilling watch. With the actor playing the two main characters in the film, especially two that are at such odds with each other, it can’t be easy to keep a smooth narrative. However, Fan may just well be an inwar journey for Shah Rukh Khan where his large celebrity persona meets the humble old him that represents the thousands of his fans.

It’s not a subject that’s new or unique. Yet there is a certain charm about the way Maneesh Sharma has scripted the film – it reflects inferences drawn from Shah Rukh Khan’s career and life. The first half zips past thanks to the engrossing screenplay. The characters of both Gaurav and Aryan are well established with each one coming with his own perspective. In fact, that is Sharma’s big triumph .

 He doesn’t give the viewer a chance to decide who’s right and who’s wrong. Directorially also, the first half casts its distinctive spell. Sharma has captured the first meeting between Aryan and Gaurav brilliantly – it’s a scene that will stay with you. Watch out also for the scene towards the climax when Aryan pretends to be Gaurav – it’s a masterstroke. It’s brave to attempt a film like Fan – with SRK playing the protagonist and antagonist both and break all the rules of commercial filmmaking by doing away with songs and any ‘relief’ tracks. As a film, Fanis dark, moody, disturbing and definitely unconventional. And this time, the lead actor’s contribution is just as much as the director’s. Shah Rukh Khan is at his finest – this is easily his best performance in recent years. He makes Gaurav’s obsession just as effective as Aryan’s restlessness. Most importantly, even though Aryan’s character is based on his real self, he doesn’t shy away from the cracks at his superstardom. The scene where Aryan is in front of the mirror checking out his aging skin is a bravura act – not many stars would have the courage to do that. As an actor, Fan is a definite game-changer for SRK.

WHAT’S NOT:

Fan succumbs badly to the second-half syndrome and that is its undoing. It’s almost like the first and the second half are two different films. Sharma (who has also written the film) leads towards a problem very well in the pre-intermission part. But after that, he goes awry when he illustrates it further. Even the obsession in Darr (from where Fan is inspired) seems far too real to what Sharma has conveyed. Everything in the second half is unbelievable – a middle-class Delhi boy travelling to foreign countries and getting the better of a reigning Bollywood superstar should have at least been handled better. Long, drawn-out action scenes will have you squirming in your seat. Aryan’s character suddenly becomes more of a caricature. The climax is exhausting and the film ends on a low, which is sad. You also miss the support of other fine actors after a point – Shriya Pilgaonkar, Deepika Amin, and Waluscha D’Souza really have nothing to offer.

WHAT TO DO:

Fan is a not a great film, it is a brave film. Watch it still for Shah Rukh Khan’s outstanding portrayal (an extra star only for him).