Fanaa

<p>Zooni Ali Beg, a blind Kashmiri woman, travels to with her friends Fatima, Mehbooba, Rubina, and their dance teacher Helen to perform at a celebration. In Delhi, she meets Rehan Qadri, a charming and flirtatious . 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 , 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 organization. He faked his death to protect Zooni and to avoid compromising his mission. Several years later, Rehan participates in the theft of a nuclear trigger device while posing as an officer. During the operation, he is wounded and evades capture by Malini Tyagi, an 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. was conceptualized as a that blended a love story with political and national security themes. The film was produced by , with directing his third feature for the banner following the success of (2004).[1] was the first actor approached for the role of Rehan Qadri. He readily accepted, marking his first collaboration with Yash Raj Films. He had earlier worked with Yash Chopra in which was produced out of the Yash Raj Banner. For the female lead, initial considerations included ; however, on Khan’s recommendation, 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 (1997). Kajol had also been offered ’s (2006) during the same period but opted to work on instead. The role of anti-terrorism officer Malini Tyagi was initially offered to before being finalized with . took place in multiple locations across India and . Although the was originally selected for the film’s key sequences, security concerns due to ongoing insurgency led the production to relocate to the in southern Poland, which provided a similar snowy, mountainous landscape. Additional filming occurred across various landmarks in , including the , , , , , and . 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 —prompted by political protests against ‘s comments regarding the project —the film emerged as a commercial success. According to , 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. 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. In India, the film collected ₹720.4 million gross (₹518.7 million net), while its overseas earnings were reported at ₹308 million. concluded its theatrical run as the . received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances of and , as well as their on-screen chemistry. On the website , of 7 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. of 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. of the 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.” of 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.” , also of , offered a more critical assessment, arguing that “a mere casting coup does not a good film make,” and found the screenplay lacking. 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.” Internationally, the film drew mixed reviews. , writing for , described 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. Jaspreet Pandohar of the 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. The soundtrack of was composed by , with lyrics by and background score by . 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. The album emerged as a commercial success. According to , it sold approximately 1.7 million units, ranking among the top-selling Bollywood soundtracks of the year. The first five songs were by Salim–Sulaiman, while “Destroyed in Love” was programmed by . and recited poetic verses in the songs “Mere Haath Mein” and “Chanda Chamke,” adding a narrative element to the musical sequences. All tracks are written by . During the promotion of , made public comments concerning the 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 ’s position on resettlement. His remarks drew criticism from members of the (BJP) and the , 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.” In response, an unofficial ban on was implemented across . 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. Producer 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. also reached out to in an effort to facilitate a peaceful release. Various members of the film industry—including , , , , and —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.” One privately owned theatre in screened the film with police protection. However, the screening was halted after a protestor named Pravin attempted in the cinema’s restroom during intermission. He suffered severe burns and succumbed to his injuries nine days later.</p>