It requires Passion & Ambition to mount a film as big & colorful as’Fitoor’. Director Abhishek Kapoor’s romantic-drama, based on Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations, suffers however, due to its misguided story & bland narrative. Its beautifully shot & has moments of power, but the end result, is under-whelming.
’Fitoor’ 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.
’Fitoor’ is a body beautiful, minus soul. The romantic-drama is meant to break your heart given the struggles its heartbroken protagonist faces, but you are barely invested. Reason? The Writing is misguided & you fail to understand what are the makers of this film trying to say? The intension remains unclear & despite the stunning scenery, you yearn for a story that lacks heart.
Abhishek Kapoor & Supratik Sen’s Screenplay is a downer. A stronger, clearer Screenplay was the need of the day! Abhishek Kapoor’s Direction is rich visually. Cinematography by Anay Goswamy is the highpoint of this enterprise. Each & Every Frame has been captured with flourish. Editing, also, is mostly crisp. Art & Costume Design are detailed. Amit Trivedi’s Score is brilliant.
Performance-Wise: Tabu is electrifying as the terrifying yet grief-sticken Begum. She dominates every scene she appears in & handles her part with remarkable conviction. Aditya Roy Kapur springs a pleasant surprise. Kapoor, who’s otherwise typecast as a drunk, displays true intensity here, portraying a difficult part with unexpected maturity. Katrina Kaif doesn’t deliver. A better actress would’ve elevated the part. Talat Aziz is first-rate. Ajay Devgn is wasted in a cameo.
On the whole, ’Fitoor’ is all beauty, no heart.