Based on Great Expectations, Fitoor is Abhishek Kapoor’s failed attempt at presenting what could’ve been a beautiful love story. It’s a movie where the backdrop(read: Kashmir) and supporting cast(Tabu as Begum Hazrat) steal the show. The main protagonists and their chemistry fails to hold your grasp. Imagine watching DDLJ and getting mesmerised with the’sarson ke khet’ over Raj and Simran, that captures my feeling of watching Fitoor. I was enraptured by Kashmir in its white, grey and red hues. It’s surreal.
Kashmiri orphan artist Noor falls in love with a rich snob Firdaus. They get together, move apart and then come back together again. First in Kashmir, then Delhi and then again in London. Due to a tragedy in Noor’s life, he misses Firdaus’ birthday party only to discover that she has been sent off to study in London. Fate comes knocking at Noor’s door with an opportunity to make it big as an artist in Delhi where he meets Firdaus after a decade. Trained to marry for money over love, Firdaus is engaged to Pakistani minister, however, Noor is still madly in love with her. Upon realization that she is in love with Noor, Firdaus runs away yet again. Noor then gets an opportunity to showcase his artistic prowess in London where Firdaus is set to marry the minister. A little too late they realise that they’ve been played by Begum Hazrat. The conniving Begum Hazrat, Tabu, who controls her haughty daughter is undoubtedly the star of this movie. Wronged in love, Begum takes it upon herself to have men go through heartbreak and longing that she experienced.
"I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be." quoted in the Charles Dickens novel, comes across beautifully in Aditya Roy Kapur’s performance. The actor as the lovelorn artist Noor has portrayed his character with sheer sincerity but I cannot say the same for Katrina who is only as good as an arm candy. As long as she plays her cheerful self, it’s watchable, add a dramatic scene and you despise her for the spoiling the scene. She could’ve made a better use of her efforts had she worked on her acting skills over dancing.
Cinematographer has captured Kashmir and its landscape beautifully, the movie is scenic. Tabu, Aditya Roy Kapur and Ajay Devgn(small role) have played their part really well. Katrina still has a lot more to learn. The director fails to capture the chemistry and intensity. You do not feel so strong enough for characters to root for them, the movie is a clumsy khichdi. Amit Trivedi’s music is captivating.