Five things that Bollywood can learn from 'Finding Fanny'

New Delhi: It is truly a good time for Indian cinema. A time, when filmmakers are more brave and are willing to take risks to tell a story. While many of the directors are still wanting stick to the rule book and churn out formula films, there have been some who have tread the unknown path and managed to emerge successful.

There are spoilers in this article. In case you haven't watched the film yet, please come back to the story later.

Homi Adajania's 'Finding Fanny' in one such film. Adajania made an impressive debut with the dark 'Being Cyrus' and then went on to make the very commercial and hip 'Cocktail' in 2012. But with 'Finding Fanny' Adajania took calculates risks and they paid of. The film is of course within the realm of a Bollywood film, but yet it is strikingly different from the usual films that us, viewers, are served every Friday.

From the quirky story line to the bizarre five lead characters who embark on a journey to find a certain Fanny Fernandez, the film brings in fresh breath of life in the clutter of formula films that Bollywood churns out regularly. The film may not make it to the esteemed club of Rs 100 crore, but it sure can serve as a guide book of sorts to filmmakers in Bollywood.

Here are the five things that Bollywood can learn from 'Finding Fanny'.

1. There have been several films with an ensemble cast. But seldom does one find each character so well defined. Invariably the film leans upon one actor which is mostly the most bankable star of the entire star cast. But Adajania makes each of his five characters get defined roles- each being equally important to the story as the other and each taking the story forward.

2. 'Finding Fanny' is a story driven film. The story is the actual king of the film. It takes its leisurely pace to narrate the story but it ultimately manages to put a smile on your face with its caricature characters. With a solid story line, the actors manage to shine in their respective roles.

3. Homi Adajania should be lauded most for casting some brilliant actors in lead roles. Of course, there is Deepika Padukone and Arjun Kapoor- two popular faces of the present times but it is immensely heartening to see legendary actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia in author backed, meaty roles. Pankaj Kapoor as the award winning painter with a high libido is simply brilliant so is Naseeruddin Shah as the lovelorn post master Freddie. The actors, who are now mostly seen in character roles which have limited screen time, get a strong role after a long time and deliver superlative performances.

4. There is no special song or an item number in 'Finding Fanny'. The songs are part of the background score. The film has only one Hindi song and the other song in Konkani. The film manages to infuse the local culture of the state into the story line quite beautifully and thankfully doesn't have a certain Honey Singh rapping either!

5. The film has extremely subtle humour. Sure there are sexual innuendos here and there- but they are not blatant and hence, genuinely invoke laughter. Interestingly, the screenplay is such that one finds tragedy comical. A clever;ly crafted script ensures that there is not a single dull moment in the film.

The film is, though, devoid of predictability and flaws. While it sets out to be a quirky off beat tale of five oddballs on a road trip in the picturesque Goa, it becomes predictable by the end of it. But even then, the film is refreshing change from the recent films that have released. It also gives hope that there are certain filmmakers who are more keen on narrating a good story and not driven by stars and Box Office numbers.