Filmare Review
4/5
Fan is Shah Rukh Khan's best effort since Chak De! India. It's definitely not as good a film as the hockey based drama, but it is a solid thriller. It's a unique concept, it's been executed by some masterful CGI and SRK has dug deep into his reserves to give a stellar double-role performance. Watching Fan is a thrilling experience. The movie surprises you with its narrative control. It tells its story with a punch. With an engrossing combination of slick action and intense situations Fan keeps you on the edge of your seat. It stays away from the usual over-the-top facade that has plagued superstar vehicles for so long.
The story deals with an obsessive fan, Gaurav (SRK) and his bizarre aggression towards his icon, Bollywood star Aryan Khanna (also SRK). Yes this film borrows a plot idea from Robert De Niro's The Fan (1996). But the similarities are merely superficial. At its core, Fan is a thrilling encounter where a fan looking for acknowledgement from his inspiration, goes a little too far. The star resists the fan's overtures because they have unwarranted aggression. The fan almost becomes psychotic in his attempt to please his hero. Obviously the hero doesn't approve and that leads to the star and the fan fighting it out. It's a veritable clash of the egos. And it makes for some serious thrill.
Fan is unmistakably masala cinema. You have twists, chases, fights and full on dialogue baazi. But even when it employs formula, it stays away from filmmaking clichs. This is a solid screenplay by Habib Faisal. And director Maneesh Sharma adds a nice contemporary punch to the proceedings. He caters to the action genre but not at the expense of his story. So while two Shah Rukh Khan's are running around in Parkour inspired stunts, the moral dilemma of their actions and motives is clearly established throughout. The fan is just obsessed while the star is out on an ego trip. They could've settled the matter with civility, but they take it to theatrical levels because both don't know when to quit. That prevalent sense of logic makes Fan an intelligent film. It entertains you, but it also shows you the actual dark side of glamour and its obsession. There's even a monologue on the frivolous nature of being a star fan. Thankfully none of it is preachy.
What makes Fan even more unique is the technology employed to bring two SRKs face to face. Gaurav the maniacal fan is created entirely using 3D face mapping. So SRK's face, replete with his entire range of expressions, is created digitally and put on another person to create a whole new character. It doesn't matter that sometimes Gaurav's face looks a bit too plastic and that he eats like a fish. Minor gripes aside, this tech really makes double role scenarios look fantastic. SRK's voice modulation for Gaurav, with the Delhi twang is superb as well. In his lunatic avatar, SRK brings in memories of Darr and Anjaam. And then you have his technologically less-advanced portrayal of Aryan Khanna the star. The restraint and the intensity SRK exhibits as a righteous but power-crazed celebrity is phenomenal. His portrayal of Aryan brings reflect upon SRK's actual stardom. This is easily one of his career's best efforts.
SRK is on top of his game and so is director Maneesh Sharma. Some of his decisions are real aces. The no song-and-dance approach really adds to the film's experience. The background score as well as the cinematography add to the director's vision. Even though the film is two and a half hours in length, it feels breezy. This is definitely a taut film. It takes a fresh concept and adds the right amount of zing to it. You could argue with the formulaic approach, but the usual thrills and spills don't rob the story of its impact. Both the star and the fan have their grey shades. And that's what makes Fan a smart film
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