Finding Fanny – go see it – Another India, Another Goa that I go on about? Captured beautifully! You get to see all the stunning outdoors of Goa that is not the beach!
You see on the big screen why I moved to Goa. I kept talking about moving to Goa till Adrian Pinto of The Only Olive and Pirkko Fernandes of Olaulim Backyards invited me to their homes. I first stayed at The Only Olive in Aldona. It was the first time that I was going East of the Highway that divides beach Goa from another Goa. I had the best sleep in a long time at The Only Olive – deep, dreamless and refreshing – with no sudden noises to wake me up. The patter of the rain lulled me into a totally calm state. Then I went to Olaulim – Pirkko had me do all kinds of outdoorsy things that I thought I was incapable of. I got drenched several times and changed clothes the first couple of times before I realised my folly. And I was hooked.
I went back to Chennai and, urged by my sister, came back to stay in Aldona in Neela’s house for five weeks. And it has been two years now in Goa.
Seeing the movie has brought back to me why I moved here. Life here moves at a different pace and so does this movie. There are glimpses of the sea but there is not one scene on the beach. Instead there are drives along narrow roads where village festival processions meander. The actors are superb – all of them. They try the Goan accent and for the most part get it right. When the accent drops, even that, was to me, part of the act. Of course, there are churches and chapels aplenty. And coconut trees swaying in the breeze. The dogs barking and howling is captured perfectly! I was waiting for the poin-poin of the poder (bread-man) and it came in the auto’s horn. Completed the movie for me. Those clichés are all over Goa. But thankfully there is no drunken rambling or serenading that is so loved by Bollywood.
Deepika shows a lot of leg (hers are so loooong) and a lot of cleavage – I don't recall seeing that much on the women in the Aldona market. I guess the guys in the audience like it. Too bad I am not into women (yet).
I liked the fact that the hero and heroine have sex and don't talk of love. Or Marriage. And the woman initiates it. The guy was too much of a wuss to do so. I loved the ending – so perfect – there is no happily ever after. And isn’t that right? Whose life is happily ever after? You could be happy now – now – for a few minutes or hours or days – but ever after? Nah, not happening.
I laughed out loud several times – parts of it were that funny. Normally I smile at a joke on screen, too self-conscious to laugh. There were about 20 minutes that were boring. And the way Pankaj Kapur’s character was handled was way over the top all the way through. And there was a dead cat which I did not see the meaning in or appreciate. I guess there is some subliminal message there that a low-EQ person like me doesn’t get! I think the Director was just trying to be very clever – unfortunately some of us are too dumb to get it. There were a couple of moments like that when I wished his direction was smooth and easy like the rest of the movie.
And I liked what happened after the ending. No, not the horrible song, which was totally not with the mood of the movie as the credits rolled. The fact that the entire audience sat still till the last of the credits. They were looking for familiar names in that listing. And that is how I spotted The Only Olive, Aldona in that list. To think that I, the rank outsider, the nomad, found a familiar name was just too much for the smile that hadn’t left my face for 90 minutes now. It turned into a full beam as I drove home and then typed this up. I have to ask, do I finally belong somewhere now?
P.S. see the movie in English. Leaving my language bias aside, I don't see Goans talking in Hindi!
P.P.S The Only Olive, Aldona - http://travelanotherindia.com/aldona.html
Olaulim Backyards - http://travelanotherindia.com/olaulim.html
Arco Iris - http://travelanotherindia.com/goa.html
