We’ve heard or read about a lot of stories involving fans [of sportsmen or movie stars] who undergo behavioral changes and traverse paths from being passionate to psychotic. The latest film, Fan directed by Maneesh Sharma and penned by Habib Faisal takes an intriguing premise and throws a new spin on obsession.
The story focuses on Gaurav Chandna (Shah Rukh Khan), who lives in a middle-class Delhi colony and worships superstar Aryan Khanna to the core. The young boy spends every waking moment imitating his hero and is even awarded top prize at the local talent contest each year. But the idol fails to live up to his expectations and this makes Gaurav bitter. His resemblance to Aryan is used as a weapon of revenge, and his actions become vicious.
Fan may not be the most original piece of work in Bollywood, but it packs light moments, emotions and tension into an unmistakably entertaining format. The plot twists in the first hour and a few episodes post-interval make it a compelling watch. But the second half is filled with cinematic liberties that spoil its brilliance. However, if it had maintained the pace of the first half, Fan would have been one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best films in a long time.
