Fiza 2000

Actors: Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Jaya Bachchan Language: Hindi Director: Khalid Mohammed Music: Anu Malik

After a silent period of many years, again a friend coerced me into going to a theatre to watch a Hindi film called Fiza. I went there expecting to waste a beautiful fall evening, but hey, what is a few wasted hours in the name of the friendship? I visualized a rundown, messy, overcrowded theatre, with people coming and going as they pleased, film starting after an hours delay and then sitting through all the obnoxious modern dances, performed by some overweight actors. I could not have been more wrong. Bollywood has come a long way, since the eighties hungama films. This is a damn good movie, and coming from a viewer who had given up on Hindi films, it is a powerful statement.

The film is directed by the renowned Times of India film critic Khalid Mohamed and produced by Pradeep Guha.

The film is set during 92-93 religious riots in Mumbai, fueled by political powers. The cold realities are chilling, it is so close to home, and yet we tend to forget. However, people who lost their loved ones can't forget. The film portrays one such mother played by Jaya Bachchan, who had put her life on hold for the Son that she saw disappear in the middle of the night, caught in a fight between two rival groups. We first witness the decay of the system when an overworked policeman refuses to help her son Amaan (Hrithik Roshan) because of Amaan's religion.

Fiza, Amaan's sister (Karishma Kapoor) can not stand the stagnation of their life, she decides to remove the obstacle to their flow of life. She launches a search for her missing brother. Her search takes her through the political jungle, through the streets of Mumbai, through corrupt employers and finally to the dessert of Rajasthan. One small scene, shines the light on male hypocrisy, is when Fiza goes for an interview, and the employer, a middle-aged, bald man refuses to hire her, because of her newspaper article. He doesn't want any troublemakers in his office, he says, but that does not stop him from propositioning her. The newspaper article catches the eyes of both the Hindu and Muslim political leaders, who want Fiza on their side, so they can sway the voters in their favor.

Fiza finds Amaan, but he is not the innocent little brother that she had lost earlier. The riot experience and the ensuing struggle for survival had turned him into a terrorist, who is running a 'jihad', according to him and his mentors. What happens when Fiza brings him back to Mumbai why he returns to Rajsthan to run the 'jihad', and the final showdown between the brother and the sister, left me on the edge of my seat. No it is not a thriller; the powerful acting kept me there. Karishma made me cry, which hasn't happened in a long time to me watching a Hindi film in a long time. I predict or at least wish for a filmfare award for her. Hrithik was also quite powerful in the second half.

Jaya Bachchan delivers a good performance, but I was disappointed by her physical appearance, may be it was make-up for her part, but she also looked plump. Although the two dance numbers, one in colorful Rajsthan with Shushmita Sen and one in a Mumbai nightclub by Karishma, are most delightful, even of they are not essential to the story.

The music is melodious, and emotionally touching. The song "Naa leke jao, mere dost ka janaza hai" is heart breaking.