The-Extraordinary-Journey-of-the-Fakir

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (2019)

written by Souranath Banerjee

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir: A quirky adventure that stretches its arms across the globe but yet manages to keep its heart rooted right where it belongs to – India!

My ratings: 4/5

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir (in English) and Pakkiri (in Tamil) is the ideal definition of a Global Cinema. I will tell you why?

Adapted from a novel by French writer Romain Puértolas, made by Canadian director Ken Scott, starring Tamil superstar Dhanush in the lead, along with two beautiful actresses Erin Moriarty (American) and Bérénice Bejo (Argentinian). Also joined by the talented Somalian actor Barkhad Abdi. It is a French-Indian-Belgian coproduction released in India, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, UK, Canada and Sri Lanka today!

Now let’s explore the world of the Fakir.

At a very early age Ajatashatru Lavash Patel, a young boy from Mumbai learns about ‘poverty’, and to cope with it in his own style he invents this ‘Fakir-act’ – basically a con-performance played on the streets of Mumbai while his friends conveniently picked the spectator’s pockets.

But soon there comes a time when the talented trickster (by now grown into a young man) must prepare for a distant journey for Paris, in search of his father. A journey that proves to be far from ordinary, filled with love, friendship and excitement, much too promising than the Fakir had ever imagined!

But then it will be injustice to sum up The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir as just an entertaining comedy or a fun-filled travel-movie, punched with a Bollywood dance number.

The film also delicately touches the refugee-problem which is a serious world issue but seldom addressed. An important message conveyed effectively, though sugarcoated in accordance to the mood of the film.

The first international venture for Indian actor Dhanush and it is his performance that really keeps this movie compelling for us till the end. Sometimes the script gets a bit too whimsical and preachy, but Dhanush’s innocence, his child-like zeal to explore the depths of his extraordinary journey is what makes the audience hooked.

I really wish the film would have explored more of Dhanush and Erin Moriarty chemistry, both of them together demanded more screen presence.

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir is well directed, portrays some terrific performances, magically shot all across the globe; overall an adventure that is comic, emotional, romantic and above all inspiring.

GO watch it now at your nearest theatres!

Similar Interest: The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir: The trailer launch.

Poster courtesy:www.imdb.com.

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