Aashayein is a story of a compulsive gambler who discovers new meanings of fortune and life through a dramatic turn of events. It is a tale of Rahul’s journey from darkness to light. A journey about love, hate, life, death and above all hope. Aashayein movie review…
Rahul Sharma (John Abraham) is an angry, confused, compulsive gambler. Wishes to live the life he has been dreaming of.
Rahul proposes to his girlfriend Nafisa (Sonal Sehgal) who is a doting, loving and a loyal friend. She wishes that love always wins. She agrees and incidentally the next moment Rahul just collapses on the floor.
It is diagnosed that Rahul has lung cancer and only a few months to live. That night without informing his girlfriend Nafisa, he leaves for a rehabilitation centre for persons with such incurable diseases. At this sick home, he meets a number of people, who, like him have a sliding health, but unfailing in spirit.
Through his interactions with the inmates of this centre for terminal patients, it is here that Rahul is able to transcend his fear and despair and learn to live with hope and courage. People who know that they don’t have much time on hand so they want to spread light and cheer all around.
Rahul too, starts living out his fantasy and plays heroic character like Indiana Jones, and the one who tries to fulfill the last wish of the inmates of a home for terminal patients.
The inmates at this rehab centre, being totally different from each other, yet have one thing in common – end of life staring at them. Each of them is so unique and so loving…
Sister Grace (Prateeksha Lonkar) will bend her principles for the greater good. Wishes to dedicate her life for the happiness of her inmates.
Parthasarathi (Girish Karnad) is a fun loving “uncle” to everyone. He is stupidly stubborn on his principles. Wishes to be reunited with his family.
Madhu (Farida Jalal) is an intelligent, virtuous person. Wishes to just lead a normal life and not be ostracized.
Govinda (Ashwin Chitale) is a ten year old who loves comics, mangoes and tells stories. He wishes that everyone’s life be just like a comic book.
Padma (Anaitha Nair) is impetuous, obnoxious and full of life. She wishes to experience love.
John Abraham has given a very sincere and realistic performance in Aashayein. He manages to get inside the character of a besieged Rahul. Anaitha comes up with a fiery performance as the turbulent Padma and Sonal is fine enough.
Aashayein also has some moving performances from Farida Jalal and Girish Karnad. Shreyas Talpade is there only for a song sequence. Child artiste Ashwin Chitale plays a spirited character with full of life’s understanding much too early for his age.
The title track of this film Aashayein composed by Salim Sulaiman is catchy. Other numbers too are melodious. This touching film is narrated with sensitivity and understanding and it does have the Kukunoor’s emotional touch in places. Not the usual happy ending types.
Cast of Aashayein :
John Abraham – Rahul Sharma
Prateeksha Lonkar – Sister Grace
Shreyas Talpade – Special Appearance
Anaitha Nair – Padma
Sonal Sehgal – Nafisa
Girish Karnad – Parthasarthi
Vikram Inamdar – Xavier
Farida Jalal – Madhu
Master Ashwin Chitale – Govinda
Sonali Sachdev – Doctor (at Clinic)
Sharad Wagh – Priest
Nagesh Kukunoor – Rao
Credits & Crew of Aashayein:
Banner: SIC Productions
Presenter: Percept Picture Company, T-Series
Produced by: Percept Picture Company, T-Series
Co-Producer: Elahe Hiptoola
Story / Writer: Nagesh Kukunoor
Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
Music Director: Salim Merchant, Sulaiman Merchant, Pritam Chakraborty, Shiraz Uppal
Lyricist: Sameer, Kumaar, Shakeel Sohail, Mir Ali Husain
Cinematographer: Sudeep Chatterjee
Story Writer: Nagesh Kukunoor
Editor: Apurva Asrani
Art Director: Sunil Nigvekar
Production Designer: Devika Bahudhanam
Costume Designer: Aparna Shah
Action: Mahendra Varma
Sound: Vipin Bhati
Singers – Neeraj Shridhar, Shaan, Tulsi Kumar, Shiraz Uppal, Zubeen Garg, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Shreya Ghoshal, Mohit Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan
Aashayein, movie review