'The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir’ Movie Review: Dhanush is an endearing soul of this mixed bag

re's been a massive distinction between a 'festival film' and a 'commercial film' over years. While former earns laurels around world, it always falls short of moolah that ir counterpart mints at ticket windows. 'extraordinary journey' of ' Extraordinary Journey of Fakir' till w has always been on similar lines, creating waves across globe with awards at film festivals in rway and Spain.  But can Ken Scott directorial spring a surprise and be unanimously loved in atres too?  Re here:

Setting scene

Ajatashatru Lavash Patel aka Aja (Dhanush) is lone child of a single mor (Amruta Sant) in slums of Mumbai. Aja is a curious kid, and wants to kw everything, who his far is and if y were poor. He is convinced t just that y were indeed poor, but also that he didn't want to remain so all his life.  Inspired by street performers using magic tricks to earn money, he becomes a 'Fakir', who defies gravity, makes things vanish and reappear, and tricks foreigners to earn a quick buck.  His mor harbours a dream for two to visit Paris someday. Aja grows up and just when he earns eugh to fulfill Paris dream, his mor dies. Her death finally reveals his deces-long question of who his far was, prompting him to set out to French city with just a fake 100 Euro te.

Plot

' Extraordinary Journey of Fakir' is story of Aja's venturous round-trip from Mumbai to Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Libya, and back to Maximum City. From a Fakir in Mumbai, street smart trickster lands in Paris and his love for home decor designs makes visit to such a store his first stop in French city. 

Aja charms his way into heart of Marie (Erin Moriarty). However, he's t able to fulfill his promise of meeting her at Eiffel Tower next day as dozing off in store's wardrobe turns mightily costly for him. 

He lands in England and after a cat-and-mouse encounter with cops and ar song-and-dance interrogation with an officer, he is sent to Barcelona. re's way out for Aja from ‘modern prison’ including or immigrants until his constant efforts to escape bears fruit. 

After wardrobe, this time he fits himself into a suitcase as he reaches house of an actress, Nelly (Berenice Bejo) in Rome. His story on a shirt impressed her so much that she helps him earn big bucks.

On run from goons, Aja this time chooses a hot air balloon to go to Paris, but once again, gets stuck and lands at a refugee camp in Libya, where he performs ‘biggest magic’ of his life.

Wher he succeeds in reuniting his parents and if he gets love back, forms rest of story.

Verdict

Like you'd expect from his Tamil masala potboilers, ' Extraordinary Journey of Fakir' is a Dhanush show all way. actor is t a Greek God, but re's something very endearing about way he looks and manner he talks.

You will most probably be reminded of his characters in movies like 'Raanjhanaa' and 'Shamitabh.' Special mention to him for trying something different, unlike his contemporaries, who continue to play to galleries. He does everything from tricking, charming and helping people brilliantly and is rightly soul of film. 

same, however, can't be said about story. re are a lot of moments in film that work and an equal number that doesn't. re's a lot happening throughout in this venturous journey, but sly most of it just happens without being convincing and without leaving an impact.

Aja's moments with his mor, pet cow Mohini and Marie are highlights of movie.  While entire track starting from an out-of--blue childhood story on a shirt in Rome, also including a Bollywood dance number, doesn't make sense.  Neverless, story somehow mans to get it to act toger in climax and ends up as a feel-good film.

first thing you'll tice in film is that people from slums are speaking fluent English. Kudos to makers for t trying to keep it 'real' by making characters speak local langu and subtitling it, but inste using langu of target audience. But n how do Hindi and Marathi still come in picture? However, most of dialogues are well-written and situational ones will make you chuckle.

Music by Amit Trivedi is good.  Locations and cinematography do justice to story. 

Overall, ' Extraordinary Journey of Fakir' is t an 'extraordinary' film and has numerous glitches, but re are good chances of it turning out to be a one-time feel-good movie for you. 

Cast: Dhanush, Amrutha Sant, Erin Moriarty, Berenice Bejo, Barkh Abdi

What works: Dhanush's performance, dialogues

What doesn't: Unconvincing moments in screenplay

Rating: 3/5