Fouja - Movie Preview

 It was a sense of deja vu when I walked into the Prasad Lab preview theatre today to watch  preview of 'Fouja', a Hindi movie in which my old friend D Suresh's son Karthik made his debut as a lead. I first set foot in this preview theatre in 2008 (had no clue that such things existed) when Ram invited us all for the preview of his debut film as a producer 'Ashta Chamma' which went on to become a roaring hit. I remember seeing Nani as a nervous first time lead, watching the reactions of the crowd from the aisle. Though there were many other known faces and stars I remember Nani the most.

A couple of years later when Ram wanted to make 'Golconda  High School' Karthik auditioned for a role as one of the school boys and bagged the part as well. Unfortunately it did not work out because he was studying in Delhi and logistics were an issue. After that he pursued his passion, stuck it out for many years, honed his craft while waiting for an opportunity. Suresh and Kanti fully supported his decision which is wonderful.

Me congratulating Karthik before the show, Suresh in the middle and Murli, Suresh's older brother to th right 

Now when I saw 'Fauja' and watched him perform effortlessly, his eyes emoting a hundred emotions so subtly, a commanding screen presence, a body language that's fluid enough to show aggression, fun, mischief, dejection, I can only wonder at his devotion to his craft. His transformation in the film is exceptional too. That he matched someone like Pavan Malhotra and shared screen space comfortably is in itself a huge compliment to him.

The movie is about a family of soldiers and is set in Haryana. Karthik speaks wonderful Haryanvi which is another major plus (he looks very convincing as a Haryanvi youth from a small town). It has many interesting twists, good emotional and drama quotient. I wish the romance had been played up a bit - I somehow feel he's got an easy feel for romance. For more, watch the movie when it  hits the screens. 

For now, a huge congratulations to Karthik on his debut and wishing him all the best in his future projects, and to Suresh, Kanti and the family on the big day. Glad to be a part of it and to share the moment.