Practically
every
new-age
film-maker
wants
to
attempt
a
real
story
on
celluloid.
Stories
which
are
straight
out
of
life/newspapers/news
channels.
These
stories,
generally,
strike
a
chord
with
the
ticket
buying
audience
if
narrated
convincingly
and
most
importantly,
narrated
within
commercial
parameters.
Nagesh
Kukunoor
has
been
a
frontrunner
as
far
as
choosing
and
narrating
real
stories
are
concerned.
Aashayein
too
seems
like
'our'
story.
Here's
a
man
who
suddenly
discovers
that
he
has
a
few
months
to
live.
The
indomitable
spirit
of
living
life
to
the
fullest,
under
all
circumstances,
is
what
you
expect
from
him.
But
Aashayein
gets
so
bizarre
and
abstract
that
you
feel
anesthetized
after
a
point.
Sadly,
you
don't
react
to
the
characters,
you
don't
react
to
the
film
either.
Like
Kukunoor's
previous
attempts,
Aashayein
is
sensitively
told
and
has
several
poignant
and
heart
wrenching
moments,
but
the
story
strays
from
realism
and
ends
up
being
a
fantasy,
which
leaves
a
sour
taste
in
your
mouth.
The
entire
Raiders
of
the
Ark
track,
with
John
imagining
himself
in
Harrison
Ford's
boots,
is
weird.
Final
word?
Aashayein
just
doesn't
meet
the
Aashayein
(hopes)
of
the
viewer.
At
a
party
to
celebrate
his
big
win
at
gambling,
Rahul
(John
Abraham)
proposes
to
his
girlfriend
Nafisa
(Sonal
Sehgal).
Within
minutes
of
announcing
his
engagement,
he
collapses
on
the
floor.
After
a
medical
diagnosis,
Rahul
discovers
that
he
has
only
a
few
months
left
to
live.
He
is
diagnosed
with
lung
cancer.
A
distraught
Rahul
learns
of
a
hospice
and
without
sounding
off
his
girlfriend
about
it,
packs
his
bags
and
leaves
in
the
middle
of
the
night.
He
meets
a
number
of
people
at
the
hospice,
who
may
have
failing
health,
but
unfailing
spirit.
For
millions
of
viewers
worldwide,
Hrishikesh
Mukherjee's
classic
Anand
(Rajesh
Khanna,
Amitabh
Bachchan)
remains
one
of
the
best
films
on
the
matchless
spirit
of
a
person
diagnosed
with
a
terminal
illness.
The
person
in
question
(Rajesh
Khanna)
knows
he
doesn't
have
much
time
on
hand
and
decides
to
spread
light
and
cheer
all
around.
Though
Aashayein
has
nothing
to
do
with
Anand
(although
there's
a
reference
to
the
film),
the
least
Kukunoor
could've
done
was
to
narrate
the
story
without
getting
into
the
fantasy
zone.
When
you
talk
of
matters
as
serious
as
death,
when
you
show
people
spending
their
last
days
in
a
hospice,
you
can't
deviate
from
the
topic.
Even
the
hospice
here
looks
more
like
a
small-town
resort
where
people
have
come
for
a
vacation.
The
seriousness
is
clearly
missing!
On
the
brighter
side,
the
sequences
between
John
and
Anaitha
Nair
are
wonderful.
Ditto
between
John
and
Farida
Jalal.
Salim-Sulaiman's
music
is
in
sync
with
the
mood
of
the
film.
The
song
filmed
on
Shreyas
Talpade
is
the
pick
of
the
lot.
Sudeep
Chatterjee's
camera
captures
the
outdoors
well.
But
the
writing
is
imprecise
and
like
I
pointed
out
at
the
outset,
the
culmination
to
this
story
is
difficult
to
decipher.
Kukunoor
is
a
master
when
it
comes
to
extracting
performances
and
Aashayein
also
boasts
of
sparkling
performances
by
each
and
every
member
of
the
cast.
John
puts
a
whitewash
on
his
previous
works
and
comes
up
with
an
honest
and
sincere
performance.
In
fact,
this
film
makes
you
forget
that
he's
blessed
with
a
striking
personality.
Instead,
you
notice
the
fine
actor
beneath
the
good
looks
and
that's
what
makes
you
relate
to
this
character
for
most
parts.
Anaitha
Nair
is
pure
dynamite.
Fiery,
feisty,
someone
who
can
light
fire
in
water.
She's
sure
to
make
people
notice
her
talent
after
this
film.
Sonal
Sehgal
is
efficient.
Girish
Karnad,
Farida
Jalal
and
Prateeksha
Lonkar
are
perfect.
Ashwin
Chitale
(as
Govinda)
is
natural
to
the
core.
Vikram
Inamdar
(as
Xavier,
John's
friend)
is
alright.
Sonali
Sachdev
(Doctor)
is
adequate.
Shreyas
Talpade
appears
in
a
song.
On
the
whole,
Aashayein
falters
and
fails
on
the
writing
level.
Not
much
aasha
(hope)
from
Aashayein.
Nonetheless,
the
film
has
been
made
on
a
shoe-string
budget
and
therefore,
the
recovery
from
non-theatrical
avenues
would
keep
its
distributors
safe,
although
the
returns
from
theatrical
business
would
be
disastrous.
Director
-
Nagesh
Kukunoor
Cast
-
John
Abraham,
Prateeksha
Lonkar,
Shreyas
Talpade,
Anaitha
Nair,
Sonal
Sehgal,
Girish
Karnad,
Vikram
Inamdar