Finding Fanny, a movie directed by Homi Adajania

Everyone is talking about Fanny, come now, not that Fanny, although as we know everyone is interested in that Fanny, but I mean the Fanny in ‘Finding Fanny’. Reviews, counter reviews, are Goans being portrayed in the right spirit, are we being shown as losers, drunkards, loose women, I am filled with trepidation. Aw, come on now, let me see the movie and decide.

I am cynical, I look at the pectoral cross that Angie is wearing almost as large as the Pope’s, and look at that, Savio actually has a cross tattooed down the nape of his neck. And then in a flash, I am reminded of a young girl who has an entire rosary tattooed down her forearm, to my question ‘what if you do not like it, the tattoo, in the years to come’ she replied rather angrily, ‘it is the Rosary’ and here I had been thinking Anjelina Jolie. Which self respecting Catholic does not sport a rosary brought from Vailankanni around their necks. I sit back and enjoy the movie.

 Goans are portrayed just as they are, kind, funny, sad, quirky and most importantly full of joy, just another bunch of people.

Ferdie, the village postman opens his door to find his own letter posted to Stefanie Fernandes some thirty six years ago, lying on his mat undelivered. He lets out a shriek, his beloved Fanny, never got his letter, she never knew of his love for her. This opens a pool of emotions for Ferdie, what should he do? Should he do anything at all, should he just keep mum like he has done all these years? Lingering deep inside Ferdie, is a teensy bit of hope. What if?

As his despondency increases Angie comes to visit him, she has been a constant visitor these many years, in fact since the day her husband, Gabo, choked on the plastic figurine atop their wedding cake and died. Everyone thought it had been a heart attack, but no, the guy was so drunk when he shoved a generous chunk of wedding cake in his mouth, never realising that a plastic figurine was deeply embedded inside the cake. For a widow, a young widow, who never even had a wedding night; Angie always has a smile plastered onto her no expression wooden face. Angie, young and pretty just goes on through life, with that smile, no desire to move on.

She lives with her formidable mother-in-law, Rosie Eucaristica. Now Rosie Eucaristica is a widow too, her husband died at sea, or has he? She is the undisputed First Lady of the village, a buxom beauty, so full of curves and oh so full of charm, she too never re-married, although plenty of suitors came knocking on her door with bouquets of roses, one of them the renowned artist Dom Pedro Cleto Colaço. If there is one thing that Dom Pedro Cleto Colaço wants, is to capture Rosie Eucaristica on his canvas and maybe seduce her but his efforts so far, have been foiled by the village wimp of a priest, Father Francis.

After much deliberation and a couple of sleepless nights, Angie decides that Ferdie should go on a Finding-Fanny journey. That’s easy, where do they get a driver? And a car?

On one of her many, aimless walks around the village, Angie sees Savio, stretched under a decrepit pile of rust, a much faded sky blue car. Voilà, answer to all those myriad problems occupying her mind, here is another of her ex- suitors, Savio, who is rumoured to have a state-of-the-art  garage business in Mumbai. Why not make a pass at him; after all she has to know what really happens on a wedding night. As a successful garage owner he could put that pile of rust in working condition as well as be the driver when they are on their ‘Finding Fanny’ quest. Sadly for Angie, Savio is not very keen on this trip, in fact he is surly, bad tempered, much cajoling, after all who can resist a fresh, young face for long? Savio agrees to be the driver for the trip.

But the car belongs to the artist, Dom Pedro Cleto Colaço, once Dom Pedro Cleto Colaço realises that there is a possibility of having Rosie Eucaristica as his travelling companion he jumps at the idea of being a part of the trip to find Fanny. He is sure that he will be able to seduce her and paint her; you see he too has an agenda.

As expected the journey is long, so many experiences, such a lot of soul searching, forgiveness, fun and laughter and as the narrator says at the end, what was important was the Journey, you make the best of what comes your way, you realise that in the act of pining for something you miss  so much in life. Essentially, 'Finding Fanny' is about new beginnings, finding the best in everything as you make your way through life.   

And oh yes, ‘Finding Fanny’ has hardly anything to do with Goa and Goans, it could be set anywhere in the World. Goa just happens to have beautiful scenery and most importantly beautiful people.

However I do have a grouse, why did the Director, Homi Adajania, have to treat the cat so very badly, it really was not funny.

Directed by	Homi Adajania
Written by	Homi Adajania Kersi Khambatta
Starring	Naseeruddin Shah Arjun Kapoor Deepika Padukone Pankaj Kapur Dimple Kapadia
Narrated by	Deepika Padukone
Music by	Mathias Duplessy Sachin-Jigar
Cinematography	Anil Mehta

Lord Ganesha

When you think of the attributes of Lord Ganesha, also known as Vinayaka, you are filled with awe. He is the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom, literature, worldly success and peace. The Lord is invoked before any sort of venture, be it marriages, jobs, business deals, yes nothing is undertaken without the blessings of Lord Ganesha. It is he who decides between success and failure, and it is left to him to remove obstacles or create them if and when deemed necessary.

Ganapati is not only the God of Beginnings; he is the true God of Learning and Wisdom, as befits his elephant head. The better attributes of the elephant are that it lives long, forgets nothing and is brave, loyal, kind, strong and gentle. Ganesha represents the unity of the Small Being the rat, with the Great Being, the elephant. It is the blending of the microcosm with the macrocosm, of a drop of water with the vast ocean and of the individual soul with divinity. The vehicle of Ganesha is a rat or mouse. As rats generally succeed in gnawing their way through every obstruction, the rat symbolizes this god's nature of destroying every obstacle.

But what makes Ganesha lovable and everyone’s favourite are the beautiful legends woven around him.

Ganesha and Kubera

Kubera, the god of wealth, was very proud of his boundless fortune. He was terribly proud of his wondrous palace, of his garden filled with the sweet smell of a profusion of roses and jasmine, the jewels his wife wore were the envy of every goddess, and his cooks were renowned for the food that made everyone drool. Oh yes, Kubera felt he knew how to live, and to live well, he even went to the extent of looking down on Lord Shiva who lived a simple austere life in the open mountains.

Now Kubera was not happy just to be wealthy, he wanted the other Gods and Goddesses to see and admire his wealth. He organised lavish parties, he organized gorgeous dinners, and although the Gods and Goddesses were full of praise, Kubera was not happy, oh no! The more parties he gave the emptier he felt, until his beautiful wife trying out her latest necklace of emeralds and pearls said, 

‘Kuby dear, there is one way to jolt everyone, make you the talk of Kailash, let us throw a huge party, a lavish one, with flowers, fireworks, decorations, she breathed deeply, arching her deep black brows. And…. let us invite among other famous guests, the divine couple, Shiva and Pârvatî.’

Kubera was thunderstruck, ‘oh, oh oh’ he did a little jig, most wondrous idea’; he gave her a hug and dashed off to get ready to visit the divine couple, Shiva and Pârvatî. He entered Shiva and Pârvatî’s abode with deep reverence and such humility although his mind was churning feverishly, ‘What is wrong here, what is this place, is this the palace of the divine couple, Shiva and Pârvatî?  Such wasteland, brrrr the cold wind slicing through my body. Can Shiva not even provide a better home for his family....

Shiva and Pârvatî were having a nice chat sipping a warm cup of ginger tea when they were interrupted by Kubera.

‘Oh Kubera, good to see you but what brings you here?’

Kubera was lost for words. He had come in a rush. He could not possibly tell Shiva and Pârvatî that he wanted them to admire his house, his jewels, his garden or his food. In a burst he said 

'I wanted to invite you for a party’

‘Party?’ they both said, what’s the occasion?

Kubera was lost for words. He said ‘Nothing just that I am so blessed…’

In a flash, both Shiva and Pârvatî realised that there was no occasion, Kubera just wanted to show off.

Very politely, Pârvatî declined the invitation, ‘Kubera, thank you but we will not be able to come’

Then Pârvatî saw the despair in Kubera’s eyes, his desire to show off and she said ‘’But Ganesha our son would love to go, wouldn’t you like it Ganesh’

‘Oooh yes said little Ganesha, will there be sweets? He asked

‘You bet the best of sweets here in Kailash’ muttered Kubera

After a while a clean little Ganesha walked into Kubera’s sumptuous palace. Although Ganesha was well dressed, his red silk dhoti freshly pressed, his broad flat feet carried a trail of wet sticky mud which left prints all over the pristine marble floor. Kubera’s wife looked at her floor in utter disgust. Had Ganesha not been the son of Shiva and Pârvatî she would have pulled his broad ears and flung him out. He sniffed food and smiled broadly, ‘food he said, Ganesha loved food and sweets his mouth watered, his little trunk quivered in anticipation.

Very politely Kubera and his wife served him. Hardly had they turned their backs, Ganesha had finished a heaped thali of puris, vegetables, ghee rice, lentil curry, papads, pickles and a bowl of kheer. One happy little burp and little Ganesha said very politely ‘Oh that was lovely’ Kubera and his wife beamed broadly…. ‘But I am still hungry…’ Another huge thali, this time with additional helpings of modaks, kheer. Burp…  ‘ I am still hungry…’ large tears brimmed in little Ganesha’s deep brown eyes threatening to roll down his cheeks. More food. Little Ganesha still hungry, still unhappy. This went on for a long time, little Ganesha was still hungry, and very unhappy. Kubera and his wife screaming at the servants cook more, cook more. Servants running to the market, buying whatever was available, no way could they please little Ganesha. He was still hungry, and very unhappy.

Hasty consultation, Kubera and his wife, ‘What are we going to do?’ ‘He is unhappy’

‘And whose wonderful idea was it?’ asked Kubera sarcastically

‘And who was so happy, and rushed off to Shiva and Pârvatîs abode immediately’ retorted Kubera’s wife equally sarcastically.

But when they looked into their vast hall, there was Little Ganesha reclining on a mound of cushions, not resting happily as they thought he would after a huge meal, replete and satiated, but weeping silently, huge tears rolling down his plump cheeks, his trunk curled into a tight loop. Oh yes, Little Ganesha was truly an unhappy little God and he was their guest, they had invited him. Kubera rushed to Shiva and Pârvatî’s abode and entered meekly. There were Shiva and Pârvatî happily chatting and playing cards.

Kubera rushed to Shiva and Pârvatî and threw himself at their feet; Shiva bent down and picked him up. Shiva looked deep into Kubera’s eyes, no words were spoken, there was no need.  Kubera understood that it was his pride, his vanity, his desire to show off his beautiful house, his jewellery and his possessions that was at the root of Little Ganesha’s unhappiness. Kubera felt so small, so miserable, so unworthy. Pârvatî went inside and got a handful of roasted rice. Kubera realised that when he had served Little Ganesha a huge, sumptuous meal, he wanted to show off, there was no love, there was no desire to please a guest, there was only a desire to show-off his enormous wealth.

Humbly he took the handful of puffed rice and knelt down besides Little Ganesha and said full of sorrow and deep love and consideration, ‘Eat Little Ganesha, eat my honoured guest’

Ganesha opened his tear filled eyes, rubbed them, looked deep into Kubera’s eyes and popped the puffed rice in his mouth, savoured the rice, chewed it slowly, then he smiled at Kubera a huge radiant smile of love and tenderness patted his head his head with his curly trunk, ‘What a wonderful meal Kubera, truly a beautiful repast, thank you ever so much’

Little Ganesha got up slowly bowed to Kubera and his wife and happily bouncing his plump body and swinging his little trunk went home. 

Thanking the inputs from http://mailerindia.com/god/hindu/index.php?ganesha

http://hindumythologyforgennext.blogspot.in/2012/02/ganesha-and-kubera.html