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I completely relate to my character in Fanney Khan, says Anil Kapoor
Fanney Khan, a film that deals with the subject of body shaming and tells the story of an emotional bond between a father and daughter, releases today. Starring Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Pihu Sand and Rajkummar Rao, the film seems to have struck a chord with the audience already.
It is based on the Belgian film Everybody’s Famous! (2000), and film-maker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who acquired the rights of the film for it to be remade in Hindi, says, “The film had left a huge impact on me. The journey to acquire the rights, develop the script and now see the film ready has been 10-year long. Showcasing such serious topics like body shaming and breaking the myths of unrealistic beauty standards through my films has been my foremost priority since the beginning. As cinema is a reflection of our society, Fanney Khan serves as an important movie that will touch upon such topics.”
Kapoor, who’s also producing the movie, feels that of all the films that he has done, he resonated with his character in this film the most. “I have gone through a struggling phase myself and have seen my children battling body shaming. These experiences have helped me connect with my character. The film not only showcases the vulnerable relationship of a father and daughter, but also a father’s struggle to help achieve his children’s dreams.”
A musical backdrop in the movie is what fascinated the T-Series chairman and managing director Bhushan Kumar the most, and he was convinced to come on board as a producer. He shares, “Music always plays a pivotal role in my films and music being the primary focus in Fanney Khan, the storyline struck a special chord with me.”
Atul Manjrekar, who debuts as a director with this film, says, “It’s a project made straight from the heart and is an honest one. It’s something that will connect to the audiences’ hearts.”
Directed by Atul Manjrekar, Fanney Khan, produced by Bhushan Kumar, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Anil Kapoor, PS Bharathi, Rajiv Tandon, Krishan Kumar, Kussum Arora and Nishant Pitti, releases today.