Fanaa (2006)

"It is easy to choose between right and wrong. But to choose the greater of two goods or the lesser of two evils…those are the choices of our life."

You know that Bollywood place I like to visit now and then?  Well, let's just say they've stepped up the game.  This movie held so much in it... the music, the color, the Hindi language and poetry, enough kohl to make everyone's eyes pop, love, heat, passion....oh, and helecopter chases, machine guns, sexy spy snowboarding down a hill so fast you want to cheer.   But, wait, he's the terrorist, right?
   Rehan (Aamir Khan) and Zooni (Kajol) meet in Delhi.  Zooni is blind but also the main vocalist for a special Indian Independance day production at the palace of the prince.  All of her girlfriend's are joking about meeting the prince and falling in love, but she can't keep her senses away from the intriguing tour guide (Rehan).  He warns her about himself, calls himself a devil, tells her she will die in the wake of the storm he leaves behind, etc.  But, she can't get past the budding love she feels for him.  In the end, she wins his heart. And just as they are about to be married, he dies in a terrorist explosion...
    Intermission...  Really.  The movie is so long it needs an intermission.  I think this was for two reasons: a) the length of the film and b) to help the stunned audience transition from mourning the loss of the beautiful love affair to discovering that life was, perhaps, not so rosy after all.
    Now, I'm not going to give away all of the details, because I think it would ruin the effect. But, I have to say that movies like this are my favorite to watch.  All of the emotions of life were right there and just enough philosophy, familiarity, and oddity to make me question what I believe.  That's important.  So many times, we just live without even thinking about the thoughts or reasons behind what we do.  Our government and popular culture happily villify anything or anyone outside of the "norm". 
     Tell me, are all terrorists bad?  Our own founding fathers were labeled as terrorists by King and country until they gathered enough support to make their voices heard.  Then they were patriots.  The sad news is that technology and advances in weaponry have made it so that too many people suffer all at once for someone's cause. 
     The title "Fanaa" is translated from Hindi to English as "Destroyed in love"...a beautiful sentiment referring to the death of your former self as you give your heart to another.  From Arabic, fanaa is translated as "annihilation."  Both translations fit this film.