The Extraordinary Journey Of The Fakir

This is a light, funny, non-threatening film, that is entertaining enough, although with a few tweaks it could well have been more.

Based on a very popular book with a much longer title, the plot follows the trials and misadventures of Aja Patel (Dhanush), growing up in the slums of Mumbai, then embarking on an unlikely and luckless journey. It begins in France where he falls in love with Marie (Erin Moriarty) whom he meets in “IKEA” (it’s never actually named) but loses contact with after being unwittingly transported to England and mixed in with a group of illegal immigrants. Things keep going awry from there.

The film has random elements of fantasy and Bollywood, but is mostly a rom-com. More sombre subjects such as poverty and displacement are touched upon as plot points only. It does start to feel long and a little too congested with ideas, but overall, it’s pleasant viewing. 

★★★

Reviewed by Rita Bratovich