Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Arjun Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone. Rated PG. In English with English subtitles. Now playing

In Finding Fanny, director Homi Adajania takes us far from the tourist beach resorts that it’s commonly known for and shows us the sleepy villages and sun-drenched roads that twist through the lush land of Goa. With a highly skilled ensemble cast, he constructs a light-hearted and hopeful film that celebrates the illogical folly that allows us all to believe in love.

Angie (Deepika Padukone) is a young widow living with her mother-in-law, Rosie (Dimple Kapadia), a loud but loving woman who runs everyone’s life in the small Catholic village of Pocolim. Here time stands still. Angie’s best friend is Freddie (Naseeruddin Shah), a kind old man of limited life skills who never recovered from a rejected marriage proposal 46 years ago. He is devastated to learn that the letter with which he had proposed was never actually posted.

Angie is determined to find Fanny, the intended recipient of that letter, and bring closure to this love story. They set out on a road trip along with Rosie, Don Pedro (Pankaj Kapur), who owns the only car in the village, and Savio (Arjun Kapoor), the only driver.

On the journey this group of over-the-top misfits each discloses their longings and insecurities. Don Pedro is obsessed with Rosie, while for Savio, Angie is the one who got away. The characters are well crafted and their banter is fun. The dialogue is almost entirely in Goan English, with its lilting cadences and particularities captured perfectly by the cast. While the story moves slowly, it's still a surprisingly enjoyable ride. 

This is a beautifully shot film, in which nearly every frame is saturated with sunlight. Watching Fanny is as refreshing as spending a summer’s day contemplating the utter audacity of love.