Fiza

About the film

Fiza, elaborately known as Fiza: In Search Of Her Brother, is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action-thriller film written and directed by Khalid Mohamed, and produced by Pradeep Guha. The film stars Karisma Kapoor in the title role, alongside Hrithik Roshan and Jaya Bachchan, with supporting performances by Manoj Bajpayee, Bikram Saluja, and Isha Koppikar. Set in the aftermath of the 1993 Mumbai riots, the narrative follows Fiza Ikramullah’s search for her brother Amaan, who had gone missing during the riots. When she finally reunites with him years later, she discovers that he has joined a militant organization, forcing her to confront painful decisions about family, morality, and justice.

Fiza was shot across various locations in India, with cinematography by Santosh Sivan and production design by Sharmishta Roy. The soundtrack was composed by Anu Malik with lyrics by Gulzar and Mehboob, and featured playback singers such as Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, and A. R. Rahman (for one track).

Plot

During the 1993 Mumbai riots, Amaan Ikramullah, a young man, goes missing after witnessing the brutal murder of his friend Firoz. His mother, Nishatbi, and older sister, Fiza, are left devastated but continue to hope for his return. By 1999, after six years of uncertainty, Fiza grows weary of waiting and resolves to search for her brother. She turns to legal avenues, the media, and political contacts in her quest, encountering a wide range of people and revelations along the way. She discovers that Amaan had once pleaded with a police officer for help, only to be dismissed and told to go to Pakistan—a remark that left a lasting impression on him. He was later assaulted but managed to escape. Meanwhile, his former girlfriend Shehnaaz, who had remained hopeful for his return, is eventually compelled to marry another man, Salim, under familial pressure.

Through a lead from her friend Anirudh Roy—who suspects a link between Amaan and a suspected militant near the Rajasthan border—Fiza locates her brother. She is shocked to learn that Amaan has joined a terrorist organization. Amaan recounts the trauma of the riots and his recruitment by Murad Khan, who had rescued him during his time of distress. Persuaded by Fiza’s emotional plea, Amaan agrees to return home and is reunited with Nishatbi.

Back in Mumbai, Amaan learns of Anirudh’s affections for Fiza and his desire to marry her and support their family. Grateful, Amaan gives them his blessing. Attempting to reintegrate into society, he searches for employment but is repeatedly rejected due to his past. Disheartened, he considers returning to Murad’s network. After intervening when two men harass Fiza, Amaan reveals his past affiliations to his family and the police. The revelation shatters Nishatbi, who, unable to bear the loss of her son’s innocence, dies by suicide.

Production

Fiza was originally envisioned by writer-director Khalid Mohamed as a more artistic and issue-driven film. He initially wanted Ram Gopal Varma to direct the project. The tone of the script emphasized the psychological and emotional fallout of the 1993 Bombay riots. However, due to commercial pressure from distributors, Mohammed adapted the film to include broader appeal, integrating song sequences and comedic elements to meet audience expectations.

Urmila Matondkar was Mohammed’s first choice for the role of Fiza, but the part eventually went to Karisma Kapoor. Hrithik Roshan was cast as Amaan, Fiza’s younger brother, although he is five months older than Kapoor in real life. Roshan’s role was initially minor, but following the breakout success of his debut film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), released earlier the same year, Mohammed significantly expanded his role. Additional scenes, including a workout montage and an extra song, were incorporated to showcase Roshan’s newfound star power.

To accommodate the film’s shift from art-house to mainstream sensibility, certain commercial elements were added during production. This included a dance number for Kapoor and a comedic park sequence featuring Johnny Lever.

Soundtrack

Initially, A. R. Rahman was approached to compose the music for Fiza, but he declined due to scheduling conflicts. However, he agreed to contribute one track to the film, resulting in the spiritual song "Piya Haji Ali." The remainder of the soundtrack was composed by Anu Malik. Rahman would later collaborate with director Khalid Mohamed on his next film, Tehzeeb (2003). For the film’s background score, Rahman recommended his associate Ranjit Barot, who composed the incidental music.

The album featured a mix of romantic, devotional, and dance numbers, with popular tracks including "Aaja Mahiya," "Aankh Milaoongi," "Tu Fiza Hai," and "Mehboob Mere." The latter was performed on screen as an item number by Sushmita Sen. The soundtrack was among the most popular of the year and received a nomination for Best Music Director (Anu Malik) at the 46th Filmfare Awards.

According to Box Office India, the album sold approximately 2.5 million units, making it one of the highest-selling Bollywood soundtracks of 2000.

Reception

Fiza was released theatrically on 8 September 2000 and emerged as a commercial success. Made on a budget of ₹55 million, the film earned approximately ₹322 million (US$7.17 million) worldwide. Its box office performance was bolstered by strong critical reception and Hrithik Roshan’s surging popularity following the success of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai earlier the same year.

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