Aashayein(2010)
'Aashayein' is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. It stars John Abraham as Rahul Sharma and Sonal Sehgal as Nafisa. The story follows Rahul, a compulsive gambler who wins a fortune and proposes to his girlfriend, only to collapse and discover he has terminal cancer. He runs away to a rehabilitation center for incurable patients, where he meets a group of dying individuals including Parthasarthi, Madhu, Padma, and Govinda. Through them, he learns to find hope and live life to the fullest. The film received mixed reviews but was praised for its sensitive handling of a difficult subject. It was shot in Puducherry and Hyderabad. John Abraham lost 16 kilograms for his role. The title is inspired by the song 'Aashayein' from Kukunoor's earlier film 'Iqbal'.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Prime Video, Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 27 August 2010
- Director
- Nagesh Kukunoor
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h
- Rating
- 4.9/10
Storyline
Rahul Sharma is a lucky gambler who wins big and gets engaged. But his joy ends when he is diagnosed with cancer. He runs away from his fiancée and checks into a home for dying people. There, he must learn to find hope and love again before it is too late.
“Hope is the only cure.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Aashayein
Cast reunions in this film: Girish Karnad & Nagesh Kukunoor (3 films together), Nagesh Kukunoor & Shreyas Talpade (3 films together), Girish Karnad & Shreyas Talpade (2 films together), Girish Karnad & Farida Jalal (2 films together), Girish Karnad & Prateeksha Lonkar (2 films together), and Nagesh Kukunoor & Prateeksha Lonkar (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Aashayein' means 'hopes' in Hindi, reflecting the movie's theme of finding hope in difficult times.
- Director Nagesh Kukunoor also wrote the screenplay, and he often works on personal, character-driven stories like this one.
- John Abraham reportedly prepared for his role by spending time with people facing serious illnesses to understand their perspective.
- The movie was shot in Hyderabad, with the hospice scenes filmed in a calm, secluded location to match the story's mood.
- Despite starring a popular actor like John Abraham, the film had a limited theatrical release and flew under the radar for many viewers.
- The soundtrack includes a song by composer Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, who are known for bigger Bollywood hits but took a softer approach here.
- Some critics noted the film's theme was similar to Hollywood movies about life-changing diagnoses, but set in an Indian context.