Here is a different movie from the the famous painter M.F Hussain, his second film after 'Gaja Gamini'. The theme not easy to decipher by cinegoers, has two sub-stories in one main story.

Nawab, a famous novelist in Hyderabad is facing a dearth in his writing career.. it is five long years since he got an original idea for a story. He meets Meenaxi (Tabu) a mysterious lady at a quawwali ceremony. She claims to sell perfume in Hyderabad. She coaxes a reluctant Nawab to write a story on her.

He starts on a novel depicting Meenaxi as a lovely lady in Jailsalmer. He ropes in a real life character, his drunken car mechanic Kunal (Kunal Kapoor) who once wanted to become a singer, as her lover in the story. Meenaxi and Kunal as Kameshwar in the novel meet in Jaisalmer. Shy and introverted Kameshwar is smitten by Meenaxi. Gradually she is also drawn to him. Karanvir ( Sagar Arya ) comes in between them as a villain. Meenaxi tries to meet her lover late at night. Though she is yearning to meet him, the writer would not allow her..

Back in Hyderabad the real Meenakshi, is disillusioned with the novel, she feels the story is rather boring lacking the intimacy she yearns for. She ridicules Nawab and criticizes his renewed attempts at writing. She is sarcastic about the characters he creates and destroys his manuscript. 

Desperate, Nawab attempts to write a new story with the same characters which is now set in Prague, Italy. Here Meenaxi is personified as an orphan Maria, who moves around with her bicycle. In the story, Maria waits in a railway station holding a placard with Kameshwar's name. He comes to Prague to meet one Dr. Crass whose character is not defined. Meenakshi and Kameshwar fall for each other as soon as they meet. In this story, the writer also introduces himself as a character. 

The writer gets controlled by Meenakshi's character- her inspiration as well as her sarcastic criticism which throws him into deep despair. If he has to survive he has to get over her somehow.

The story which shows the three different personification of Meenaxi in Hyderabad, Jaisalmer and Prague has been treated like another painting by the director cum painter. Its colours and visuals are enchanting. But as a movie, it lacks certain norms- the characters are not well defined, the shift from one story to the other as the writers imagination moves forth, is really confusing that it may baffle the viewer. There is no story as such and whatever there is, may be difficult to decipher by the audience. Cinematography by Santhosh Sivan is breathtaking. Music by A.R Rehman though not spectacular, gels well with the mood of the film. The number Noor-ul- ala- noor written by M.F Hussain has a Sufi touch to it. The dialogues by Husain and his son Owais are poetical yet may be too philosophical.

Tabu looks like a dream in ethnic outfits and has strived hard to get into the mood of her complex and not so well defined character. Raghuvir Yadav has done his role as the despairing writer portraying his emotions well. The newcomer Kunnal Kapoor leaves an impact

Overall the director has brought out a beautiful visual with no soul.