Aashayein

Rahul Sharma, John Abraham, is a compulsive gambler who, in a single betting spree, wins 30 million rupees. That night he asks his girlfriend, Nafisa, Sonal Sehgal, to marry him, and she agrees. Right after this, Rahul collapses.

The next day a medical test reveals he has cancer. He cannot quite grasp the news, and in the middle of the night he runs down a street screaming, certain that he has only months to live. That same night, he spots a newspaper ad for a rehabilitation centre designed for people with incurable diseases to spend their last days in some semblance of peace. In a rush of desperation, Rahul runs away from his fiancée, leaving most of the money he earned for her.

At the rehabilitation centre, Rahul meets a diverse group of residents who become his companions on this unlikely journey. Parthasarthi, Girish Karnad, speaks through an electrolarynx because of his cancer; Madhu, Farida Jalal, a former prostitute who is living with AIDS; Padma, Anaitha Nair, a teenage girl with big dreams but who is physically hindered and cannot walk properly; and Govinda, Ashwin Chitale, a cheerful kid who is believed to have special abilities and is regarded by others as a messenger of God. Over time, Rahul forms genuine bonds with each of them, and these relationships begin to shape his outlook on life.

After a bad coughing spell, Rahul becomes weak and collapses in Govinda’s room. The next day, Govinda offers him mangoes and tells him a story that mirrors Rahul’s own dreams. Rahul imagines himself as Indiana Jones, on a quest to recover his lost whip, which is locked away in a box within a palace of death. To gain the key to that box, he must free many souls who are trapped in chains. In this vision, Rahul sees Parthasarthi, Madhu, and others as the locked spirits, with Padma as the motivating spirit urging him forward.

Gradually, Rahul realizes that the true key to unlocking the spirits lies in his own heart and love. He stages a beach program with Padma, featuring a band that sings about living in the present. The performance includes a appearance by Shreyas Talpade as the lead singer. During this event, Rahul asks everyone to write down one wish and place it in a pot. He and Padma exchange their wishes, and together they create the Wish Fairy Club, dedicated to fulfilling the residents’ desires.

A delicate romance begins between Rahul and Padma, but Rahul chooses restraint, resisting a physical relationship. Padma, angered by this, removes her wig to reveal her bald head, a consequence of her illness. Padma’s condition continues to worsen, and Rahul searches for her wish pot, only to discover that her final wish is to share a kiss with him. He honors her wish, kissing Padma as she passes away in that moment.

In the wake of Padma’s death, Rahul finds an Indiana Jones costume and a whip in the Wish Fairy Club closet—gifts that Padma had provided. Rahul’s own health continues to deteriorate, and Nafisa re-enters the story. It is revealed that Padma had called Nafisa before she died and asked her to look after Rahul. Govinda then continues the tale, and Rahul becomes consumed with finding a map that would lead him to a waterfall capable of curing his cancer. He discovers that the waterfall lies near a resort in the Himalayas, a place that had always been Rahul’s grandest dream.

The film closes with Rahul and Nafisa leaving the rehabilitation centre, setting off on a journey toward the Himalayan resort to drink the healing waters of the waterfall, a quest that holds the promise of hope for Rahul’s life.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:55