Aug 26, 2006 09:37 PM
4473 Views
(Updated Aug 28, 2006 09:02 AM)
Some movies aren't meant to be extremely successful or even extremely maligned. They are meant to be plain mediocre, and that's the category where CHUP CHUP KE lies. Unfortunately, the director (Priyadarshan), is a name who is most definitely far away from the word 'mediocre'. Thus the disappointment that one gets after catching a movie like CCK.
Why is CHUP CHUK KE mediocre? The answer is several reasons. First and foremost, its release date was all wrong. What was Priyan thinking when he released this movie with PHIR HERA PHERI, sequel to a super successful movie (HERA PHERI) he himself once made. Secondly, the starcast of the movie was a routine for a comic caper. No new names were tried. Agreed that Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Razzak Khan etc. are very talented comedians. But Priyan is far more talented than diectors like Karan Johar who rely on a few certain names. Just as in GARAM MASALA he gave John Abraham and three new girls their first comic break, he could've tried more people to do the trick in CCK as well. Agreed that Neha Dhupia was given a chance, but then again her role wasn't all that significant.
The biggest deterrent of CCK though, undoubtedly, is its extremely terrible second half. After a decent start, the movie fails completely in the second half. Just when one feels the reels should stop rolling ('Dil Vich' song), an unwanted conflict is dealt with which takes about half an hour extra. The movie stretches so long that the viewer begins hating everything about it. Kept simply, one can't believe Priyan was directing the second half.
CCK is a story of an indebted loser Jeetu (Shahid) who is in no position to pay off his creditors. One day, his frustration prompts him to commit suicide so that the creditors can claim insurance money after his death. Rather, he is saved from drowning by two fishermen (Paresh, Rajpal) who in turn hand him over to their creditors as a proof that they will return their creditors' money. The lead creditor (Om Puri) keeps Jeetu in his house as the mute nephew of Paresh. There, a series of events leads to Jeetu's real identity being revealed to everyone. The drama thereafter is what CCK is all about.
Basically, the movie highlights the struggle one faces while in debt. Priyan certainly delivers the message in a humorous way. Hats off for an extremely entertaining, Priyan brand, first half. The post interval is awaited keenly, though it disappoints and how. The second half is a complete loser as it unfolds at a lethargic pace. Half an hour into the second half, the major conflict is resolved and the viewer feels the climax has already come and gone. Then why extend the movie to address unwanted conflicts? Can't believe, as I said before, that Priyan has been sitting on the director's seat.
But afterall, being a Priyan movie, CCK does get a few things right. The music by Himesh Reshammiya is enjoyable. 'Shab-e-Firaq' leads the way while the rest too are passable. The screenplay during the initial reels deserves mention. Choreography of all the songs is fabulous. So is the presentation of both Kareena and Neha.
CCK belongs to Paresh Rawal. Just as in any other Priyan movie, Paresh takes charge and steals the show all the way. Not only does his comic timing go really well with his character, but also his simplicity to carry the role without going overboard is what makes it all the more effective. Rajpal Yadav does adequately while Om Puri too is among the best performers in the movie, as usual. Suniel Shetty is efficient while Neha Dhupia not only looks very beautiful but carries her role off very well. How one wishes that more of her was seen in the movie!
Kareena Kapoor does extremely well in a role that she would be thought off as miscast a few years ago with her over-the-top image. Here, however, she proves yet again that she's the future top actress in Bollywood. Now the battle of the two Sh. Kapoors? What is that supposed to mean? Shakti vs. Shahid. Believe me, even Shakti does better than Shahid. The lesser said the better as far as Shahid is concerned. He should at least stay away from comic genres and focus more on developing himself in more serious roles.
Overall, CCK is a major disappointment due to a long-drawn second half. On the BO it was an average and did good business in UK. However, it hasn't left a lasting impression on its audience the way its predecessors (NO ENTRY, GARAM MASALA, PHIR HERA PHERI) did.
