Inspired or Copied films have always discouraged me to write about them in length. But once in a while comes a film which though is not an original, but still remains a descent one having some new entertaining additions in its script, which keep the viewers hooked for most of its duration. CHALO DILLI is also one of those very few films which compel you to praise them despite the fact that they are clearly inspired. The last movie which gave me a similar kind of feeling was the well directed “Taxi No. 9-2-11” (2006) which was largely based on “Changing Lanes” (2002).
The film revolves around the unplanned journey of two opposite sex strangers who come from a completely different background and are forced to live one night and day together in absence of any other choice. Lara Dutta is a happily married rich corporate business woman, habitual of living an up-standard life and Vinay Pathak is a middle class ladies garments shop owner in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. They together give you a nice enjoyable fun ride in the theaters with some predictable but still funny realistic stuff which more or less keeps you engaged. Particularly the film never lets you down in the first half but in the second it does have a drop in the pace and drags. Yet, after watching its superb emotional climax you don’t mind its minor drawbacks and just want to remember the movie with a smile.
However the fact remains that CHALO DILLI lifts its main plot and many of its major initial sequences, all from the English Hit “PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES” released in 1987. To be specific, the part played by Steve Martin in the Original is played by Lara Dutta in the Hindi version and the role of John Candy is played by Vinay Pathak. In a very silly and childish manner, the film starts exactly with the same sequence as seen in the English flick where in a corporate meeting the boss is trying to select an advertisement campaign for his product. And then till the next few reels the film blindly follows its inspiration without any major changes. For instance, Lara getting late for her flight, the first meeting of the couple in the traffic jam, the change in flight schedules, Lara deciding to go by budget class, they both meeting again in the plane, the plane landing at a different destination due to some problem (Jaipur instead of Delhi), Lara taking a taxi for Delhi and then they both sharing the same taxi incidentally on their way to Delhi. Everything is taken as it is from PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES. Interestingly another recently released English film titled DUE DATE (2010) also is said to be based on this Steve Martin’s movie too.
So, where it doesn’t excite me to write about CHALO DILLI anymore due to its Copied status, at the same time I am also willing to praise its highly impressive climax which will be both shocking as well as enlightening for all the viewers with a rightly pumping heart in their bodies. In fact the final part of the film has a power to transform even the coldest heart in the theater and I am always a little biased with movies having that kind of power of changing a person in them. So, if you are game for such life-inspiring content then do watch it for sure.
Director Shashant Shah uses many close to real life instances in the film perfectly. Like the sequence of the couple’s early journey by taxi having a sleepy driver, a late night dinner at the road side Dhaba, their ticket less journey in the train, their stay in the weird Red Tomato Palace and few more. He also uses Delhi and its reference to build up a north Indian ambience effectively (as the capital is at present the hot favourite spot for all Bollywood film-makers). But I only wish Shashant had not copied the overall concept of his film blatantly from the one mentioned above and had cleared his name from such uncreative controversy.
The film purely depends upon the refreshing performances of its two lead characters Lara Dutta and Vinay Pathak who alone make the project watchable and entertaining. Lara shows another side of her talent and that’s her excellent comic timing evidently visible in this film. She is simply great along with the amazing Vinay Pathak who has become a pro in acting for such kind of roles (though a little repetitive too). He is really superb as the Old Delhi shop-keeper and I truly loved him in the last 10 minutes of the film. In the supporting cast Brijendra Kala as the TC is the best and Akshay Kumar looks cool in his climax cameo.
The film doesn’t have any great songs and the Cinematography is also just fine. But it’s the light mood of the film which wins you over in the end and you really don’t mind spending your money and time on this enjoyable ride.
As an undisclosed inspired or copied movie, as always I am not willing to vouch for CHALO DILLI. But only because it has got something which can bring up a positive change in a person’s attitude towards life…….I would like to recommend it to all my readers for this weekend. Go have a nice entertaining ride with the charming Lara and the witty Vinay saying CHALO DILLI.
Ratings : 3 / 5 (0.5 more only for its positive climax)
(From now onwards would be rating the inspired movies too as requested by many friends)
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