Chandni Chowk To China Movie Review

Perhaps, Chandni Chowk to China has nothing phenomenal, but a timeworn script of a coward transcending into a hero, and an estranged family getting unified. Producers promoted CC2C as 'First Ever Bollywood Kung Fu comedy' and for your kind information, the flick doesn't possess top-notching humorous elements or the splendid Kung-Fu you would expect. Well, you've them in bits 'n' pieces amidst of a very long show, running for 160 minutes. Sluggish screenplay blended with lots of ridiculous factors does get you annoyed and Nikil could have cut the duration short thereby favoring him.

Despite Akki, Ramesh Sippy, Warner Bros and biggies together on the lead, the flick doesn't surmount your expectations. Above all, the most disappointing attribute is that we don't get to see spell-binding stunts choreographed by Huen Chiu-Ku. Naturally, everyone expected there to be ones like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Kill Bill” Volmes. 1 and 2 and "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor". Again, it's all about dashing down our hopes.

A masala film is always welcome. In fact, two desi films [RAB NE BANA DI JODI and GHAJINI] have been lapped up by the junta in a big way, but CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is an unbearable masala fare that insults the intelligence of the moviegoer.

The problem with CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is that it lacks a watertight screenplay to keep you glued for those 2.45 hours. Agreed, you don't look for logic and reason in hardcore potboilers, but the least the director and his team of writers could do is provide loads of entertainment. Sadly, writers Shridhar Raghavan and Rajat Aroraa make mincemeat of a plot that had the potential to woo viewers from Chandni Chowk to China to Chicago to Cape Town.

Our protagonist Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) is the lowest on the totem pole, cutting vegetables at a roadside food stall in Chandni Chowk in Delhi. He longs to escape his dreary existence and looks for shortcuts- with astrologers, tarot readers and fake fakirs - believing anything except himself, despite his father figure Dada's (Mithun Chakraborty) best efforts. His redeeming moment arrives when two strangers from China claim him as a reincarnation of a war hero in the past and take him to China. Sidhu now dreams of wine, women, and a princely existence in foreign lands. Thanks to the devious translator, a conman by the name Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey), little does he know that he is being taken to the Promised Land to rid the Chinese village of the vicious smuggler Hojo (Gordon Liu)!

Therefore, Sidhu blissfully sets forth to China with Chopstick who instigates dreams of a delicious future and forgets to reveal the perils, which await him. Along the way, he meets Sakhi (Deepika Padukone), Ms. Tele Shoppers Media (Ms. TSM) who has embarked on a journey to pay homage to the land of her birth and her dead father and twin. Initially, Sidhu through a series of lucky coincidences manages to sidestep being beaten by Hojo's men but finally Hojo catches up with him and exposes him as the country buffoon that he really is. Sidhu has the fire of revenge in his belly and finds the one man who will make him a Kung Fu expert and set the village free. Armed with his Sifu (master), faith in himself and the love of the fair Sakhi, Sidhu sets forth to conquer all!

On face-value, what do you expect from CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA? Laughter unlimited, great martial arts, a glimpse of China. But what's served on the platter is so insipid, so lame, so senseless that you wonder if there was a script in the first place. The comic scenes [that make you laugh] are few and far between. The scenes depicting martial arts are hardly exciting. Also, barring the Great Wall of China, don't expect China darshan here!

There are big holes in the script. Sample these... * How and why do the two oppressed Chinese men suddenly land up in Chandni Chowk in Delhi? Also, how do they zero on Ranvir Shorey? No explanations offered. * Deepika's track of visiting China is trite. Wasn't the twin-sister, an infant, thrown off the Great Wall of China? How did Gordon Liu suddenly decide to bring her up? * Similarly, Deepika's father was also pushed from the Great Wall, but he survives. Akshay too is beaten black and blue and thrown off [coincidentally, from the same place -- Great Wall], but is rescued mid-air by Deepika's father. Miracles never cease to occur, must add.

Nothing to blame on star-casts for they stride with their best spells. Akshay Kumar getting back to pavilion with action-hero is over the top and comedy sense is a splendid show. But, he gets stripped out with an inadequate script. A newfangled Deepika Padukone on dual role steals the show, especially on the characterization of 'Meow-Meow'. Alas! There's nothing such as romance so-touching between Akki and Deepika, blame Nikil Advani for that.

Gordon Liu strikes with a mind-boggling performance. Be it his gestures or his scaring stare, they're awesome. Mithun Chakraborthy with his minimal role makes a good impression (As in his previous flick 'Yuvvraaj'. Ranvir Shorey with his clichéd acting wins appreciations emoting stupendously on all situations.

On the whole, Chandni Chowk to China would have been better if Nikil had penned a substantial screenplay that could've got our attentions from getting scattered. Apart from a few hilarious scenes and Kung Fu (Especially Roti-rolling style), the flick lacks finesse.

Movie Ratings : **