Chilli Chicken is about a group of migrants working at a restaurant named Noodle Home, owned by Adarsh. The owner is ambitious to open a bigger restaurant named Noodle Palace but being ambitious isn't enough to make ones dream come true. The migrant workers from north east, Khaba, Ajoy, Jimpa and Jason live together, having a close bond. The film presents their lives in Bengaluru, how they try to fit in despite the city still treating them as outsiders including Adarsh. What happens when tragedy strikes and selfishness takes over, forms rest of the story.
Prateek Prajosh is indeed a director to look out for and kudos for him to being genuine to his script. He doesn't lose focus on these characters and the entire first half is dedicated to showcasing their way of life. Their bonding is what makes us stay connected to them, even with Adarsh. They are surrounded by equally relatable characters and this helps in taking the journey through their lives, building the story for second half. Once the tragedy strikes, the true nature of the individuals get explored.
There were two things which I wasn't fully on board with. One being the podcast bit and it plays the major role in the final act but it didn't have the intended impact. Second was the fight at the party which again was inevitable but the way it happened needed some easing into. Thankfully the performances ensure it to be a worthy watch and choosing to not over dramatize any of these characters was a masterstroke. This helped these characters realistic and in turn pass on the important message in the end. Overall, Chilli Chicken is a compelling tale of north east migrants trying to make a living in a far off city which seems to welcome everyone inspite of some miscreants trying to seek attention.
