Chaalbaaz

Having read the previous negative review posted by Gunsha, all i can say is that she seems to have completely missed the point.

Chaalbaaz is an all out entertainer which shows no pretence of being anything other than a wholesome fun family entertainer.

This film has everything that is good about Hindi cinema, excellent songs, dialogue, action and above all side splitting comedy. Sridevi & Rajnikant fans won't be disappointed, as they perform to the height of their iconic status'.

Chaalbaaz is a timeless masterpiece, a text book reference on what Hindi entertainment is. Though the film was made 15 years ago in an era when Shakti Kapoor & Anupam Kher weren't annoying & when Sunny Deol was able to give a restrained performance. It's brand of comic humour, far from appearing stale, comes across just as fresh as when it was 1st made (in fact David Dhawan could learn a thing or two on what REAL comedy is, by watching this). Definitely one of the definitive movies of the 90's.

Classic Scene : Shakti Kapoor mistaking Anupam Kher for the "Ghar ka naukar"

Watch it with friends & prepare to laugh your socks off!

Chaalbaaz review :

Based on the staple plot of twins separating at birth and circumstances leading to role reversals later, it is Sridevi who carries the film on her very capable shoulders, displaying incredible range by playing the alcoholic trickster Manju and her coy and repressed twin sister Anju.

Infact, the two male leads - Sunny Deol and Rajinikanth are mostly relegated to being bystanders getting a few fights and some hilarious one liners. One of them -"Aaj Sunday hai, aaj Sunday hai, toh daru peene ka din hai " mouthed by the thailavar himself has become a way of life for many...but Chaalbaaz is primarily a Sridevi film and she makes the best out of it.

Her sob story to creditors, run-ins with Sunny Deol at a bar where he offers her a drink and beating the hell out of Shakti Kapoor after tricking him in to a massage are some of the film's high points. Coming to that bar scene, the film even in the late 80's was refreshingly unpretentious enough to let a lady enjoy her drinks without attempting to label her or reform her in any way. Bravo!

Director Pankuj Parashar keeps the serious moments to the minimum - the atrocities committed on Anju by her buck toothed uncle (Anupam Kher) are not overdone - and concentrates more on the masti element. Technically too, the movie is impressive and a couple of Laxmikant-Pyarelal's songs score are noteworthy, particularly Sridevi's rain dance in "Naa jaane kahan se aayi hai"

The supporting cast delivers big time - Shakti Kapoor as Battuknath Lallanprasad Malpani is the perfect comic villain, idiotic enough to get robbed by a street beggar (Kader Khan in a two minute unforgettable cameo) and also devious enough to harass Anju to call him her "Balma". Rohini Hattangadi gets to show her evil streak as Amba, Anju's tormentor. The ever dependable Anupam Kher plays the evil uncle Tribhuvan as a criss cross between KN Singh and Mukri.

Undoubtedly, Chaalbaaz provides wholesome entertainment for all ages with Sridevi demonstrating true "Girl Power"...

Recommended watch (or re-watch if you have seen it earlier)!

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

There are so many things that I like in Chaalbaaz, and then, there are so many things because of which I would never want to see it again. I like its craziness but I hate its stupidity. Chaalbaaz is a mere copy of the 1972 classic Seeta Aur Geeta. Clearly, this one is not a patch on Ramesh Sippy's timeless comedy of errors, and well, frankly, the fact that these two films are compared is an insult to Seeta Aur Geeta. Chalbaaz just lacks the latter's excellent script, great humour, music, light comic mood, and of course the performances. Hema Malini's performance is unmatched, and here the director actually turns the twin sisters into some hysteric and mentally unstable damsels in distress. Then there's the element which many people disliked the film for. While the film aims to be a comedy, there's one really disturbing part in it, and it is the way Anju is abused by her uncle and his wife - it is hugely exaggerated, but very often far from funny because not once does it appear downright sadistic. The action sequences are poorly handled and actually there's too much of them.

Sridevi is an excellent actress, but just like with the film, I like and dislike her performance in equal parts. I liked the fact that she evidently highly enjoyed playing her part, I liked her spontaneity, and her neurotic dance numbers were truly outstanding. It is her portrayal of the scared and frightened Anju that I liked more, as she was so intensely involved with the character. The role of Manju, the street smart lost sister, is totally over-the-top. She is not just brave and defensive, but a violent idiot. And it's not Sridevi's fault, she is just let down by the script and forced to ham it up. The leading actors are very average, while the two who actually understand the film's mindless mood and act accordingly are Anupam Kher and Rohini Hattangadi, who are very good and easy to hate. It's of course a masala flick and one should never take it too seriously but then it's not a very good film even as mindless entertainment, and sadly so, because this is the kind of story which could churn out a terrific comedy of errors, a goal this film unfortunately never manages to achieve.

Who so ever is giving less than 10 for this film , can they quote any other comedy acting which is better and more suited to the environment as created in the film? In this film , a comical situation is created more and appropriately comical by the "The Sridevi". This film further enhances the status of her as similar film "Seeta and Geeta" was the inspiration and other than the storyline , none was similar to Seeta and Geeta. Infact Sridevi enhances and creates entire new level of comedy thus inspiring other actors and directors like Madhuri Dixit , Karishma Kapoor , David Dhawan to say the least and none could reach even the 1% of what Sridevi did ? Infact she herself could not emulate until she acted in Judai. It would not be exaggeration to say that she deserves national award for best actress , atleast for comedy.

Sri Devi is at her best in this Hindi comedy/action movie. She plays a dual role and as usual is perfect in both parts ,great supporting actors and a corny but lovable story. Well worth watching.