“Hi I Am Rahul, aur mein 40 saal ka hun” the first line and you know that Shahrukh is not gonna play a college boy falling in love … Thanks Rohit for making this clear in the very first shot.
I hadn’t seen any hindi movie in last 2 weeks, the last Hindi movie i saw was D-Day, and as a SRK & Rohit Shetty fan there was no escape from CHENNAI EXPRESS had to see it and had to see it before everyone else, and thanks to UTV for keeping paid previews because of which i got the chance to see it.
CHENNAI EXPRESS is a story of Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) a 40 year unhitched & unmarried Halwai from Mumbai and Meenamma an extrovert, smart and simple South Indian daughter of a South Indian don. The story begins when Rahul’s grandfather dies and his last wish is that his ashes to be divided in two parts and to be poured half into Ganga & half in Rameshwaram. Rahul has different plans, he wants to go to Goa to get himself hitched but to assure his grandmother he is going to Rameshwaram he boards on Chennai Express, A train in which Meenamma is being escorted by his fathers goons to their village against her will. How Rahul tries to play the good guy and falls into trouble and keeps on getting himself in more trouble from time to time is CHENNAI EXPRESS.
Shahrukh plays Rahul a 40 years old unmarried man from Mumbai who is tired of living life on others term and wants to start living his life on his own. Shahrukh plays a very acceptable character with all the conviction and positive outlook, off late Shahrukh has been experimenting a lot with his roles and characters and we must accept the fact that he has been quite successful at what he has tried. An autistic in My Name is Khan, A South Indian Scientist & Robot in Ra-One & now a COMMON MAN in Chennai Express, you cannot stop loving this character. He’s just like an ordinary man, like you, like me like anyone walking on the street, and thats what makes his character so real. Full marks to Rohit Shetty for portraying Shahrukh as an underdog and a common man despite of the larger than life persona and grand screen presence.
If there is Shahrukh Khan on one hand, we have Deepika on another, is there any role this girl cannot do ?? I doubt. She’s so versatile that you can imagine her as a love of young heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor or the Suave and sober Saif Ali Khan or the legendary Shahrukh Khan shes an all rounder. Deepika plays a superb character of Meenamma, who, i am confused is Tamil or Malayalam as her accent is Malayali cum Tamil, anyways thats not the point, Deepika carries herself so well that anyone who does not see Hindi movies will believe that Deepika is some South Indian actress working in Hindi Movie. Her pair with Shahrukh in Om Shanti Om was a shocker which collected praises from the audience, then this is not exception.
The remaining characters are almost like fillers and don’t have any exceptional job to do Sathyaraj as Deepika’s father is far from a fearsome Don but Nikitan Dheer as Thangabali is the right choice for a South Indian villain with his get up and his physical presence he really looks scary and could easily beat up the hero. No other characters are of any prime importance in the movie besides these 4.
Rohit Shetty is the real hero of this film. With complete flavour of south Rohit has pulled off yet another masala entertainer for the Single Screen as well as the Multiplex audience. He has started a new genre in Indian Film Industry “Rohit Shetty Type of Film”, they have everything in proper dose and keeps the audience entertained from start to end.
Few scenes in the movie are really noteworthy, The DDLJ train entry scene, the Antakshari Conversation between Shahrukh & Deepika, the Nokia Phone Ad and scene post 1234 song are all very funny . The only disappointments are 1.) slow 2nd half 2.) too many songs pushed in it 3.) Movie rests on SRK & Deepika’s shoulder only and 4.) No known faces except Priyamani(item Song) from South Indian film industry despite of being South based film. Music by Vishal Shekhar is very good especially 1,2,3,4 Get On The Dance Floor, Lungi Dance, Titli & Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari are hummable and remain with you and grow on you.
On the whole CHENNAI EXPRESS is a good movie to watch with your family this long weekend and enjoy yourself, don’t ask why and how just feel entertained and enjoy yourself, Shahrukh & Deepika are not only the backbone but the whole body of the movie. Its funny has good action, simple and believable story, good but unnecessary songs and a lot of Rohit Shettyism. So if you are not going to any hill station to get drenched in the rain then enjoy the ride of CHENNAI EXPRESS.
My rating 3.5 / 5 (-1/2 for slow second half , -1/2 for too many songs in second half, -1/2 for putting the whole movie on Shahrukh & deepika and not having any good characters)
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