Cheeni Kum (Movie Review)

After doses of well-deserving hoopla and a strategic leverage of Illayaraja’s tunes for the promos, I was finally cajoled into watching the show. Could not accept more that the film does make it to the viewers’ heart.

What’s Special?
There are only countable flicks in bollywood, hollywood or any other self-proclaimed wood with such a sweet pass-over through one’s heart. This one certainly qualifies to be one of them. Very conveniently, Cheeni Kum is certainly NOT one of those age-less love movies where two awkwardly sex-starved protogonists – one male and a female – with extravagantly ridiculous age-gaps, break into lecherous deeds in the name of love. (Offline - Nishabd was an awkward experience; as awkward as a woman wearing a nightie and doing gymnastics)

Maestro’s tamil tunes, re-conditioned to contemporize with the bollywood frames, does more than justice to the movie. Songs and bits are a treat for the ears and definitely a plus-point for the movie. Illayaraja lovers will certainly love him more.

Needless to mention about the cinamatographer (PCS) whose images you would carry with you (free-of-cost) while going home - remember those Mani Ratnam walas? - And Balki’s presentation style and character-usage are awesome too.

What’s There On The Menu?
Big B has more to offer to Tabu than his Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulav – the same scrwed-up pulav, which triggers an affair between him and Tabu. One can clearly see Big B’s striking metamorphosis during his trysts with her. With each frame moving past, Big B looks younger and you won’t realise it until he barefacedly stops by a drug store to buy condoms and some variant of sildenafil citrate (Boost is not always the secret of one’s energy ;-)

Tabu (Watta comeback!) with her intelligent looks, naughty advances and flirting disposition, skillfully manages to cast a spell on the confirmed bachelor by victimising him to her charms. Big B shamelessly allows his treasured-for-64-years arrogance and self-respecting temperament to neatly melt down before 34-from-inside-24-from-outside Tabu’s sex appeals. If you are a guy (marital status does not matter), I am sure at some point of time during the 2-odd hours of run, you would certainly fall in love with her. Do notice the way she grins at Big B’s embarassments with her tactfully interlocked jaws.

And yes, there is this Leukamia cutie – 9-year old little girl named ‘sexy’ who has a ridiculously shorter life-expectancy but a justifiably longer tongue - and appears more matured than Big B. Her voice, delivery style, philosophical questioning, untimely humour and excessive desire to watch porn flicks are like chopped onions for your pav-bhajji.

Mannerless Zohra Sehgal, age 85 (still counting) attempts at being the youngest of all and demonstrates her chemistry with Big B as a mother quite well. And funny too.

Last but not the least, a Cricket fanatic-cum-Gandhian-cum-Father-cum-Father-in-law role was well portrayed by Paresh Rawal. A pakka Gandhivaadhi, yet a non-vegeterian, who so badly condemns the couple’s intimacy that he goes on a hunger-strike to express his disapproval.

Salt and Pepper?
The evolution of intimacy between Big B and Tabu via result-oriented flirting, includes but not limited to, good techniques for those who are flirtlingly-challenged and are sincerely willing to learn the art of flirting.
Big B’s reactions and embarassments during his stint with Paresh Rawal makes the second half more interesting and generates relatively more chuckles in the cine hall.
Customer Feedback:Overall, a delicious cuisine which you would swallow first then chew over after coming out of the hall. Big B’s acting influences and Tabu’s charms are as dominating as a vada in Vada-Pav...

Afterall what’s in a Vada-pav without a Vada?

My rating: Something between 3.5 and 4, out of 5.

Enough read, now go watch it.

(You can also read this here:-)