Chalo Dilli

Chalo Dilli (2011, India, Shashant Shah)

The past few years have produced some engaging Indian films shot exclusively in New Delhi. Films such as Khosla Ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Band Baaja Baaraat, Love, Sex Aur Dhoka, Do Dooni Chaar and No One Killed Jessica portrayed interesting stories that were superior in quality to the average Bollywood film and were still accessible to a multiplex crowd. These films proved that audience do not have to “leave their brains at the door” to enjoy a film. Although these six films varied in quality and style, the only thing they had in common was their New Delhi setting. Now Shashant Shah’s Chalo Dilli shows that a good film does not have to be set in Delhi but just needs to have Delhi mentioned in the title. As per the title which translates to "Let’s go Delhi", the film is about a journey to the Nation’s capital. The film takes the familiar comedic framework of pairing two opposite personalities on a road journey shown in Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Due Date to elicit laughs. However, Chalo Dilli is also infused with the charm and energy of Jab We Met but reverses the male-female characters from Imtiaz Ali’s film and eliminates any romantic angle between the duo. The real driving force of Chalo Dilli is Vinay Pathak’s brilliant performance. Pathak is a delight in any film he does and brings plenty of energy and charm to his roles. He steals the show when he is given main roles such as in Dasvidaniya (also directed by Shashant Shah) or Bheja Fry and even manages to liven a film despite having a small role. Pathak’s character of Bobby was the best thing about an awful film like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Pathak is at his best in Chalo Dilli with a character that is equally charming and annoying. His positive upbeat character is a perfect ploy to the negative attitude of Mihika, played by Lara Dutta. The differences between the two characters is as diverse as that between Poppy (Sally Hawkins) and Scott (Eddie Marsan) in Happy-Go-Lucky.

Chalo Dilli is a predictable film that navigates within a familiar framework used in many commercial Bollywood films but Shashant Shah shows that it is still possible to make a smart film within that confined framework. In that regard, Chalo Dilli is an essential film in helping to draw indian audience away from the commercial junk of Bollywood. There is nothing difficult about Chalo Dilli and it is a film that can appeal to anyone used to a multiplex feature but it is without the vulgarity or substandard qualities seen in majority of Bollywood comedies, such as those that populate any Anees Bazmee or Sajid Khan feature. For safe measure, Chalo Dilli has a completely needless item number featuring Yana Gupta just to ensure that audience who need a song to digest their film can have no excuse to stay away. Also, film lovers used to seeing only “big stars” in their Indian films cannot complain either as Chalo Dilli does indeed have a “big star” whose character makes an appearance late on to save the day. However, despite being an accessible enjoyable film, it is a safe bet to assume that audience will causally pass over Chalo Dilli or treat it with a shrug of the shoulder and say that the film "theek hai" (ok) and is nothing to get excited about while eagerly rushing to watch substandard Bollywood fare.

Delhi story

Do Dooni Chaar (2010, India, Habib Faisal)

Mumbai manufactures celluloid dreams while Delhi serves up cinematic reality dressed up in fictional clothing. Such is the conclusion derived from a handful of Delhi based films in the last few years, starting with Dibakar Banerjee's 2006 film Khosla Ka Ghosla to 2011’s No One Killed Jessica. There is a reason why Delhi would be responsible for showcasing reality. While Mumbai is home to Bollywood and the vast film making industry, Delhi has no film industry. So if a filmmaker wants to set a film in the nation's capital, then they do so with a specific story in mind. The success of the filmmaker's work depends on how well they integrate a story within Delhi's landscape and let the authenticity of the city engulf the characters. Habib Faisal has done a magnificent job in dipping his film Do Dooni Chaar throughly in Delhi’s way of life and as a result, he has given a true voice to a section of Indian society that rarely gets screen time anymore -- the middle class.

Plenty of magazines and books talk about India’s growing middle class and their new found purchasing power, but in recent decades when Bollywood and Foreign movies have given India a cinematic treatment their cameras have remained fixated on just a few rungs of Indian society. Bollywood’s tales focus mostly on the wealthy who lives are preoccupied by flying to foreign locales and falling in love or showcase stories that take root in slums and follow the emergence of a hero or gangster. Also, Bollywood ignores mainstream society altogether and focuses on the parallel economy powered by the underworld and its association with politicians and corrupt lawmen. Sometimes, the middle class gets a toe in but for the most part they are relegated to the sidelines. Yet, the section of Indian society that is most talked about nowadays is also the least represented in contemporary cinematic coverage. One reason for such limited coverage is that the middle class is such a vast label that encompasses multiple professions and millions of people. The label ranges from members of society who just manage to acquire a concrete roof over their heads to citizens with a measly income of a few thousand rupees a month to those with 5 digit monthly salaries who own multiples houses/apartments. A single film cannot manage to cover all such diverse cases but Habib Faisal has used one family’s experiences as a case study to examine larger issues.

The Duggals are an average middle class family struggling to make ends meet and depend primarily on a single source of income. Santosh (Rishi Kapoor, brilliant) is a school teacher whose meagre income is hardly enough to afford the family modern day luxuries such as a car. So his trusty scooter (moped) is his sole mode of transport much to the shame of his two kids and even sister-in-law. The sister-in-law insists that for once the family arrive in a car for a family wedding so that she does not have to endure further humiliation. Santosh decides to borrow his neighbour Farooqui’s (Akhilendra Mishra) car but since Santosh is not a confident driver, his daughter Payal (Aditi Vasudev) takes the wheel. Farooqui is worried about his car’s safety but despite an extraordinary wedding trip complete with having the car stolen and then recovered via a bribe, the Duggals manage to bring the car safely back to the colony. However, the car gets dented during parking and that damage leads to an altercation with Farooqui’s wife. Kusum Duggal (brilliantly played by Neetu Singh) pays more than enough to cover the damages but the insults don’t stop there. Santosh cannot stand the humiliation any further and makes an impulsive claim to own a car within 15 days. However, Santosh quickly realizes that he cannot buy a car in his teacher’s salary. His daughter Payal proposes to chip in after she finds out that a job in a call center would bring in a decent amount to contribute for a car down payment. But Santosh refuses her offer and wants Payal to focus on her studies. Instead, both Santosh and Kusum debate about honesty and morals after a student offers a substantial bribe to get a passing grade.

Santosh and Kusum lead a simple honest way of life which is why the bribe presents a dilemma. On one hand, the extra money could solve their immediate problems yet that would mean going against everything that the two of them have worked for in their lives. To complicate matters, a popular reality tv show’s sting operations catching people taking bribes gives Santosh nightmares after his son Sandeep’s (Archit Krishna) shocking admission of a cricket gambling habit and the arrest of Sandeep’s broker on that same reality show. Santosh is convinced if he were to navigate down the wrong path, he would be unmasked on the tv show.

The Duggals may be fictional creations but their plight is completely real and by shooting the movie on location in Delhi, Habib Faisal has created a story that could take place in any Delhi colony on a daily basis. Across Delhi, Middle class public school teachers or government employees struggle to make money while their children have the opportunity to earn more in one month than what the parents make in a year. The source of such income for the children comes via working in call centers or other jobs for multinational companies in the private sector. This imbalance in the incomes of two generations especially for families living under the same roof poses a unique set of challenges. By portraying Do Dooni Chaar in a charming humorous manner, Habib Faisal ensures such relevant issues are presented in an accessible manner without compromising the film’s intelligent beating heart.

Rishi Kapoor is in perfect form and gives the best acting performance seen in any Indian film in 2010. Neetu Singh used to portray memorable characters in Indian cinema through the late 1970’s and early 1980’s but she stepped away from films in 1983. She had a comeback via a small role in 2009’s Love Aaj Kaal but Do Dooni Chaar reminds of her acting talent and is proof that the craft never leaves a true artist. Do Dooni Chaar was easily the best Indian film of 2010 yet it was also one that was rarely seen. It certainly deserves a wider audience and hopefully it will get that in 2011.

Note: Habib Faisal had quite a year in 2010 as Do Dooni Chaar marked his directorial debut and he also penned the screenplay for Band Baaja Baaraat, another charming Delhi based film.

Band Baaja Baaraat -- Dilli Delights

Band Baaja Baaraat (2010, India, Maneesh Sharma)

Maneesh Sharma makes an impressive debut with Band Baaja Baaraat, a film that does the tough job of beautifully portraying Delhi's charm while also juggling an engaging relationship tale. Now, showcasing Delhi's charm is not an easy task to pull off and traditionally the city has been underrepresented in Indian cinema. Mumbai is the home of Bollywood and amply depicted by both Indian and foreign directors, while Kolkata forms the hub of Bengali directors and often seems to catch the eye of other Indian filmmakers seeking to add a historic charm to their stories. The exotic beauty of Goa and Jaipur is also nicely captured by Indian directors while for the most part Delhi’s cinematic presence is restricted to a few token shots of India Gate, Qutab Minar, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Chandni Chowk. Of course, Delhi’s cinematic shyness can be understood to some extent as it is not a city that openly seduces any visitor on a first glance. In fact, the almost always grayish city appears to be designed to push away a first time visitor as it does not possess the vibrancy of Mumbai, the beaches of Goa or the opulent palaces of Jaipur nor does it boast a central core where the best of the city is on display. The circular Connaught Place may be a busy visiting center but it does not possess an immediate wow factor. On the other hand, the charm of Connaught Place is discovered by spending time, walking from block to block, and unearthing some precious treasure tucked away in a corner. That patient examination is required for the rest of the city as well. The true charms of Delhi are locked away in individual urban areas/colonies located hours apart and discovering the true beauty of the city requires time and energy that most visitors may not be able to afford. When one reaches a colony then one has to take time to discover a magnificent bookstore, a marvelous dhaba or a charming restaurant. On top of that, Delhi is a city that is haunted by history at almost every corner. Like Rome, Delhi’s past in the form of ruins oversee the millions traveling across the city every day. Such history is easily overlooked when one is crawling through the city’s numerous traffic packed lanes.

Thankfully over the last decade, Delhi has gotten a closer cinematic look. Mira Nair portrays a bit of the city’s beauty in Monsoon Wedding, Dibakar Banerjee’s trio of films, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye and Love, Sex aur Dhokha are wholly rooted in Delhi’s essence, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti captures some of the city’s youthful attitude and energy, Siddharth Anand Kumar & Ankur Tewari’s Let’s Enjoy perfectly depicts the farmhouse party scene in Delhi and Anand Kumar’s Jugaad puts a humorous spin on the real issue of sealing commercial shops in Delhi and accurately shows how things can still get done despite obstructions. Ofcourse, not all Delhi based films have worked out too well. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi 6 did not have the authentic feel like Rang De Basanti did while Anand Kumar’s Delhii Heights could not move beyond weakly etched characters living in apartment complexes of Gurgaon. If a filmmaker has to make a good film about Delhi, then they must be willing to embrace the city's beauty and ugliness while accurately portraying characters raised in the city’s essence.

Maneesh Sharma has done his homework and as a result his Band Baaja Baaraat can now add its name to films that do Delhi justice and in a sense his film contains a tiny spirit of the above films. BBB combines the energy of Rang De Basanti, the wedding element of Monsoon Wedding, true Dilli dialogue/characters of Dibakar Banerjee’s films, the farmhouses of Let’s Enjoy and the improvisational aspect of Jugaad.

The tagline of Band Baaja Baaraat is “Shadi aapki, tension hamaari” (your wedding, our tension). Now all weddings are a tense affair but a wedding in Delhi brings an extra set of challenges. Delhi's wedding season is just a few months long and based on the auspicious dates given by a priest, only a handful of dates get the biggest number of weddings per year. For example, back on Dec 13 2006, 30,000 weddings were held in a single day and in 2010, the added lure of Valentine’s day & an auspicious date meant that 16,000 weddings were held on Feb 14 alone. Such high numbers stand out but in reality, it is quite common to find thousands of weddings taking place on a single day each wedding season. In a city of more than 13 million people, this huge number of weddings on a single day creates an extra burden on the road systems especially since the shortage of wedding venues requires people to travel from one end of the city to another, not to mention the multiple baaraats and bands also attempting to make their way across the city. On top of that, a lot of the priests and wedding bands are double or triple booked for the same time slot. It is not uncommon to find priests rushing from one wedding to another and band’s arriving late to a wedding because of their other commitments. In such scenarios, holding a wedding in Delhi is a massive challenging affair. So the story of wedding planners set in Delhi makes complete sense.

Band Baaja Baaraat highlights some of the challenges of holding shaadis in either tight alleys of Delhi or in large lavish Sainik farmhouses. With all the challenges, the only way a wedding can be successful is with a degree of improvisation and this is accurately shown in Sharma’s film. One example illustrated is when the wedding planners hit a hurdle in trying to find a caterer within a budget, they get a valid tip from Maqsood (Neeraj Sood) the flowerist. Such tips are common in Delhi where it seems a marriage cannot take place without depending on a contact’s contact. The wedding details are shown in a humorous yet accurate manner but the film really shines in its depiction of the relationship between the two lead characters of Shruti and Bittoo (played brilliantly by Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh respectively). There was a time in the late 1970’s and 1980’s when Yash Chopra’s films went beneath the surface to get at the core of a relationship but ever since his son Aditya Chopra entered the frame in the mid 1990’s, relationships shown in Yash Raj films are all superficial and restricted to cute infatuations. However, the ugly nasty side of relationships is remarkably shown in BBB. After Shruti & Bittoo end up sleeping together, their relationship gets naturally complicated. A difference in expectation leads to a conflict where the two end up becoming bitter enemies and end up at each other’s throats like a married couple. Yet, even in their moments of hatred, the two are able to work side by side with each other because of their strong friendship. A good friendship is essential to any successful relationship and in this regard, Shruti and Bittoo’s interactions make sense. The two are able to work so well because they are aware of each other's likes and dislikes. Throughout the film, the two characters behave according to their personalities and as a result, everything that occurs in the film is entirely believable and does not require a leap of faith.

BBB also shines on the musical front. With the exception of the Dum Dum Song, all the other musical numbers have a place in the film. The opening credit song perfectly lays the framework for the two character’s history and gives us an idea about their personalities. Most Bollywood films spend three hours covering the same ground the opening credit sequence does in a matter of minutes. The title song is perfectly used to increase the tempo of the film and Ainvayi Ainvayi is an infectious dance number.

However, Dum Dum is out of place although it is a lavish over the top number found in a Karan Johar or Aditya Chopra film. If the price of making a fine film like BBB means having a throw away song, then it is a small price to pay.

It is indeed a pleasant surprize to find a wonderful film can still be made from a first time director embedded in the current Bollywood studio model but interestingly, Yash Raj Films have previously given another new director a chance to shine. In Chak De India, partly shot in Delhi, Shimit Amin was allowed to freely move his camera around the newcomer actresses and was not required to ensure the camera stayed focused only on Shah Rukh Khan. BBB remarkably does away with any big stars, with Anushka Sharma the only recognizable face and this is only her third film, after she made her debut opposite SRK in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Lastly, Band Baaja Baaraat also shows that it is entirely possible to make an entertaining film without requiring the audience to “leave their brains at the door.”

Oye second hit film oye!!

Dibakar Banerjee made a stunning feature film debut in 2006 with the wonderful Khosla Ka Ghosla. Khosla.. was a rare cinematic commodity -- an intelligent comedy! No slapstick, no vulgarity and no toilet humor, something most comedies, especially Bollywood flicks, often resort to. And Khosla.. also managed another remarkable feat in capturing the essence of New Delhi perfectly -- accents, behavior of people, attitudes, routines and even the housing scams. New Delhi hardly gets any screen attention in Indian films or even foreign films shot in India, so it was refreshing to see a director and writer (Jaideep Sahni) do justice to the complicated urban jungle that is Delhi.

So after a wonderful debut, could Dibakar’s second feature Oye Lucky Lucky Oye repeat the magic again?

The answer is a firm YES! Oye Lucky Lucky Oye is not only intelligent and funny but it once again captures the lifestyle of Delhi perfectly. The film does contain a tag that it is inspired by real life events and given the story of a small time robber, it is believable that someone could have managed so many burglaries.

Oye Lucky.. is the story of Lucky, a small time crook played by Abhay Deol. Lucky does not rob for money but more for fun.

Eventually, Lucky gets addicted to stealing. When he is bored or can’t fall asleep, he goes on a robbing binge, stealing everything from cars, jewelry to a pet dog or even a stuffed toy. Lucky does not use a gun for stealing but simply his confident attitude. In one outrageous example, he walks into a man’s house in broad daylight past the security guard, gets a car key from the house, greets the home owner’s grandmother and orders the security guard to help him keep a tv in the car and drives off, stealing both the car and tv.

The secret to his success is his ability to either charm people or emit such confidence that no one can think of him as a robber. Portraying such a confident character is not an easy task but Abhay Deol pulls it off brilliantly. Even though Abhay has picked some very interesting Bollywood roles in the past such as in Socha na Tha (his debut feature), Ek Chalis ke Local, Honeymoon Travels & Manorama Six Feet Under, his acting left a bit to be desired. But in Oye Lucky he is flawless in his dialogue delivery and body language.

Dibakar does justice to the little Delhiite details, like the way coffee is made. Only in Delhi homes have I seen coffee made by repeatedly stirring some ground coffee with sugar and a bit of milk until the entire mixture is a whipped up syrupy mixture. The characters in Oye Lucky.. speak and behave in perfect Delhi manners, although the film does focus mostly on the Punjabi characters. Plus shooting the film in local Delhi spots simply adds to the film’s realistic feel.

There are some additional casting decisions that enhance the film’s appeal. For example, Paresh Rawal plays three different un-related characters.

1) He plays Lucky’s father when Lucky is 15 years old.

2) He plays a local thug leader, Gogi, for whom Lucky steals.

3) And finally, he plays an ‘honest’ man, Dr. Handa, who cons Lucky out of money, albeit in a loving manner.

Rawal is wonderful in all three roles and using him in two additional roles is appropriate because both Gogi and Dr. Handa form a fatherly figure for Lucky. While Lucky rebelled against his real father, he forms a good bond with Gogi before eventually turning against him. Lucky is so taken by Dr. Handa that he ignores the fact that Handa and his wife (Archana Puran Singh at her best) are clearly extracting money from him. In the end, he is betrayed by Handa and the fatherly figure that he liked most turns out to be the most ruthless.

Then there is Lucky’s love interest, Sonal (Neetu Chandra). She is exactly the kind of everyday girl that one could find in any Delhi street and her casting is just icing on the cake.

And similar to his first film Khosla, Dibakar uses a very catchy Punjabi number (the title song) as a background score.

Overall, very impressed with this film. Enjoyed every minute of it and didn’t want it to end. Easily one of the best films to have come out of Bollywood in 2008.

Rating: 10/10

---

Official Film website