Matino

Be forewarned: Don’t look for logic here! Escapist cinema or films that suspend logic, but entertain, are often at the receiving end of assessors and evaluators. Movies helmed by Rohit Shetty, Sajid Khan, veterans like David Dhawan, Priyadarshan and Anees Bazmee, besides the recent box-office bonanzas featuring Salman Khan, have had to face vicious and destructive criticism. Despite this, films fitting in the genre [escapist fares] have found colossal consent from spectators across the board, primarily because they serve the purpose of keeping you entertained in those two hours. It’s like choosing fast food from one of those popular joints. You may argue, it’s low on nutritional value, but it does satisfy your taste buds nonetheless.

Riding high on the success of the runaway hit YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA, Samir Karnik comes up with CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI, a film that makes no pretensions of rewriting the rules of the game. Following the footsteps of his peers, this one’s aimed at the masses and not the inflexible critics who rarely give their approval or high ratings to these hardcore entertainers. The sole mantra of these movies is to make you grin/chuckle/giggle at the most inane jokes, most frivolous situations… logic be damned.





CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI is not a movie to be taken seriously. Neither does it boast of an intensely ingenious tale. Nor is there an intellectual appealing screenplay in place, right from commencement till the very conclusion. But what keeps the film going are some ridiculously comical sequences. Despite the emphasis on barmy and wacky situations, despite the jokes being puerile and infantile, the movie keeps you entertained for most parts, especially in its second hour. The motive, therefore, is served.

CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI is set against the backdrop of Rajasthan, during the course of a four-day wedding. It orbits around a Rajput family unit [Anupam Kher, Anita Raaj, Chandrachur Singh, Mukul Dev, Sushant Singh, Tusshar] and a family from Punjab [Om Puri, Farida Jalal, Kulraj Randhawa]. Tusshar is a Rajasthani who loves Kulraj, a Punjabi. But the patriarch of the family [Anupam Kher] is a staunch Rajput, which prompts Tusshar to hide Kulraj’s identity. All hell breaks loose when the truth is out!

Like YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA, CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI has a plethora of actors essaying over the top characters. Also, like his previous film, Karnik reserves the best for the second hour. In fact, the first hour doesn’t quite work. The humor appears forced, the jokes are corny, the one-liners are plain gibberish, the double entendres are unsavory. Most significantly, the laugh-out-loud moments are lacking. The sequences featuring Kulraj with Chandrachur Singh, Mukul Dev and Sushant Singh are humdrum and only slacken the tempo. A lot many films lose spark post interval, but not in this case. It’s a zany and madcap ride from the interlude spot, replete with humorous gags, daft situations and uproarious dialogue. The entire Pappi Sardar episode, though asinine, is amusing nonetheless. You only yearn that some of the gags were even more side splitting. The conclusion, a replica of YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA, is chaotic. Nonetheless, it makes for one crazy viewing.

At heart, CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI is a love story, but Karnik sprinkles the plot with ingredients that tantamount to entertainment in the lexis of the hoi polloi. Also, this wild-ride is smartly paced, with one episode following another in quick succession. But Karnik could’ve done with a superior script. The film falls short of remaining connected consistently, while the hilarity quotient varies from riotous to humdrum. CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI has multiple music composers scoring the music, but the tracks that stand out are ‘Kangna Tera Ni’, ‘Chandni O Meri Chandni’ and the track in the end credits. The cinematography is alright, while the dialogue are witty at times.

Tusshar is at his boisterous best here. In fact, the actor strikes a right balance between understated and animated, getting the wit of the character just right. Besides, there’s a lot of verve in his character; he is vibrant, energetic and is likely to endear himself to the viewer, especially when he enacts the part of Pappi Sardar. Kulraj is a livewire and reminds you of Preity Zinta on several occasions. She performs very well. The film has a strong supporting cast and while veterans Anupam Kher and Om Puri, expectedly, dominate the show, it’s a pleasure to watch Chandrachur Singh after a hiatus. He’s proficient. Anita Raaj too makes an appearance after a gap and she’s simply wonderful. I’d like to single out Rahul Singh. He excels. Farida Jalal gets no scope. Mukul Dev and Sushant Singh try too hard, while Johny Lever is wasted. Ditto for Harish.

On the whole, uninhibited and naughty, CHAAR DIN KI CHANDNI is an enjoyable madcap comic caper with adequate frenzied moments to keep you in your seats. A good laugh is assured!