Chandni Chowk to China

IndiaFM
A masala film is always welcome. In fact, two desi films [RAB NE BANA DI JODI and GHAJINI] have been lapped up by the junta in a big way, but CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is an unbearable masala fare that insults the intelligence of the moviegoer.Nikhil Advani pays homage to Ramesh Sippy's movies by merging SHOLAY and SEETA AUR GEETA. But this concoction called CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is as bland as khichdi.

The problem with CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is that it lacks a watertight screenplay to keep you glued for those 2.45 hours. Agreed, you don't look for logic and reason in hardcore potboilers, but the least the director and his team of writers could do is provide loads of entertainment.

On face-value, what do you expect from CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA? Laughter unlimited, great martial arts, a glimpse of China. But what's served on the platter is so insipid, so lame, so senseless that you wonder if there was a script in the first place. The comic scenes [that make you laugh] are few and far between. The scenes depicting martial arts are hardly exciting. Also, barring the Great Wall of China, don't expect China darshan here!
Although the year 2009 has just begun, this film is sure to be a strong contender in Razzies in two departments mainly -- direction and writing. Nikhil Advani goes horribly wrong this time. As for the writers, well, they ought to take a crash course in film writing pronto. The songs are okay, with the title track and 'Naam Hai Sidhu' being the pick of the lot. The stunts [Dee Dee Ku] are plain mediocre. Even the dated martial arts' movies produced in the East offered better stuff. Himman Dhamija's cinematography lacks the picture perfect look.

Akshay Kumar is the sole saving grace, but the director hasn't tapped his potential to the fullest. Deepika Padukone is passable. Gordon Liu is decent. Ranvir Shorey is functional. Mithun Chakraborty is bland. Roger Yuan, Deepika's father in the film, is fair.

On the whole, CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is a brilliant opportunity gone appallingly wrong. The film falls way below expectations and is a major disappointment in all respects. At the box-office, the hype might translate into a bountiful weekend, that's it.Enjoy Chinese food instead. This one's a big, big, big letdown! Thumbs down!

1.5/5 Stars

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If the director Nikhil Advani has called this an "illogical, mad film," we know what to expect. However, even if one expects nothing more than a mad illogical film, Chandni Chowk To China is disappointing. A mad film can carry itself along if it is tumultuous enough and funny enough, but this one isn't.

This two hour 34 minute movie is a slapstick comedy, but the jokes are stale. Worse, many scenes seem to stretch on endlessly, the dialogues boring and repetitive, and one wishes the director would get on with it. After the interval Advani does get on with it...but doesn't have much to say. Take away the fight scenes and the movie is nothing.

Most of the action takes place in China but except for plenty of heady shots of the Great Wall, and a few shots of Shanghai, there isn't much China to see. Not surprising, considering that a large part of the China scenes have been shot in Thailand.

While watching CC2C I got this awful sense of deja vu... about a hundred movies of the past seemed to come together. The movie is strongly reminiscent of the seventies Bollywood movies complete with lost at birth babies, tearful reunions and heroes singlehandedly fending off the evil guys. Well, the latter is reminiscent of Kung Fu movies. In fact CC2C is a Kung-Fu Bollywood fusion, the first of its kind. Another first for this movie is that it is backed by Warner Bros. Surprising that Warner got itself into such an unoriginal venture and plans a sequel!
However, making box office predictions is quite impossible. After all, this movie is packed with star power, is shot at exotic locations, has a few catchy tunes and has been heavily promoted and advertised.
1.5/5 stars

Originally Posted by Ninja

I would watch this movie just for deepika

Originally Posted by Safin

Btw initial reactions are out. People think the movie sucks bigtime