This was more of a gamble and I had left it last to watch but I'm glad that I did because Chalo Dilli provided me with plenty of laughter and surprise.
Vinay Pathak wasn't the surprise- he's a really underrated actor who's more than capable of taking the lead role of a movie and turning it into a success and joy to watch and this is but a shining example. I felt that he was never irritating, loud or obnoxious. The best description of his character that comes to my mind is "happy go lucky." Whatever situation or jam that he gets himself in he never gives up and it was amazing to watch him make friends everywhere. The dialogue is very good and the jokes are very funny, even the visual gags.
For me Lara Dutta turned out to be the surprise package with a very good performance. I've never really thought much of her acting abilities but here she does a very good job as a stuck up high profile modern business woman who comes unglued as the movie progresses. Yes, she looks very glamorous and high profile but it suited the character. What she brought to the role was pep and edge. She wasn't rude or obnoxious and she certainly wasn't above remorse and making apologies.
The movie itself had several things going for it. For one they didn't make the two lead characters fall in love with each other. There was no sexual tension, no longing looks and hence there was no need for pointless love songs to appear and the wrong moments. Even the songs that were in the movie were well placed.
Lara Dutta's character wasn't a one dimensional person who does an about turn at the end and becomes opposite to what she started out as, unlike most of the Indian movies where a character starts out as stuck up, rude and arrogant but withing a few scenes turns into a demure, polite, law abiding and super nice person. Her change is gradual and only reflects what's within her and that's more of an insight as opposed to a behavioural change.
This is a really fun movie to watch at any time of day and is definitely not a waste of time. Sometimes strangers can turn out to be saints in disguise, opening facets that lie hidden deep within, unknown to ourselves, and when opened can turn our lives upside down, bringing new adventures and insights for a better life. In Chalo Dilli Vinay provides that stranger while Lara represents the rest of us.
Vinay Pathak wasn't the surprise- he's a really underrated actor who's more than capable of taking the lead role of a movie and turning it into a success and joy to watch and this is but a shining example. I felt that he was never irritating, loud or obnoxious. The best description of his character that comes to my mind is "happy go lucky." Whatever situation or jam that he gets himself in he never gives up and it was amazing to watch him make friends everywhere. The dialogue is very good and the jokes are very funny, even the visual gags.
For me Lara Dutta turned out to be the surprise package with a very good performance. I've never really thought much of her acting abilities but here she does a very good job as a stuck up high profile modern business woman who comes unglued as the movie progresses. Yes, she looks very glamorous and high profile but it suited the character. What she brought to the role was pep and edge. She wasn't rude or obnoxious and she certainly wasn't above remorse and making apologies.
The movie itself had several things going for it. For one they didn't make the two lead characters fall in love with each other. There was no sexual tension, no longing looks and hence there was no need for pointless love songs to appear and the wrong moments. Even the songs that were in the movie were well placed.
Lara Dutta's character wasn't a one dimensional person who does an about turn at the end and becomes opposite to what she started out as, unlike most of the Indian movies where a character starts out as stuck up, rude and arrogant but withing a few scenes turns into a demure, polite, law abiding and super nice person. Her change is gradual and only reflects what's within her and that's more of an insight as opposed to a behavioural change.
This is a really fun movie to watch at any time of day and is definitely not a waste of time. Sometimes strangers can turn out to be saints in disguise, opening facets that lie hidden deep within, unknown to ourselves, and when opened can turn our lives upside down, bringing new adventures and insights for a better life. In Chalo Dilli Vinay provides that stranger while Lara represents the rest of us.