Genre : Romance / comedy
Year : 2007
Running time : 2 hours 20 minutes
Director : R. Balakrishnan
Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Zohra Sehgal
CHEENI KUM (CK) : THIS SPARKLY THING CALLED LOVE !
After a long time comes a film which features a romance between adults, instead of the puerile nonsense which passes for it in films like “Hum tum”, “Salaam Namaste” etc. Cheeni Kum has Amitabh as Buddhadev Gupta, a 64 year young chef-owner of a restaurant in London, a restaurant he claims is the best in London for Indian food. He is a perfectionist, who wants a cell-phone free kitchen and an absolute dedication to the art of cooking. His ego receives quite a dent when one day, while lecturing the chefs in his kitchen (as is his habit) he has a dish sent back by a customer, because the Zafrani Biryani (the dish in question) is too sweet. Arrogant Buddha instead of looking into the mistake directs his sarcastic tongue at the customer, a 34 year old Nina Verma (Tabu).
Thus starts a battle of wits, and ego (Nina cooks a perfect Zafrani Biryani and sends it back to Budhha’s restaurant). London with it’s frequest showers and the borrowing of umbrellas, helps heat up this war which has turned into something more. The hitch – the 30 year age gap, which Nina’s 58 year old father (Rawal) is unable to stomach . . .
This is a languorous film, to be savored and enjoyed. Witty repartees fly around and sarcasm and wry humor lace the conversations. The script is maturely written, but what impressed me most was the dazzling dialogue between the lead pair. While not eclectic or even intellectual, their conversation, is sparkly, filled with the dry dregs of humor and whimsy, a conversation between two mature adults, who’ve gotten beyond the me-girl, you-boy stage (you’d think most adults would have, but watch Hindi films and weep). Yes, there is desire – it doesn’t hurt that Amitabh looks as good as he does, or that Tabu is his tall, svelte and enigmatical foil, but it’s mostly about rapport, the meeting of the minds, the recognition that beyond the eventual union of our bodies, there is a definite, fun-filled and dynamic union of our souls. Love doesn’t have a sense of humor in most desi cinema. Pativrata nari, and pelvic thrusts is what we are used to. Cheeni Kum is a welcome and much needed change.
Amitabh is an icon. The only actor to date who’s had films written for him, to suit him, as he ages. The hero has become older with Amitabh. And Aks, Bunty-aur-Babli, Nishabd, Black, and now Cheeni Kum only prove how the film industry has carved out a special niche to accommodate one of it’s greatest and most accomplished sons. That said, I must admit that I thought he overdid it in the first few scenes of CK. Need arrogance be so explicit, so loud-mouthed ? Still he recovers remarkably and churns out an impressive performance as Buddha.
Nina is quite his equal. She parries beautifully on each of Budhha’s verbal thrusts, and he falls for all of her dead-panned traps. After watching this film , I can think of no other actress as perfect for portraying Nina as Tabu. Matching Bachhan with height, grace and talent, Tabu does an outstanding job as the confident yet understated Nina.
Buddha also has a mom in the film. I know, I know – how old must she be ? Zohra Sehgal as the WWF-loving, poor-cook to an accomplished chef mother, fits the part of a crabby-looking, caustic-tongued, young-hearted mom nagging her bachelor son. And Paresh Rawal with his almost caricaturish portrayal of a pseudo-Gandhivadi (speaks of Gandhi but loves his chicken), who’s married to the notion of age-appropriateness, is excellent. He weeps, he threatens, he glowers. And so well that I’m torn between laughing at his childishness, and weeping at his quandary.
Special mention must be made of Swini Khara, the child actress who plays Sexy, Buddha’s cancer-stricken, young neighbor, for doing such a great job. Her character is old beyond her years, yet she speaks guilelessly. Sassy (aren’t they all ?) and pert, and on first name basis with Buddha (she addresses him an “Tu”) some of the more poignant scenes in the film had her in them.
Balakrishnan directs well, and makes sure his characters are well-wrought. His script while taking a controversial topic head-on ( 30 years, he could be her father! Gasp ! INCEST – that towering dragon), also takes makes nice little digs at desi hypocrisy, and the idea that one’s mind must age with one’s body. The film features some very well-shot footage of beautiful Lutyen’s Delhi (Nina and her Dad live in one of the old-world bungalows close-by).The music by Ilayaraja enhances the film’ appeal, and the refrain “Cheeni Kum hai” is totally apt.
Romance is hard to do in film, and few movies succeed. CK is a sure-fire winner. A classy film, it’s hard to say much more than – it’s lovely.
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