Rating : Above average (3.7/5)
Genre : Comedy / Drama
Year : 2009
Running time : 1 hour 56 minutes
Director : Ranjit Kapoor
Cast : Rishi Kapoor, Grusha Kapoor, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Kulraj Randhawa, Annu Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Kid rating : PG
CHINTUJI : ALL HEART THIS ONE !
Chintuji is not the type of movie I’d associate with Rishi Kapoor (Chintu is his nickname in real life). It’s a rural drama – sort of, with more emphasis on the story and screenplay than “outward polish” – and by that I mean, songs, costumes, and general big-budget bonhomie. Not to say that it isn’t a good film – it is, it just seems a tad low-key to have Rishi Kapoor playing the lead. In look and feel, it reminded me of “Welcome to Sajjanpur“, although that was superior.
The film is about a small town Hadbahedi and it’s efforts to put itself on the map with the help of son-of-soil film-star Rishi Kapoor – who was supposedly born there. Pristine Hadbehdi is always in competition with it’s neighboring town of Tripala. While Triphala has 2 famous/notorious residents , Hadbehdi seems to have none. So when it is discovered that Rishi Kapoor was actually born there, the residents hasten to invite him over.
Kapoor plays himself in the film, albeit an exaggerated version. The Rishi Kapoor of “Chintuji” is a politically inclined spoilt, ill-mannered film-star, who deigns to come to a backwater like Hadbehdi only to gain political mileage. He comes via chartered plane, with PR specialist Devika(Kulraj Randhawa) and secretary Kutty, and is very keen to leave Hadbehdi when he encounters the inconveniences of small-town life, such as cow-dung strewn pathways, and the lack of electricity (and air-conditioning).
The residents treat him with reverential respect, calling him Chintuji, and try their best to placate him. But can they stop Chintuji from leaving his birth-place, and leaving them in the lurch ?
This film has a comedic air about it. The residents of Hadbahedi are a funny, good-natured lot, if a little archly drawn. Grusha Kapoor is quite wonderful as the small-town marm-on-a-mission. Rishi Kapoor, even as a whiny, rude film star exerts his not inconsiderate charm – yes, he was likeable even in this kind of a role ! Priyanshu Chatterjee as the town’s newspaper editor didn’t impress, I thought; but then he’s always seemed to me to not have much screen presence.
Ranjit Kapoor, writer and director (he also wrote dialogues for Jaane bhi do yaaron), does a pretty good job for a small-budget film – it was interesting, clean and had genuine humor. While it does get a little moralistic and preachy – Hadbehdi has no alcohol shops and it’s residents seem to be incorruptible and immune to modern-day attractions – it’s still nicely told and with much affection. I am quite surprised that it didn’t get much publicity – there were no promos, trailers or teasers around.
This is a pleasant, family film (rating : PG) – recommended.
