CHALTI KA NAAM GAADI was directed by Satyen Bose and was a multi-starrer comedy.
Shahrukh Khan’s 2015 release Dilwale, as we all know, was a terrible disappointment for moviegoers and fans all around the world. It lacked in every single department – whether it be comedy, romance, music, action or story. Yet, something about the film’s development stuck with me for awhile. The fact that for the longest time Dilwale was touted as a film inspired by the 1958 classic Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, one of those evergreen films that is always talked about and referenced. Intrigued by the thought that Diwale, which was an utter failure, was inspired by a legendary film such as Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, I decided to give the movie a try and see what worked about it that lacked in Dilwale. Was it the fact that the story worked better in 1958 than 2015? Was the story different? Were the performances and music better? All of these questions would be the ones that I was hoping to find answers to in my viewing.
Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi was directed by Satyen Bose and was a multi-starrer comedy, featuring the 3 Ganguly brothers – better known as the incredible Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar, and Anoop Kumar. The beautiful Madhubala was the leading heroine, while Sajjan (to newer audiences he is best remembered as Betaal in the TV series Vikram Aur Betaal), and K.N. Singh rounded out the villainous roles. S.D. Burman, a top music composer of the time and father of R.D. Burman, did the music. Combining the best of the best of the time, I expected a somewhat enjoyable film. However, it turned out to be way better than that.
The film tells the story of 3 brothers – Brijmohan (Ashok), Jagmohan (Anoop) and Manmohan (Kishore), who run a garage together. Brijmohan is a strict disciplinarian and older brother who despises women and discourages his brothers from any romance. Jagmohan secretly wants to find romance but is the dimwitted one of the lot. Manmohan is the charismatic, comical, and “heroish” one of the group who soon falls head over heels in love with the lovely Renu (Madhubala). Things take an interesting turn when Manmohan witnesses a body being tossed on the road by a sophisticated man. Who is the killer? Will Brijmohan allow Manmohan’s romance to blossom? Who is the mysterious man that Renu is set to marry? Is he all that he seems? I have only scratched the surface of the plot of the movie. There is a whole lot more I do not want to reveal. Watch the film to find out!
Performance wise, I was absolutely floored by Kishore Kumar’s acting and Madhubala’s performance and beauty. They are the main characters of the movie and are absolutely brilliant. Kishore Kumar, although not having the looks or build of a movie star, is very charismatic as Manmohan. He makes you laugh, he makes you cheer, and most of all, he makes you empathize with his dilemmas and concerns. Many people talk about his performance in Padosan, but I really think he is amazing here. He is the glue that holds the movie together and is just simply awesome. I am now keen on watching some of his other works as an actor.
Madhubala is a complete natural, and her legendary tag is well justified. She is best remembered for Mughal-E-Azam, a serious role, but here she is a quintessential heroine and more. She has a very substantial, strong role, very uncharacteristic of Hindi movies of the time. She holds her own, and reminds me a lot of Madhuri Dixit. Beautiful and talented, Madhubala is sorely missed in the films of today.
1 Comment
Outstanding movie. I wonder at the time and efforts it in by the cast and crew. The correlation between repair tools and music is wonderful. And the heroine is beautiful and daring. She inspires the audience with her commanding presence. Even her friend has sound knowledge about the intrinsics of automobiles. A comedy movie that makes you smile, yet so full of quality and message. Kudos.