CHHICHHORE movie review is here. Released today, the movie is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and stars Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor, Varun Sharma, Prateik Babbar in key roles. Has the DANGAL fame Nitesh Tiwari been able to recreate the magic again?! Let’s find out in the movie review of CHHICHHORE
Immediate reaction when the end credits starts rolling
‘Hila’ diya yaar.. rula rula ke hila diya… some movies are not just movies, they are beyond. Nitesh Tiwari’s CHHICHHORE is one of those. A movie that begins as a toast to dosti, love, zindagi (friendship, love and life) and ends as an unforgettable coming of age lesson on parenthood. CHHICHHORE is that unhinged rare emotional coming of age high that ages but still stays alive to its campus magic. Sheer nostalgia, sheer delight, the pleasure we long to seek in cinema.
Memorable moments
Quite a few, but the emotional sweep during the end reels that also delivers a strong and most relevant message on ‘life’ stays with you forever.
The Story of CHHICHHORE
How a bunch of ‘losers’ reunite to redefine life.. Annirudh Pathak aka Anni (Sushant Singh Rajput) an urban middle-aged man living in Mumbai with his teenage son Raghav (Mohammad Samad). Raghav’s parents – father Anni and Mummy Maya (Shraddha Kapoor) are separated. Raghav’s parents where top rankers in college so Raghav is under immense pressure for his engineering entrance. Unfortunately, Raghav fails and performs below expectations. Afraid from the social ‘stigma’ of being called as a failure a loser, Raghav takes a drastic step. But there is still hope, he survives. Dr Kasbekar (Shishir Sharma) declares that the chances are slim. With no other hope available, Anni decides to narrates his story on being a loser in his college life and his crazy bunch of friends – Gurmeet Singh Dhillon aka Sexa (Varun Sharma), Acid (Navin Polishetty), Sundar aka Mummy (Tushar Pandey), Bevda (Saharsh Kumar Shukla), Derek (Tahir Raj Bhasin) and Maya (Shraddha Kapoor). How Anni develops an unbreakable bond with this bunch of misfits to challenge the champions led by Raggie (Prateik Babbar) to find purpose in life and how this story helps Raghav forms the crux of this movie.
CHHICHHORE movie review
CHHICHHORE is a rare piece of cinematic art that is universal in its theme and individual in its approach. For the serious viewer the middle aged salt and pepper haired lanky Anni (Sushant Singh Rajput) resembles the director Nitesh Tiwari in a way. Those who are not familiar with the director will take the character of Anni as an ideal concerned father. The magic works and works well. CHHICHHORE in its due course offers tribute to the cults like JO JEETA WOHI SIKANDAR( JJWS), 3 IDIOTS, DIL CHAHTA HAI and amazingly ends up with its own adage on life and friendship.
The writers Nitesh Tiwari, Piyush Gupta and Nikhil Mehrotra’s screenplay ensures that the screenplay is written with care and conviction fully aware of the agenda to give this big message on life by adding small sly incidents from life that make huge impact in an entertaining, enlightening manner that is told to stay forever. It’s not an easy task.
The campus of CHHICHHORE like JJWS, 3 IDIOTS is real. It’s fun, it’s all your nostalgia getting replayed and when Anni and his gang narrate their experience to a aspiring engineering student, the generation gap gets narrowed while amazingly the magic gets widened. Imagine yourself as a teenager and your father telling you stories about his campus adventures or vice versa imagine yourself as a father. This micro macro approach by director Nitesh and his team of writers nails it charmingly.
Hard copies of play boy, a bottle of gold spot, flying machine jeans, those who have lived the life of campus during the 90’s will go on a nostalgic flight. Though MTV was surprisingly absent, However, CHHICHHORE is not precisely about 90’s though its campus days are set in that era. It’s a hard fact that the basic nature and culture of a hostel campus regardless of the viewer’s proximity to his or her era and or experience, remains the same. CHHICHHORE is bang on in that department.
Though based in 90’s, it’s still not about a specific time or place. That makes this Nitesh Tiwari picture push the envelope and make its claim to be the future cult. The director amazingly maintains the fidelity to the source material without sacrificing any cinematic qualities, triggering genuine sentimentality and nostalgia through an interaction between past and present. The exceptional dialogues enhance the experience further.
Performances are of highest orders. Sushant Singh Rajput is excellent. The body language and voice modulation in the middle age part is just brilliant. Shraddha Kapoor is fantastic. Varun Sharma is a delight, he is such a wonderful entertainer and here he adds some extra nuances as well. Tahir Raj Bhasin is outstanding and gives the movie the extra polish.
Naveen Polishetty leaves a good impression. Tushar Pandey as mama’s boy is superb and has its moments. Saharsh Kumar Shukla is a marvelous surprise and he excels in his part as ‘bevada’. Mohammad Samad leaves his mark. Prateik Babbar is solid. Shishir Sharma is competent.
Amalendu Chaudhary’s cinematography is eye pleasing. Laxmi Keluskar’s production design is fine. Preetisheel Singh’s prosthetics are passable. Charu Shree Roy’s editing is sharp.
Flaws
CHHICHHORE falls prey to predictability and at points takes unnecessary liberties. Some incidents happen without proper explanation just to make the story move forward. Music by is functional and very ordinary. Sameer Uddin’s background score could have been better.
Final words
There are great stories on life, there are great stories about friendship but rarely there is a story that embraces both life and friendship with its boon and curse that crosses generations. CHHICHHORE is not just a movie, it’s an experience, a lesson on life that is essential for everyone.
