Cheeni Kum- My review/ALL REVIEWS HERE!

Cheeni Kum…I had been wondering for a while now…why this title. But after watching the movie, I know there could not have been a better one. For the movie and the unonventional romance between the 64 year old hero and the 34 year old heroine starts with a "sweet" hyderabadi pulao, and then there is the diabetic father …. not to mention the bitter , sarcastic , twisted sense of humour of the characters- the 80 something mother who loves watching WWF wrestling or the young girl who wants to experience adulthood and is wiser at times than our protagonists

The casting couldn't have been better…with veterans like Zohra Sehgal, and new finds like the little girl, the characters couldn't have been potrayed better. But then you don't expect an Amitabh Bachchan, or a Tabu , or a Paresh Rawal to ever fail on the account of acting

The story tho' very simple on the surface has very cleverly incorporated the various emotions in relationships. The tragedy of the chef and the little girl's friendship, the love hate relationship of the old mom and her not so young son, and the maturity of a romance between two lovers who know that they are not teenagers but still cannot help but bask in the warmth of their new found love.

The intial attraction between Tabu and Big B, the urge to know each other better and the slow transition of this relationship into love is all very well captured in some nice locales of London. It is nice for a change to see London as a normal place…no aerial shots of Big Ben and Thames….no vande matram playing in the background…it is just the nice roadside cafes, or the small apartments and the unwanted rain..

It has been very clear from the beginning when the promos were being aired that this wont be a movie for the masses. So the theatre that I watched it in was more than half empty. But the people who chose to came enjoyed every bit of it…

It is a treat for lovers of the new face of Bollywood..where young directors are not afraid to write a script featuring a 60 year old hero and chose not have the romantic leads lip sync to songs leave alone having an item number in the film.

Go watch it to see a bitter sweet glimpse of how bizzare and comic life can be!

My rating: 3.5 / 5

wow...seems its a really good movie..may be not a masterpiece but seems really enjoyable. 👏 👏 I cant wait to watch it
Thanks for the review Tallyho

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By Taran Adarsh, May 25, 2007 - 13:08 IST

Hindi movies are getting more and more real. Till sometime back, certain themes were kept locked inside the almirah, but delicate and sensitive issues and relationships are slowly stepping out of the closet. On celluloid.

R. Balki's CHEENI KUM talks of two consenting adults wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. But there's a hitch… The groom-to-be is elder than the prospective father-in-law. This relationship is highly objectionable to the bride's father!

Contrary to general perception, CHEENI KUM is not similar to RGV's NISHABD. Like NISHABD, CHEENI KUM looks at the relationship between a much older man and a young woman, fit to be his daughter. But, unlike NISHABD, CHEENI KUM stresses on humor to drive home the point. Also, the culmination -- so vital in a film of this genre -- is not difficult to gulp since the sequence of events that lead to the climax are believable.

Write your own movie review of Cheeni Kum

On the flip side, CHEENI KUM tends to get verbose, talk heavy at times. Besides, the first hour tends to stagnate. It only sprints towards the second hour when Amitabh pops up the question. More on that later!

In a nutshell, a film like CHEENI KUM signifies the winds of change in Bollywood. An effort like this is sure to find its share of bouquets and brickbats. The elite wouldn't mind the film, the commoners might.

The boy is actually a 64-year-old man, Buddhadev Gupta [Amitabh Bachchan]. The girl is a 34-year-old woman, Nina Verma [Tabu].

Buddhadev is the chef cum owner of London's top Indian restaurant. He lives with his 85-year-old mother [Zohra Sehgal] and his only friend and confidante is his 9-year-old neighbor -- Sexy [Swini Khara]. Buddhadev is an arrogant, egoistic, pompous man with a singular passion in life -- cooking. A confirmed bachelor who has never been in love. Until Nina walks into his restaurant and life.

Nina is a beautiful, charming, Indian woman. Cool, calm, quiet, always smiling, but independent and strong willed. Two extremes, in age, character and attitude, meet and against all odds fall in love. They decide to get married. And, like any Indian man, Buddhadev respectfully comes to ask Nina's father, Omprakash Verma [Paresh Rawal], living in Delhi, for her hand.

But there's just one problem… Nina's father is 58 years old, 6 years younger than Buddhadev, his would be son-in-law.

Let's get into the analyzing mode and find out what works and what doesn't… The sequences between Amitabh and Tabu at the restaurant are involving. The relationship that Amitabh shares with his mother does raise eyebrows, since it's not conventional. Nonetheless, it's amusing. The moments between Amitabh and the child bring to fore another aspect of the protagonist's personality, which is welcome.

What doesn't? A number of sequences have been stretched for no reason. They tend to get repetitive. As someone who's watching the story from the sides, you want it to proceed in some direction, but there's not much movement in the first half. It takes its own sweet time to reach its destination. Besides, since the film is set in London and the setting is urban, the humor depicted in CHEENI KUM is directed at the elite. That, in turn, robs the film of universal acceptance.

Director Balki shows a flair for light entertainers and the execution of certain sequences is commendable. The portions between Amitabh and Paresh [before Amitabh asks for Tabu's hand] as also the climax [Amitabh's monologue] prove Balki's competence as a storyteller. But at the same time, the writing leaves something to be desired. There are times when boredom sets in.

P.C. Sreeram's cinematography is splendid. Ilaiyaraaja's musical score is soothing. The title track is soft on your ear drums. Chandan Arora's editing could've been sharper. Ideally, a few repetitive moments can be done away with.

Amitabh Bachchan proves his supremacy yet again. Playing an arrogant chef, the actor is natural all through, but his performance in the finale makes the character all the more believable. Tabu stands on her feet despite a formidable co-star's domineering presence. She's excellent. Paresh Rawal is only adding to his credibility with every film. Zohra Sehgal is adorable. Swini Khara is supremely confident.

On the whole, CHEENI KUM is absorbing in parts. A lackluster first half gets a boost with a much energetic second half and that elevates the film to the watchable level. At the box-office, CHEENI KUM is targeted at the multiplexes mainly. Clever promos and feel-good vibes should ensure a positive run at the multiplexes.

BigB-ittersweet Symphony

Raja Sen

Amitabh Bachchan in Cheeni Kum.

Amitabh rocks Cheeni Kum

Rating: * * * 1/2

Tabu has balls.

Cheeni Kum could have been just another romance between an arrogant old perfectionist and a smitten waif, but the woman here has spirit. She rides the patriarch into a corner, constantly putting him on the spot, and her stoically unblinking, deadpan retorts are a perfect match for her cocksure suitor. That character, Nina, lends the pair contrast, gives it chemistry, makes the film work.

R Balki's debut is, thus, a deftly made May-December love story that ends up being both relatable and romanticised, both honest and hysterical. A mostly delicious repast of repartee and repercussions, the script isn't over-baked and the characters simmered to perfection. Although, for a film with that title, there are indeed a couple teaspoons sugar too many, by the very end

But we get ahead of ourselves. Lets start from the beginning:

Amitabh Bachchan plays Buddhadeb Gupta, a London restaurateur who prides himself on the finest Indian food. His is a cellphone-free kitchen, where the master believes a perfect biryani is more monumental an achievement than Da Vinci's Last Supper -- the former impacts several more senses. And while his British waiter struggles over the nuances of mouthwatering frontier food names, Buddha's bar serves up magnificent desi dishes to London.

One typical evening, while the ponytailed, preachy perfectionist holds forth to his white-hatted troops on the unbearable lightness of hing, or some such, he gasps at the realisation that a customer has actually sent back a dish. Tabu is the strongwilled Nina Verma, a confident woman currently visiting a friend in London. Buddha storms out and laces the lady with unsubtle sarcasm, laying it on thick and making said friend aghast, leading to the ladies storming out of the restaurant.

Buddha, forced to acknowledge his staff committed a cardinal sin, is compelled to offer an apology, an act he is not used to. Meanwhile Nina, conveniently caught up in London's trademark squall, frequently borrows the chef's umbrella. Romance is obviously -- underscored more than adequately with shots of Tabu walking and turning back (wash, rinse, repeat, repeat) -- in the rainy air, and the days get pleasanter as the wit flies freely and the evident is never quite that.

Which brings us to the premise: He's 64, she's 34, and all is hunky dory. Except her 58-year-old father, played by Paresh Rawal, who objects to this union in as melodramatic a manner as is possible. Thus, as they say in Bollywood script sessions, 'Conflict.' This results in much chaos, a second-half with far less steam than the pre-interval opening, and a contrived, heavy-handed approach the film really didn't deserve. Add to that a cancer subplot and a nice supporting character turns into an emotionally manipulative angle Cheeni Kum should have done without.

It's a crisply written film, the dialogue mostly working very well. For all the talk of sarcasm, the lines aren't likely to bowl you over with superb irony, but occasionally a clever gem shines through. The repartee between the lead pair is tight, as are Bachchan's conversations with Sexy, his 9-year-old neighbour played by an impressive Swini Khara -- the former are earnest, as funny as real life often it; the latter tend towards the pithy, but usually stop short of it. It's a very unBollywood script, and it takes some stellar actors to pull it off.

A big wow then to Amitabh Bachchan, the film's marvellous pivot. We shouldn't be surprised by anymore Bachchanism, but the man -- currently, constantly pushing himself onto a limb, decidedly making 2007 his own -- is an undisputable rockstar. His Buddha is smooth yet suffers from occasional social awkwardness, and Bachchan manages both the rough brat and the annoyed old man tones with such ease. He's arrogant and self-assured, yet feels the need to impress her -- while never admitting it. This is one of his finest performances to date, because he sticks to the consistent key of the character, and while the film itself changes genres in the end, he stays Buddha. And is irresistible.

Tabu is a great actress, and with a role that calls for far less bravura than her leading man, she is comfortably understated. As mentioned, their banter runs deep through the film, and her Nina, whom you never know when to take seriously, is a perfect foil to Buddha's don't-ask-the-obvious derision. There is a fantastic moment where she berates Bachchan for being too forward, for daring, like all men would, to ask a girl out and assume she's available, just because she's smiled at him a few times. The tension is palpable as Bachchan falls silent and you wince, suddenly ill-disposed toward her character. 'I do hope you won't be late,' she ends, still deadpan, immediately confirming both date and smirk.

The inimitable Zohra Sehgal plays Bachchan's wrestling-loving mother, a terrible cook who lectures him on gymming and knows him inside out, and is evidently the source of his scornful tongue. Paresh Rawal unfortunately plays the film's sole caricature, an over-written character working more for ha-has than realism, and while the actor is inevitably good enough to make us chuckle, his character needed to be leaner. As mentioned, Swini Khara is pretty good, holding her own in demanding conversational scenes.

The crackling first half coasts along wonderfully, relying almost solely on Bachchan's formidable charm. The second half sees trouble with a hammy third act.

Cheeni Kum is a very neat film, but the messy end -- the last three lines of dialogue exchanged by Bachchan and Tabu are the film's very worst -- leaves a peculiar aftertaste

This isn't a groundbreaking film, but it didn't set out to be. It's a maturely written film with great characters, tremendous performances and some fantastic moments. It could have been perfect, but the lesser said about that end the better.

Watch it. A brilliant sequence involving the chef, a chemist, chhatris and chachas is absolute movie magic, and in itself well worth the price of admission. Bravo.

wow!! this film is getting fantastic reviews!!! 😃

[:D/] [:D/] [:D/] ~Me celebrating~ [:D/] [:D/] [:D/]

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Cheeni Kum : Movie Review
25th May 2007 23.48 IST
By N. K. Deoshi

Keep the sweeteners low. Low fat, high sarcasm. No mush. No overt display of emotions. Rather put in some tingly humour. And spin the story around some ironical situations. The recipe of Cheeni Kum is ready.

The movie, featuring Amitabh Bachchan in yet another brilliant performance, not just entertains you with its sarcastic humour, it also touches your heart with its emotional moments. The film has no pretension of being a laugh riot. It charts a narrow course by telling a bittersweet tale of romance between a 64-year-old man and a 34 year-old woman.

Buddhadev (Amitabh Bachchan) is the chef of what he calls "the best Indian restaurant in London". He takes pride in his job and considers cooking more of an art than a culinary chore. The cooks under him dread him for his perfectionist streak.

Buddhadev's reputation is challenged when a customer disapproves of the restaurant's Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao. The customer is Neena ( Tabu ), a tourist from India.

The acidic chef talks tough with Neena and she walks out of the restaurant. Later, she makes Buddhadev realize the mistake of the cook who had made the pulao.

Buddhadev feels an apology to Neena is due. But the ego in him won't let him say "I'm Sorry".

What begins as a bittersweet acquaintance between Buddhadev and Neena soon transforms into mutual attraction.

At home, Buddhadev has a ninety-year-old mother (Zohra Sehgal) who keeps asking him to join a gym. In his neighborhood lives a sweet little girl Sexy (Swini Khara), who suffers from blood cancer and is Buddhadev's best friend.

The irony in 'Cheeni Kum' is that the high points of the romantic track of Buddhadev and Neena are matched with the tragic turns in the track featuring Sexy.

Paresh Rawal plays Neena's 58-year-old diabetic father who is unwilling to accept a man as old as Buddhadev as Neena's suitor.

Director R Balakrishnan has made a very feelgood movie. Balki keeps Amitabh Bachchan the driving force of the story. He keeps sentimentality out. The humour he opts for is tinged with sarcasm and rustiness. But behind the barbs, love is visible.

Amitabh Bachchan is touching a new height of charisma at his age. Not only does he look fabulous, he delivers a breezy, buoyant and convincing performance as the caustic chef.

Tabu comes up with a fine act but her Hyderabadi accent is unmistakable in her dialogues. Paresh Rawal is certainly not at his near best. But that is not his fault. His role has been written in such a way that if offers very little scope for comedy.

Child artist Swini Khara is simply brilliant. Her role and her dialogues have been written very beautifully. Zohra Sehgal is delightful in a performance incredibly feisty for her age.

'Cheeni Kum' has different versions of the title song that play in the background in various situations. The movie's highpoint is its end when the protagonist wins the hand of his woman but loses someone else very close to him.

Director R Balki has got almost everything right in his first feature film.

Do not miss this sugarfree spread.

Rating: ***

I saw one scene in the trialer and it put me off but then I would still see it for Tabu.
The scene had BIG B shouting at the top of his voice to his chefs abt the art of cooking ......the weird thing was in HINDI and I def noticed atleast 3-4 britishers/ whites there and I was like ......... huh

But these things are bound to happen in hindi cinema , so I would watch it soon and give my full review.

^^^thanks yaar 😃

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Sweet enough!
By Mayank Shankar

FILM: Cheeni Kum
DIRECTOR: R Balki
ACTORS: Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu
Mirrior Rating: * * *

I don't know if you've noticed Bachchan in some of his television interviews recently, especially ones where he quips to a group of reporters as they repetitively delve into questions he doesn't wish to answer straight, or is tired repeating: the likes of when's his son getting married, the Sonia rift ("raja, runk") etc. Or as it were, a reporter asked him to recall an interesting incident from the shoot of this film.

"Nothing happened, that's the problem. What do you really want to know, tell me," he said, dead-pan expression, casual mock in his famed deep voice, though never quite rude. That's relatively new for a public-figure who's made a living off rehearsed answers for equally rehearsed questions.

It's this innately quiet but biting sarcasm in Bachchan's personality that Balki breezily and brilliantly taps into here. He scores, hence does the film. Tabu, though occasionally odd, jams well almost all the way through.

The romance is hard to comprehend, if not wholly contrived. Why would a reasonably cool and sassy top chef choose not to marry for 64 years of his life? Evidently, he isn't quite opposed to the idea after all. Or why is a 34-year-old Delhi girl, immediately attracted to a sexagenarian Indian Londoner, been single so long? None is hard to believe of course. It's just that we aren't told. As it turns out, we needn't be.

This is not a romantic comedy. It's situational humour strictly by the text-book, where usually two permutations of events are possible.

First, a character may find himself in the unlikeliest circumstance: an old man in lust or love with a much younger girl here; just as a don and his sidekick may find themselves among docs, patients and students at a med-school elsewhere (Munnabhai MBBS).

Second, an interesting character is pit opposite his least likely other; like a rough don who meets Mahatma Gandhi (Lage Raho Munnabhai).

Here, Bachchan's Buddhadev Gupta, a stern but teen-at-heart coolio meets his girlfriend's father, a morose bore six years his junior. He must ask for his daughter's hand too. Paresh Rawal's Omprakash Verma, burdened by age, is a staunch Gandhian but a strict non-vegetarian. He also prefers his whisky with club soda.

The connection between the said actors drip quick-wit and pointed humour. So does the chemistry between Budhadeb and his charming mother (Zohra Sehgal); or Buddhadeb and his terminally-ill kid-friend (Swini Khara). The little girl is sharp. But quick as kids are with instructions, rarely do they let you down. It's the loss of restraint dealing with a terminally ill child that may bother you sometimes: such a manipulatively strong emotion played up in a light-hearted comedy sticks out, while you fumblingly search for intentions.

It's a feat however that you remain non-judgmental over the larger theme that may not otherwise expect you to remain indifferent.

A fan of cinematographer P C Sreeram (Alai Payuthe, Thiruda Thiruda, Mauna Ragam) I met once told me about a standing joke in Chennai that you should carry a torch to watch films shot by him. Sreeram usually shoots incredibly dark, gritty sequences.

Uncharacteristic of his oeuvre, this film appears spotlessly clean and neatly sharp. That could be said of the rest of the Cheeni Kum as well.

There is enough sugar here to keep you going for a while; down it with pleasure.

BIG B TRIUMPHS WITH SUGAR-LESS COMEDY

By Satyajit

Rating: 3/5

Critic's I-view

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First, there is a good news in as much as 'Cheeni Kum' is not an improvised or rehashed version of Ramu's infamous 'Nishabd', but an experimental attempt of delivering uncharacteristic subject on Indian screen. If Ramu chose dramatic moves to persuade audiences in 'Nishabd', then debutante director R Balki has preferred "comical" treatment to justify the unusual theme in his film. 'Cheeni Kum' is a contemporary multiplex entertainer where Amitabh Bachchan succeeds in justifying a non-happening "filmi" character with full credibility and thus silence his detractors through a commendable performance. The film may not be as hilarious or comical as 'Bheja Fry' or 'Pyar Ke Side Effects', but does deliver the needful in a two and half hour package. The film has towering and reliable acting talents who make this an entertaining show.

Above all, the surprise element proves to be child artiste baby Swini Khara, who steals the show with her chirpy one-liners besides indifferent theme and story. It brings back Tabu into commercial mainstream after her splendid performance in 'The Namesake' along with the comical genius of Paresh Rawal. 'Cheeni Kum' talks about the pros and cons of relationship between an elder man and a younger woman. The theme may sound ostracized or detested in Indian sensibilities but the storywriter has given it an emotional touch. The film talks and later stresses on the "age no bar" factor in a congenial relationship and still later tries to strike a balance between the two major relationships

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'Cheeni Kum' is a sweet and innocent relationship of an elderly man (Amitabh Bachchan) with his ailing six year old girl neighbor "Sexy" (Baby Swini Khara). It's an unusual but heartbreaking relationship where Amitabh spends quality time with the ailing girl. This sweet girl responds spontaneously to his generosity as she proves to be a worthy "counselor" for him in the beginning as well as in the climax. It forms the strong linkage between the unpredicted love relationships that finally face the seniors' resentment. R Balki tries to infuse hilarious elements in making this track compatible with the theme of the film. Later, the film transcends into sweet and sour relationship between this elderly man with a thirty plus young woman (Tabu). This atypical relationship builds in unwanted situation when the self-esteem of renowned restaurateur (Amitabh Bachchan) is hurt by her customer (Tabu). The restaurateur feels apologetic for his subordinate's blunder and finally this panicky emotion is transformed into an impulsive affection. It thus builds "Cheeni Kum" (sugar-less) chemistry between them and this unpredicted relationship leads to undesired confronting conversations.

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'Cheeni Kum' works as a cerebral comedy as both discuss the pros and cons of happy marriage. Both these relationships are built on basic human nature and are dignified as the "epitome" of eternal love. It proves all its detractors wrong as the lead protagonist (Amitabh Bachchan) is emotionally bounded with his real love (Tabu) rather than on her physical personality. In the climax, Tabu reiterates the morality and preaching of Sexy (ailing girl) to Amitabh in her own version. It shows the sensibilities of a good storyteller that relationships are not bounded on physical relationship or lust. The film tries to ridicule the sensuality in a pious and affable relationship through its hilarious narration when Tabu challenges Amitabh's masculinity in a playground. Unlike 'Nishabd', Big B gets energized and vociferous in the climax in justifying his relationship with Tabu, though Paresh Rawal's "satyagraha" sounds artificial and unwanted.

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'Cheeni Kum' tries to magnify the practicality of an unusual theme through its wise gestures but still it falters at many places. Now, comes the bad news; the film tries to rejuvenate an unpopular theme (old man and young woman) that has faced resentment and hostility of masses for many decades. Yash Chopra did try it in 'Lamhe' but failed miserably and decades later Ramu's experimentation faced an outright opposition from masses, media and critics. Director R Balki walks on a tight rope in his first endeavor as he tries to tread on this infamous path. Despite a crispy and witty screenplay, the film has some loose ends. The film drags in the first half and there are some repeated instances and scenes which decimate the pace of the film. Sexy's (ailing girl) asking for "Adults" DVD's may sound amusing but it has failed to strike any authenticity with the scripting. Tabu's serving as an advisor to her friend's boyfriend has not met with enough justification in the film. Her friend's (Kanwal Toor) role in the film is unexplainable as she vanishes from the scene in the climax. Paresh Rawal's (Tabu's father) character could have been meatier and crisper to draw more humor. His actions of "satyagraha" and Gandhian theme mismatch with the situation of the film. R Balki would have opted for a better climax than showing Paresh Rawal's fasting unto death. Even Zohra Saigal's (Amitabh's mother) passion for wrestling and exercising fails to draw major humor or relevance in the film. Due to its uncharacteristic theme, 'Cheeni Kum' will be drawing elite audiences and its acceptance will be restricted to multiplexes. Illaiyaraja's music is melodious to core and works positively in the narration.

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The film drags in the first half and there are some repeated instances and scenes which decimate the pace of the film. Sexy's (ailing girl) asking for "Adults" DVD's may sound amusing but it has failed to strike any authenticity with the scripting. Tabu's serving as an advisor to her friend's boyfriend has not met with enough justification in the film. Her friend's (Kanwal Toor) role in the film is unexplainable as she vanishes from the scene in the climax. Paresh Rawal's (Tabu's father) character could have been meatier and crisper to draw more humor. His actions of "satyagraha" and Gandhian theme mismatch with the situation of the film. R Balki would have opted for a better climax than showing Paresh Rawal's fasting unto death. Even Zohra Saigal's (Amitabh's mother) passion for wrestling and exercising fails to draw major humor or relevance in the film. Due to its uncharacteristic theme, 'Cheeni Kum' will be drawing elite audiences and its acceptance will be restricted to multiplexes. Illaiyaraja's music is melodious to core and works positively in the narration.

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The soundtracks "Baatein Hawa", "Sooni Sooni" and "Cheeni Kum" work appreciably as the effective background score. These musical presentations are far away from routine chorographical work and thus will be centered on elite viewers. P.C Sreeram's cinematography is visually delightful as it captivates the alluring charm of urban London . P C Sreeram, a favorite with Mani Ratnam, shows the finest aspect of his skill by giving aerial shots (song - "Baatein Hawa"), high angle shots (showing Amitabh's restaurant "Spice 6") and effective close ups (Amitabh's breaking loose after Sexy's death). Chandan Arora's editing needs to be slightly dicer as the film should have trimmed by 10-15 minutes in its duration. 'Cheeni Kum' completely belongs to Amitabh Bachchan in terms of his screen presence, performance and vigor that reciprocate substantially with his indifferent character. His immaculate comical timing proves to be the worthiest aspect that makes this a hilarious entertainer.

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The scene where he shares his pains and blissful relationship with "Sexy" shows his immaculate growth and strength as an actor. Later his compatibility and on-screen chemistry with Tabu shows his versatile genius. Tabu's aging looks may be a disappointing factor but her acting skills supersede it. She may not be as impressive as Amitabh but she fits well into her caricature. It was delightful to watch her in a commercial mainstream cinema after a hiatus of three years and probably the audiences will appreciate her performance. Paresh Rawal's comical genius hasn't been fully utilized as the actor's comical flair could have been a big asset to the film's success. His name on the credits will draw major crowds but his fans will be disappointed to see him in a sedate role. His character of a disciplinarian father may not be his finest performance but he deserves all accolades for being theatrically profound in his performance. Zohra Saigal shows her versatility and agility as a competent performer and it shows in her brilliant performance. The veteran actress has been a big asset for the film in all aspects and the film belongs to her adaptability as a trustworthy actor despite her old age. Baby Swini Khara proves to a big revelation and can be crowned as "Best Child Artiste" of the year for her finely crafted author backed role. It shows the genius of director R Balki in drawing quality work from this talented child artiste.

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Finally, debutante director R Balki, graduates appreciably from advertisement world to filmmaking through this light hearted comedy. The filmmaker should be complemented for crafty promos that worked aggressively in generating a promising opening for the film. He has succeeded both as a storyteller and as a technician in narrating an indifferent story. 'Cheeni Kum' should not be misconstrued as slapstick entertainer but should be acknowledged as indifferent dramatic effort by a new filmmaker. It will draw major applause and crowd from multiplexes and will work positively for director R Balki and superstar Amitabh Bachchan in best possible ways. Its collections will be maximum in multiplexes and overseas while it can face an uphill task at single screen theatres. The film is expected to have a good opening at all major places and should prove to be the first major hit for Big B this year.

Cheeni Kum-Movie Review

Radiosargam

Rating: 3/5

Banner: MAD Entertainment Ltd
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Zohra Sehgal, Swini Khara
Producer: Sunil Manchanda
Director: R. Balakrishnan
Music Director: Illaiyaraja
Lyricist: Sameer, Manoj Tapadia

The difference is clear and visible. Cheeni Kum is certainly not similar to Ram Gopal Varma's Nishabd. Unlike Nishabd, Cheeni Kum uses humour as its base to look at the relationship between a much older man and a young woman. The film is a light hearted attempt at visualizing the consequences of the relationship.

R. Balakrishnan makes his directorial debut with Cheeni Kum. The film is based in London and thereby, the humour will tickle the class audience and not the masses. Certainly, this cannot be adjudged as the flip side of the film. Broadly, the humour is on a more sarcastic side and may not go well with the global audience.

Cheeni Kum will witness some of the finest acting performances along with a storyline which tends to drag more than once. After Tabu's fantastic performance in 'The Namesake' and Amitabh's not so fantastic performance in 'Nishabd', both the actors come together to deliver a 'sugar free romance' in Cheeni Kum.

The plot of Cheeni Kum begins with Buddhadev Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan). Buddhadev is a 64-year old chef and the owner of an Indian restaurant in London. For company, he has Zohra Sehgal playing his mother and a 9-year old neighbour, Sexy (Swini Khara), as his only friend. Buddhadev is an arrogant person who thinks very high of himself and carries a ponytail to showcase his egoism.

One day Nina Verma (Tabu), a 34-year old woman, walks into his restaurant and Mr. Gupta falls for the lady. Nina is a refined character. She is a woman of substance and carries a smile which never fades from her glowing face.

Both of them eventually fall in love and decide to get married!! Now, the situation comes where Mr. Gupta goes to Nina's father, Om Prakash Verma (Paresh Rawal), to ask her hand for marriage. The problem here for Nina's father is that his son-in-law is 6 years elder to him.

Looking at the film from a viewer's point of view, I felt many scenes, especially in the first hour, were redundant and stretched. Likewise, the chemistry between Zohra Sehgal and Amitabh Bachchan is a treat to watch and so are the scenes between Tabu and Amitabh at the restaurant. The film looks strategically paced as it shows its true colours only after the intermission.

Director Balakrishna successfully qualifies as a fine story teller and handles some of the sequences really well. The screenplay could have been better. The editing department lost out on a lot of scenes which drag, to say the least. Music director Illayairaja does well to compose tracks which gel with the theme of the movie.

Acting wise, Amitabh Bachchan is cool and looks authentic in most of the scenes. He shows his process in acting by delivering a monologue in the climax, which clearly stands out in his performance. Tabu is excellent. Paresh Rawal does well to add the spice in the 'sugar free romance'. Zohra Sehgal is adorable. Swini Khara plays her part without any hiccups.

Overall, the film can watched for some good performances. The film is due to bore you in the first half but the second half manages to pace up things

By Hanumant Bhansali

Cheeni Kum (Less Sugar)