CHENNAI EXPRESS

Upon the sudden death of his grandfather, forty year old bachelor and sweet seller Rahul, (Shah Rukh Khan-SRK) is charged with transporting his grandfather’s ashes from Mumbai in the north to Rameshwaram in the south and dispersing the remains into the ocean. Rahul is more concerned in getting to Goa rather than fulfilling his grandfather’s last wish but fate intervenes and leads him to Meena (Deepika Padukone). A string of unfortunate events finds Rahul onboard the Chennai Express; being held captive by a group of Southern thugs who are there to kidnap Meena and take her back to her village. And thus begins the journey that will change the lives of both Rahul and Meena forever.

The plot of Chennai Express is probably similar to a ride in the actual train; considerably bumpy. But it follows a tried and true ‘Bollywood Masala’ recipe that will surely be a favourite with Hindi movie fans. The film contains a pinch of action, a dollop of drama, a spoonful of romance and a generous portion of comedy. Add to this the ‘north meets south’ ingredient and you’ve got yourself an old dish with a hint of new flavour. The humour in the screenplay is this film’s strong point. There are jokes for the young, the middle-aged and the older viewers and most of the credit is deserved by SRK. Needless to say some viewers may find certain jokes childish, some may find a few that are clichéd but rest assured hilarity is abound for all comedy tastes. Regrettably the layout of the story is jumbled, making characters go through needless extremes just to find a simple answer. The chemistry between Rahul and Meena takes a long time to blossom. Although the feelings of desire towards Meena are clear in Rahul’s eyes, he is more concerned in preserving his own life and getting to Goa. Meena is more concerned in avoiding her forced marriage to the film’s main baddie Tangaballi, so when exactly the duo had time to truly get to know one another is foggy. Similar to many Bollywood blockbusters this film’s characters are also two-dimensional and stereotypical. You’ve got the hero, the heroine, the villain and the supporting villains.

SRK is the undisputed King of the Tear-Jerkers. He has taken cinematic crying to levels unseen in Bollywood or even World Cinema for that matter. But the character of Rahul is somewhat of a departure from the usual type-casting because SRK gets to exercise his comedy muscles. His comedic timing is spot-on and his playfulness is natural. He is obviously the main attraction in Chennai Express and he doesn’t disappoint. In addition to the humour, we get to see SRK kick a little butt, do a few stunts, bust a few dance moves and of course open his tear ducts. It wouldn’t be a SRK film if there wasn’t a bit of melodrama as well. Deepika Padukone is a veritable newbie when compared with SRK but she holds her own in nearly all her scenes. She is obviously the heart of the film and without her character the journey would not be possible. Padukone gives a commendable performance in the realm of commercial Bollywood flicks. Most professional actors dislike being type-cast into particular roles but in the case of Nikitin Dheer that may not be a bad thing. His stone-cold facial features and imposing physical form makes him an ideal villain. I’m sure offers from other filmmakers will pour in after they see him as Tangaballi, regardless of the lack of emotional depth displayed by Dheer. The supporting cast of South Indian actors is worth mentioning because they compliment the main actors seamlessly.

The technical aspect of filmmaking in Bollywood continues to advance by leaps and bounds. The cinematography in this is spectacular and illustrates the natural beauty of the South Indian landscape. The wide angle and spanning shots are especially noteworthy. But two scenes that stick out like two sore thumps are the car chase scene and the final fight scene. Although the chase scene is well done, it feels like it belongs in another movie. The filmmakers just forced in a ‘Mission Impossible’ type chase scene, where it was unnecessary. Furthermore the last fight scene is surprisingly brutal and probably more suitable for a Bollywood action flick. When you consider the score, the soundtrack and the costumes, all vying for on-screen attention it is quite clear how the phrase ‘Bollywood Masala’ came to be. I guess the combination of all these components is what is required to make a Bollywood hit these days. Chennai Express is an absolute smorgasbord of Indian movie extravagance. Despite the film’s shortcomings, director Rohit Shetty has combined the right ingredients and cooked up an enjoyable film.

Rating: 7/10

S. V. Fernando