CHALO DILLI is surprisingly good. Its well crafted and well directed and tells the narrative in an enthralling manner.
A kind of road story that unspools slowly but surely under an able storyteller. Chalo Dilli is he story of two diametrically opposite characters thrown together by circumstances on a journey from Mumbai to Delhi and the film veers crazily from aircraft to truck to camel cart to scooter to phew even a cycle!! Theres even a DDLJ style scene thrown in where Lara runs crazily behind a train. Mercifully she does not manage to and lands on the station floor with her heels broken!!
The movie is full of sweet and funny moments and not even for a moment does it look over the top or overacted. Lara plays the "la di dah" invstment banker with aplomb and manages to bring a wide eyed innocence to her character who gradually gets into the audience’s mindscape favourably. Unlike Housefull etc where she was a bimbo and nothing else, her part here has sensitivity, maturity and layers and she manages to carry it all with elan. No fancy costumes, she spends the entire journey in a business skirt suit and looks delectable as ever. Even more so since there is no skimpiness. The focus is on mannerisms and acting and she matches Vinay Pathak ably.
Vinay Pathak is the continually talking, pan masala spewing, sharp minded trader from Karol Bagh(living in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi as he keeps harping on) who believes no problem in life is BIG enough to sweat over and one should always be chilled out and friendly. He is also street smart who has no qualms asking for lift from strangers and bribing the train TC for the ride. But at heart hes a softie who feels strongly chivalrous with Lara and does all he can to keep "Behanji" safe and secure during the mapcap whirlwind of the journey back to DILLI.
Its not a story but rather a tale that moves from locale to locale, setting to setting all the while generating a new set of interesting and quirky characters at each turn. They brighten up the film and give it soul and meat and sustenance, whether its the local goon in the speeding jeep after a rival gang, the vivacious Yana in the Laila main laila item no, or the amazing Red Tomato Hotel Clerk. They are all unique, fun and have a message to convey.
Performance wide, the movie scores a high A. There is no confusion or hesistation in the characterisation and thus all actors are confident and on cue. Musically not much scope but what is there is good. Yana disappoints in her song. Someome with more luscious curves and Indian masala would have sizzled in the interiors of Rajasthan!!
The photography is sweeping and captures the hinterlands and interiors esp of Rajasthan beautifully. Its visually entertaining. Direction is the strongest point as its evident that the man at the helm knows what he wants to convey and how to best use the actors and the props to achieve that.
To sum it up, its a delicious interactive tale of opposites coming together, discovering how the other half lives. Its a story of sensitisation, of becoming aware of your own failings and becoming a better person. Theres a sweet message in the end of caring for your relationships, come what may and that not Money but Love is the most important.
The Dialogues deserve a special THUMBS UP. They are witty and full of emotion.
Strongly Recommended.