Cheeni Kum explores the relationships, which can be scientifically described as Gerontological, meaning where two people fall in love despite the huge age gap. Cheeni Kum boasts of starry casts such as Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu and Paresh Rawal. The story revolves around a self-centered, self obsessed, totally egotistical and slighty mysogenical character Buddhadeb Dasgupta(Amitabh), who runs, what he calls the best indian restaurant in London. Having migrated to London in the seventies after the death of his father, with his mother. Bachchan, over the years strived hard to establish himself and make his name in London’s eatery business. Being an expert chef, who could tell how many ingredients were used and for how long it was cooked, by merely tasting a cuisine, owing to his initial struggles in life, he come off as a reclusive, hard headed person, who likes to think he is the best.
Tabu comes across as modern yet traditional girl who shows Bachchan how to cook a particular south indian cuisine. They begin to meet often and ultimately fall in love and plan to get married. Before their marriage can be solmenised, Tabu’s father(Paresh Rawal) suffers a heart attack and she has to rush back to India. A while later, Bachchan too comes to India to talk to Paresh regarding his marriage with Tabu. The twist here is, Paresh, who is Tabu’s father is actually younger by few years to Amitabh and he refuses to grant his consent for their relationship. He goes on a fast unto death and utlimately gives his consent to their relationship. Then there is a second plot thrown in, involving a young girl called’Sexy’, who asks Amitabh to get her adult movies, which she can watch! I do not know why this character was thrown in, when it doesnt do anything to substantiate the plot. In a way, this character should have been done away with. First half keeps your interest alive in the movie, but it sadly falters in the second half. There was a long boring scene between a bed ridden Paresh Rawal and Amitabh Bachchan. Then the’Sexy’ tragedy towards the end of the movie, with Amitabh running around near Iron pillar at Mehrauli like a total moron. These scenes made the movie lightweight and superflous. A case of bad scripting and acting at say the least.
Few years ago, another movie named’Jogger’s Park’, was released. It was directed by Late Anant Balani and it too explored the relationship between a retired civil court judge Justice Chatterjee(Victor Banerjee) and a young, exuberant, chirpy, modern and professional woman Jenny Suratwala(Perizaad Zorabian). That movie was, what I would say, a rare gem, that intricately explored the evolution of love between a retired old man and a smart, beautiful and professional new age woman. Sadly, Cheeni Kum, never touches the heights of Jogger’s Park. The characters in the movie were beleievable and acting was natural and subtle, no extreme emotions and melodrama and all that unnecessary baggage that bog the movie down.
In all, Cheeni Kum is an average movie, that leaves a lot, I mean A HELL LOT to be desired.