In the 16th century, Shakespeare's plays were oftentimes seen as base entertainment, with little value or profundity to be gained from. However, they have stood the test of time and today are recognized as some of the finest works of literature in the history of civilization. Through his plays, Shakespeare was not making an attempt to say anything profound; he simply was trying to tell a story that would entertain the audiences, rich and poor, who came to see his work. More recently, comedies like Andaz Apna Apna which are hailed as classics today were trashed upon their release. It is unjustified for film critics to trash Chennai Express. The film is obviously not meant to be an artistic piece of work; its sole purpose is to provide you with laughs for its duration and thus hopefully brighten up your day. And that it does with flying colors; Chennai Express is truly a laugh riot from start to finish, that makes clever application of pop culture gags and slick slapstick humor that makes for a fun roller coaster ride.
Chennai Express begins with a 40-year-old man named Rahul (SRK, who else, playing his age for once), who must travel to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu to immerse the ashes of his deceased grandfather. On the way, however, certain comic misunderstandings lead him to the company of Meenamma (Deepika Padukone) and her goon cousin brothers who perfect the Tamil movie look down to the lungis and the coconut knives. The goons hold him as hostage and along with Meenamma, take him to their village Komban, where Meenamma's father is the local don. In order to save Rahul's life, Meenamma cooks up some more stories that lead to greater chaos and a wild chase through the beautiful scenery of rural Tamil Nadu.
From start to finish, Chennai Express is an adrenaline rush. Director Rohit Shetty exceeds the fast-paced hilarious chaos of Golmaal and Bol Bachchan with this. Shahrukh Khan's self-referential jokes, the various Kollywood spoofs, and the slapstick humor all mesh together seamlessly into a tight fabric. The story (yes, you snarky little critics, there is a story) has been kept simple in its overall structure, allowing the narrative to be highlighted by specific incidents. There's very little in terms of theme to be mentioned here; as mentioned previously, the film isn't really trying to say anything life-changing or thought-provoking. While it does have small messages regarding living one's life to the fullest and making the best out of bad situations, such themes are handled in a very light vein and are not dwelt upon with much gravity. The music by Vishal-Shekhar is a mixed bag; while the title song, "Lungi Dance", "Titli", and "Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari" are great colorful fun, "One Two Three Four" grates on the nerves after a while and "Tera Rasta Main Chhodoon Na" is sleep-inducing. Another highlight of the film that is of an unusually high quality for this genre is the cinematography, which has surprisingly been paid great attention to. Be it the lush green landscapes of the village, or the silhouettes of the sunset at Rameshwaram, the contrast depicted here is first-class.
Performances here are also first-rate. Shahrukh Khan is as usual, at the top of his game. This is a relief from Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Ra.One, and we get to see him in his element; fun, playful and true- blue SRK without the oddities of the aforementioned films. It's quite fun to see him take digs at his own exaggerated archetype and his own image in the public media. The last time he was this much fun was Om Shanti Om! Deepika Padukone also springs in a pleasant surprise with a performance that provides her with uncharted territory; while she may have received the award for "Ram Leela", her work here is much more superlative in my book because it is much more unique. She matches SRK step for step in the comic department; hopefully we get to see more of this side of her as opposed to the dull, brooding characters she has played in the past. Yes, the accent may not be regionally accurate, but her successful efforts in making Meenamma an endearing character more than makes up for this deficiency. Tamil veteran Satyaraj evokes an aura of menace as the godfather of Komban, while the actor who plays Tangaballi (the goon whom Meenamma is betrothed to) doesn't have much to do in terms of acting; his work consists more of just grunting and appearing scary. Several other characters in the film make their mark; be it Meenamma's cousin brothers, the midget, the Sardar cop, or even Rahul's grandparents at the very beginning. It truly is a team effort, and all the key players have worked cooperatively to make this worthwhile.
Don't be fooled by snooty critics who see "Chennai Express" as something only for the single-screen audience. Comedy doesn't have any restrictions; it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of class, wealth, or education level as long as one is willing to watch it with the right frame of mind. You can't go into "Chennai Express" expecting a National-Award winning performance or the solution to the suffering of all humanity. The success phenomenon called Rohit Shetty exists because his audiences have realized what he intends to do; make them laugh and perhaps bring some happiness in the mundane, stressful life of the viewer. So just sit back, relax, and "get on the train, baby!"
Chennai Express begins with a 40-year-old man named Rahul (SRK, who else, playing his age for once), who must travel to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu to immerse the ashes of his deceased grandfather. On the way, however, certain comic misunderstandings lead him to the company of Meenamma (Deepika Padukone) and her goon cousin brothers who perfect the Tamil movie look down to the lungis and the coconut knives. The goons hold him as hostage and along with Meenamma, take him to their village Komban, where Meenamma's father is the local don. In order to save Rahul's life, Meenamma cooks up some more stories that lead to greater chaos and a wild chase through the beautiful scenery of rural Tamil Nadu.
From start to finish, Chennai Express is an adrenaline rush. Director Rohit Shetty exceeds the fast-paced hilarious chaos of Golmaal and Bol Bachchan with this. Shahrukh Khan's self-referential jokes, the various Kollywood spoofs, and the slapstick humor all mesh together seamlessly into a tight fabric. The story (yes, you snarky little critics, there is a story) has been kept simple in its overall structure, allowing the narrative to be highlighted by specific incidents. There's very little in terms of theme to be mentioned here; as mentioned previously, the film isn't really trying to say anything life-changing or thought-provoking. While it does have small messages regarding living one's life to the fullest and making the best out of bad situations, such themes are handled in a very light vein and are not dwelt upon with much gravity. The music by Vishal-Shekhar is a mixed bag; while the title song, "Lungi Dance", "Titli", and "Kashmir Main Tu Kanyakumari" are great colorful fun, "One Two Three Four" grates on the nerves after a while and "Tera Rasta Main Chhodoon Na" is sleep-inducing. Another highlight of the film that is of an unusually high quality for this genre is the cinematography, which has surprisingly been paid great attention to. Be it the lush green landscapes of the village, or the silhouettes of the sunset at Rameshwaram, the contrast depicted here is first-class.
Performances here are also first-rate. Shahrukh Khan is as usual, at the top of his game. This is a relief from Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Ra.One, and we get to see him in his element; fun, playful and true- blue SRK without the oddities of the aforementioned films. It's quite fun to see him take digs at his own exaggerated archetype and his own image in the public media. The last time he was this much fun was Om Shanti Om! Deepika Padukone also springs in a pleasant surprise with a performance that provides her with uncharted territory; while she may have received the award for "Ram Leela", her work here is much more superlative in my book because it is much more unique. She matches SRK step for step in the comic department; hopefully we get to see more of this side of her as opposed to the dull, brooding characters she has played in the past. Yes, the accent may not be regionally accurate, but her successful efforts in making Meenamma an endearing character more than makes up for this deficiency. Tamil veteran Satyaraj evokes an aura of menace as the godfather of Komban, while the actor who plays Tangaballi (the goon whom Meenamma is betrothed to) doesn't have much to do in terms of acting; his work consists more of just grunting and appearing scary. Several other characters in the film make their mark; be it Meenamma's cousin brothers, the midget, the Sardar cop, or even Rahul's grandparents at the very beginning. It truly is a team effort, and all the key players have worked cooperatively to make this worthwhile.
Don't be fooled by snooty critics who see "Chennai Express" as something only for the single-screen audience. Comedy doesn't have any restrictions; it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of class, wealth, or education level as long as one is willing to watch it with the right frame of mind. You can't go into "Chennai Express" expecting a National-Award winning performance or the solution to the suffering of all humanity. The success phenomenon called Rohit Shetty exists because his audiences have realized what he intends to do; make them laugh and perhaps bring some happiness in the mundane, stressful life of the viewer. So just sit back, relax, and "get on the train, baby!"
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