/> MOVIE DETAILS

Cast: Govinda, Rajpal Yadav, Reema Sen, Murli Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Asrani, Razzak Khan and Om Puri
Director: T.K. Rajeev Kumar
Producer: Vijay Kumar
Music: Anu Malik, Anand Raj Anand, Sunil Jha
Lyrics: Vaibhav Modi, Anand Raj Anand, Sunil Jha

THE FILM

Kuch filmein free mein flop ho jaati hain! Chal Chala Chal is one of them. Let's state first things first - This Govinda starrer is definitely not as pathetic and stupid as it was made out to be on its theatrical release.

Of course it came around a couple of years after it was ready and even from subject and treatment point of view, it is at least a decade behind it's time. So yes, there is a certain expiry date written all over Chal Chala Chal.

However, once you make up your mind that you are watching a film from the mid/late 90s, it doesn't make for a bad watch at all if seen on TV.

So here we have Govinda who is 'kabhi garam kabhi naram' depending upon the need of the situation but generally boasting of a heart of gold.

Someone who can never think of doing wrong to someone, who believes in honesty being the right virtue and expecting the world to be like him. But that doesn't turn out to be the case to be as at every given juncture, he has the world going against him for trivial reasons.

Greedy brother-in-laws (Asrani and Manoj Joshi), opportunist sisters, acquaintances turning foes, union leader (Murli Sharma) coming up with false allegations, employees turning back stabbers, phony eye witnesses - he has everything going against him. As a simpleton who wants to make a living out of running a bus with his trusted friend Rajpal Yadav, Govinda faces hurdles at every moment but faces it all with a smile.

Sounds like a grim and sad affair, isn't it? Well, this is where Chal Chala Chal succeeds in not letting boredom come in as it tells it all with a smile (except for the penultimate reels where drama comes into picture and comedy is sidelined).

Otherwise, the film is embellished with quite a few comic moments and some of the dialogues, especially the ones shared between Govinda and Rajpal Yadav, do bring in a chuckle at more than just a couple of junctures.

Of course there is nothing for those looking for a 'hero-heroine-pyaar-mohabbat' as the scenes between Govinda and Reema Sen are truly 'thanda'. Good that there is no romantic number between the two; that would have hardly been justifiable.

Even otherwise, the film's music is sheer bad and each of the 3-4 songs in the narrative belongs to fast forward mode.

From direction point of view, director T.K. Rajeev Kumar comes across as a Priyadarshan student all the way.

Right from shot taking to background score to the role of supporting actors to sound design to locations/sets to dialogues to the brand of comedy - T.K. Rajeev Kumar follows Priyadarshan to the T. Not that he completely succeeds in his endeavor but at least his attempt doesn't come across as amateurish.

PACKAGING

The DVD comes in a regular plastic case though it is better than the usual Moser Baer 'thin plastic case' that had almost become a trademark for cheap priced DVDs over the years

DURATION

The film's duration is 135 minutes

SPECIAL FEATURES

The DVD doesn't come with any special features

TECHNICAL DETAILS

- 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation
- Subtitles in English
- Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo

PRICE

Rs. 99/=

CONCLUSION

Yes, there are certain irritants for those who have never liked Govinda brand of comedy. So he comes up with his trademark gestures, speaks loudly, is melodramatic in emotional scenes and generally does everything that he has been doing over the years.

But then leave that segment of audience out who have never been a Govinda follower and play Chal Chala Chal for those who have sworn by him during the entire 90s (when the actor ruled in spite of Khans in vogue) and you get to see a time pass affair.

Rating: **