Chalo Dilli
U/A; COMEDY
Dir: Shashant Shah
Cast: Lara Dutta, Vinay Pathak, Akshay Kumar
**
What's it about: Lara Dutta and Vinay Pathak definitely make an odd pairing almost like Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell in Elf. The only difference being while the latter worked cause of the two talents put together the former doesn't quite make the same impression.
Set against the rickety backdrop of a journey from Mumbai to Delhi via some perilous adventures Chalo Dilli has Lara in the role of an investment banker who's surrounded by the luxury of assistants and Louis Vitton accessories.
Not knowing what's going to happen to her over the period of the next few days she makes a journey to Dilli but lands up in Jaipur and has a bumbling simpleton Manu (Vinay) to blame.
As expected they are opposites, while she rolls her R's while speaking he spits out tobacco between every pause. Despite their mutual dislike for one another the two have no choice but to make the most of the given situation.
What's hot: There are moments when the film sparkles and they come in the form of witty one liners or punches. Pitching Lara and Vinay opposite each other and putting them in the most awkward situations manages to bring out some humor.
Most of the chuckles come when they are stranded in a remote village and begin their journey to Dilli. Vinay Pathak is an absolute charmer and plays his part to perfection. His Manu feels like a bloke you could meet somewhere during a train journey. Lara brings the correct dose of sarcasm and rebuttal to her character.
What's not: The film's biggest drawback is the fact that it falls into the dangerous trap of coming off as one-dimensional. Once we are introduced to Lara and Vinay, there's nothing different or new that we can expect. Most of the arguments, fights, banter and goof ups are super predictable.
Also the second half, especially the climax is more sugar coated than a Hersheys bar. Instead of getting preachy and wanting to send out a message, they should let it be a fun affair.
The serious dramatic overturn towards the end punctures the average run of the film towards the very end. There's a serious overkill of trying to get the audience's waterworks running. But it just doesn't seem genuine. The songs are strictly average and Yana's Laila act does nothing to impress.
What to do: Chalo Dilli sets out on the right footing but doesn't quite make the impression one would expect.
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