Chori Chori Chupke Chupke -

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (Romance Movie ,2001)

Starring

Salman Khan	.... Raj Malhotra
Rani Mukherjee	.... Priya
Preity Zinta	.... Madhoo
Johnny Lever	.... Pappu Bhai

Director : Abbas-Mastan
Producer : Nazim Rizvi

Synopsis
It has candyfloss in a liberal dose, puerile situations and dialogues, a pinch of brawn storming, and lovers buzzing off to exotic foreign locales at the drop of a hat--all the ingredients of a typical Bollywood masala.

Salman, Rani and Preity made an admirable triangle in Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega which had the theme of two lasses enamored by the same man (Salman). Abbas-Mastan's Chori Chori Chupke Chupke has the same set up albeit the director duo has put an unexpected twist in the story.

Known for making spine-chilling thrillers like Khiladi, Baazigar the director duo are trying a different theme this time. Unlike their previous films CCCC does not have any villain or vamp. All the negative elements in the story are "circumstantial".

In the film Raj (Salman) and Priya (Rani) play a happily married couple. Their conjugal bliss, however, is broken as it dawns on them that Priya is barren and cannot conceive their child. The problem further bloats as they realize that Raj's bounty of millions needs an inheritor.

Here Madhoo (Preity) steps in to rescue the duo from this quandary. Priya and Madhoo are best of friends and share strong vibes. Priya entreats her friend to bear her husband's baby. Deep inside Madhoo too is besotted by the brawny hunk, although she has never voiced her feeling.

Here begins the cobweb of emotions. While Madhoo succumbs to her friend's entreaties she cannot stop herself being drawn closer to Raj who on his part is torn between the two of them. And then there is Priya who plays an ideal wife and stoically swallows the growing proximity between her hubby and her friend.

Abbas-Mastan are pretty much sure that they have a winning combination with the promising cast ensemble of Salman, Rani and Preity. Anu Maliks' music too has faired quite well on the music charts.

This is not the first time when a film is made on this theme. Bollywood flicks of yore like Doosri Dulhan and Smita Patil's Waaris had the same plot.

The film would have hit the marquee some time back but was stalled following the arrest of its producer Nazeem Rizvi and financier Bharat Shah for their alleged links with the underworld.

Review

The mush factory rolls again. And here comes two-and-a-half hours of feel-good candy floss fare.

Two bubbly belles (Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta) drool over the skimpily clad Salman. Some guys have all the luck! The threesome makes the best of buddies. Together they cavort around on exotic foreign locales. Things are groovy until the director decides to give a twist to this feel-good story.

Abbas-Mustan, the director duo who have given blood curdling suspense thrillers like Baazigar and Khiladi strays off their usual formula in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. This time romance and tragedy seem to have taken precedence over thrills and suspense. And there is also enough of Bharjatya-type family drama.

Raj (Salman) is part of an ideal family consisting of a doting grandfather Kailashnath Malhotra, whom he reveres, a friendly father Ranjit Malhotra (Dilip Tahil) and a loving mother (Farida Jalal). Raj is the rising star, the man who would uphold the heritage of his rich family, and its bounty of millions.

Raj's heart beats for Priya (Rani Mukherji) who too hails from a rich family and is the ideal girl to be Malhotra's bahu. The duo fall in love, get married and Priya is warmly welcomed in Malhotra family. Things are fine until the twosome come to know that Priya is barren. With this realization also dawns the fear that Malhotra's distinguished lineage would end with Raj.

Here enters the sprightly bar dancer Madhoo (Preity Zinta) who will rescue the couple from this quandary. Priya entreats Madhoo to conceive Raj's child. An initially hesitant Madhoo ultimately consents to Priya's plea.

The plot thickens as Raj and Madhoo are drawn closer. Priya conceals her feelings and there grows the complex labyrinth of emotions. How the trio bale out of this situation forms the high point of the movie.

Salman-Rani-Preity has already caught the fancy of today's yuppie generation in Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega. Their kind of romance-- puerile and full of glam and glitz-- has become the staple diet of a cinegoer. And CCCC has its share of saccharine stuff.

Anu Malik's music is catchy, melodious and gels quite well with the theme of the film. However the tepid script, mushy dialogues and weak direction make CCCC a farrago of half-baked ideas.

As far as acting goes, Salman is his usual 'ham self'. Although he doesn’t resort to shirt doffing so often, he dishes out the usual bland and vapid stuff. Rani is vivacious but too infantile. On the other hand Preity's quicksilver moods are pretty impressive. Also chipping in with some comic moments is Johny Lever as Pappu Bhai, Salman's sidekick who is more like a son to the Malhotras.

The film which has already created much hype owing to the alleged links of its producer and financier with the underworld promises to be a crowd puller. Let's see if it puts an end to the ongoing barren spell in Bollywood.

Rani World