Millennials Review Classics: ‘Chupke Chupke’ Still Shines
“Keval shudh hindi mein uchcharan karein.”
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(Silvy is 24-years-old, she saw ‘Chupke Chupke’ (1975) for the first time and reviewed it here.)
I am not that big a fan of old classic movies but when asked to review Chupke Chupke, it was like god heard my mom's request. Chupke Chupke is my mom's favourite film. I have seen Dharmendra's Apne and a bunch of Amitabh's movies like Kabhi Kabhie, Don, Baghban and more, but in Chupke Chupke, I got to watch a never before seen jugalbandi of Dharmendra and Amitabh.
Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Chupke Chupke (1975) was released in the same year as Sholay. Just like the all-time-blockbuster, this comedy too shared a cast of Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Asrani, the other actors here included Sharmila Tagore and Om Prakash.
In Mukherjee’s film, Dharmendra and Amitabh are no longer the aggressive ‘Jai and Veeru’ from Sholay, but drop dead handsome professors who could motivate you to attend lectures every day. The lifeline of Chupke Chupke is its ‘shudh Hindi’ comedy where each and every character in the film has a unique role to play.
The story starts with Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore falling in love and getting married. Hrishikesh Mukherjee adds charm to the typical love story with a twist when Dharmendra disguises himself as Wahan Chalak Pyaare Mohan and goes to Sulekha aka Sharmila Tagore’s Jijaji’s house in Mumbai. The entire story revolves around making a mockery of Jijaji aka Om Prakash aka Raghavendra Sharma. On the other hand, Amitabh aka Professor Sukumar Sinha (Professor of Literature/Sahitya) disguises himself as Parimal (Botany Professor), and ends up falling in love with Jaya Bachchan (Botany student). Read as the confusion unfolds.
Dharmendra aka Dr Parimal Tripathi
I have never been a great fan of Dharmendra but Chupke Chupke made me fall in love with the adorable smile of Dr Parimal Tripathi. In Gulzar’s words, he is not a Botany professor but a ‘ghaas phoos ka doctor’. Trust me, I have never seen any actor look so handsome wearing a monkey cap.
Old Bollywood Romance With a ‘Shudh Hindi’ Twist
Like a typical student-teacher romance, it took less than a minute for Sharmila Tagore aka Sulekha Chaturvedi (Vanaspati Shastra/Botany student) to fall in love with Dharmendra aka Dr Parimal Tripathi (Vanaspati Shastra professor). But what makes this love story different are the brilliant dialogues penned by Gulzar.
But one thing I don’t get is: why the hell is everybody shouting on the phone?
Dharmendra as Pyaare Mohan Allahabadi aka Wahan Chalak (Driver)
Yes, I admit. This driver is way more intelligent than he should be. His perfect Hindi and unstoppable questions related to English (Angrezi) language, might give any boss (Saheb) an inferiority complex. After meeting Pyare Mohan, Raghavendra Sharma aka Jijaji says, “Ye shakal soorat se driver nahin, kisi film ka hero lagta hai”.
With no cheesy language, no vulgar words and a simply hilarious script, Chupke Chupke has given us some eternal characters and dialogues to remember.
Om Prakash as Raghavendra Sharma (The Jijaji)
With a pot belly, bald head and nathu lal type moustache, Om Prakash aka Raghavendra Sharma is the most epic character in the film. Each time he shrugs off Pyaare Mohan by saying, ‘What nonsense!’ in his crackling voice, one can’t stop laughing. The entire plot revolves around making a mockery of him, and Dharmendra does it best by asking English (Angrezi) language-related questions.
Amitabh Bachchan as Professor Sukumar Sinha
What a shrill voice! I have not seen Sholay but the jugalbandi between Dharmendra and Amitabh in Chupke Chupke is just unmatchable. Replete with humour, good looks and unbeatable sarcasm, the comedy goes to another level when the duo come together. Being a literature professor, he teaches botany to Jaya Bachchan aka Vasudha Kumar and ends up falling for her.
An Unbeatable Rom-Com
Every character in the film is so perfect and unique in their own way that one just can’t compare them. Where one driver, Pyaare Mohan speaks shudh Hindi, the other driver, James D’ Costa, played by Keshto Mukherjee, uses words like aayenga, jaayenga, khaayenga, piyenga. The film is not about the exotic location but about the wonderful and unique characterisation. I wish we had such unforgettable characters written in today’s age and time.
Considering the fact that they were penned in shudh Hindi, the songs in the movie made me yawn but whenever Dharmendra winked, I woke up.
I recently watched Badrinath ki Dulhania. Despite being shot in Singapore, having hit music and casting actors like Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan, the film couldn't entertain me. Although Varun Dhawan tried his best to make the audience laugh with his weak English, he failed miserably. Chupke Chupke, on the other hand, had a simple location and shudh Hindi songs, but also an interesting script. It was the script that brought out the best in these talented actors. Such a simple story, shot back in 1975 could still make me laugh, but Badrinath ki Dulhania couldn't. That says it all!
You can watch Chupke Chupke with your friends, your husband, your children and even your grandchildren. You will grow old with time but Chupke Chupke will always remain a timeless comedy.
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