Chalti ka Naam Gaadi : Fun unlimited
Ashok Kumar was born on 13th of October in 1911 and Kishor Kumar was died on 13th of October in 1987. Nature does not believe in such coincidences on which we human beings can show only astonishment but for us what a sad coincidence it was where elder brothers Birthday became the death day for his younger brother. How Ashok Kumar might have felt on this day of 1987?
But such is the irony of human life on earth. Strange things just happen and man only can say that what can not be cured must be endured.
Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi is one film which can give a proper collective tribute to the outstanding contribution to the hindi cinema given by Ganguli brothers and Madhubala. CKNG is the best tribute to the cinematic works of Mohan Choti also.
CKNG was released in 1958 and when in 2008 someone starts watching the film then a smile appears automatically on his/her lips as soon as casting starts appearing on the screen and cartoons start representing the characters in a comical way. Perhaps this was done first time in the hindi cinema.
Kishor Kumar’s yodelling and his character’s frivolity is well established through the casting itself.
This was the first time when a CAR was introduced as a character “CHAMPION” with its date of birth also, i.e. its model was mentioned below its name.
CKNG brings loads of fun through the three brothers and a beauty queen.
Ashok Kumar is one of the main characters in the film but what kind of film has come before the audience is clear from the very first scene as soon as casting is finished and a car is shown standing on broad road of Bombay and three brothers are trying to start it.
Car does not start and eldest brother Brij Mohan (Ashok Kumar) accuses his younger brother Jag Mohan (Anoop Kumar) and Man Mohan (Kishor Kumar) that car is not getting started because either of them had seen the face of a woman in the morning.
They both deny and then BM sees that a woman is standing at the corner of the turn and watching them and their endeavour to start the car. He asks his younger brothers to go and run away the woman and they naturally try to slide task on each other and in the end BM decides that they will use their special trick and they all the three brothers start uttering some nonsensical words and woman runs away and now bothers kick their car one by one and when BM kicks it in the end then it starts.
This is the atmosphere of the film atleast 2/3rd of the film maintains this atmosphere.
Ashok Kumar, one of the most sensitive and intensive actors of Hindi cinema rubs his shoulders well with Kishor Kumar and Anoop Kumar to create comical impact whenever its required.
Its always interesting to see through the song, “Babu samjho ishare” that how those days directors used to mix the outdoor portions with indoor portions where characters would sit in the car and in the background a film will run to create an impresson as if car was running.
Ashok Kumar has played so well a misogynist character in the film and even his transformation, when he goes to meet Madhubala at her home to ask her to stop seeing his younger brother Kishor Kumar and she starts crying and he changes his views about her, is fed well in the screen play through many meaningful scenes.
Two best things associated with the film are bonding of three brothers and on screen compatibility and easiness of Kishor Kumar and Madhubala.
Audience does not know when he starts respecting Ashok Kumar as his own elder brother and this is the success of his characterization and performance.
Honesty with which he asks Anoop Kumar to take out paanch Rupaya aur abrah aana from the purse of Madhubala and endorse the same amount in the account of company is appealing and helpful in establishing his character.
Further when he says,”mein kisi mahila ka purse kaise khol lun, ye baat sharafat ke khilaf hai” he touches the chord with the audience.
And Anoop Kumar’s reactions when he picks up lipstick and yells “cartoos, cartoos” are fun to watch.
Anoop Kumar’s use of shudh hindi and uttering dialogues using a perfect timing make his performance a lovable one. He is not loved less by audience in this film and can be treated as a surprise element. His sayings,” Prashan ye uthta hai” or “ Chit mein jeeta pat tum hare” or his trials to take sides to save his own skin from the anger of Ashok Kumar make his character very attractive on screen.
Madhubala’s entry in a rainy night fulfils justifies the very definition of good cinema, attractive, unpredictable and engrossing.
Her relationship with Kishor Kumar hence forth is filled with full of teasing which they shower on each other.
She exudes beauty and charm and spreads pleasantness on the screen. Combination of her portrayal power and personality come as powerful tool in the scene where he reaches to the garage and all the brothers are sleeping and first she is confronted with Mohan Choti who is enjoying the mere thought of a holiday and singing in the joy and then she goes upstairs and tackles individually Ashok Kumar and pair of Kishor Kumar and Anoop Kumar.
She does not mind blackmailing Ashok Kumar and almost forces him to send Kishor Kumar with her on a picnic.
Kishor Kumar is a proven top grade actor as far as comedy is concerned but he was able to excel in sensitive scenes also and it is proven by him in this film and this scene should be among top five scenes of Kishor Kumar’s performances in all the films he ever did.
In this particular piece of the film Madhubala takes him on a picnic and they sing a song there and then Madhubala tries to force him to express his love towards her and he tries to escape her efforts. That is the piece of class act by Kishor Kumar as an actor. On screen his characters knows his limitations and the economic differences between him and Madhubala and he tries to give their relationship the form of friendship only which will be finished once she is married to a rich guy.
Film is rich in performances and even stupid kinds of situations are made look feasible by authentic performances.
KN Singh does what he used to do in best possible manner. In the role of a sophisticated villain who is living under the disguise of a former king, he is quite convincing.
Sajjan is average.
Veena is the only one who brings the filmi dramatic kind of portrayal of a victim who has been captured for 10 long years. She plays filmi mad who follows ha ha ha ha ha and then all of a sudden she gives a serious look and again follows the mechanized ha ha ha ha .
What appeals now most in the old B&W films picturized in Bombay is the scenery, almost empty broad roads and city looks beautiful in those films of 50’s.
Cameraman Alok das Gupta was a first timer DOP and if anecdote is right then Director Satyen Bose had asked him to picturise first the song Ek Ladki bheegi bhegi see to give a proof that he was able to shoot the entire film.
This could be the reason that song was perhaps shot after so many takes or too much time was taken in the shooting as one can see that Madhubala and Kishor Kumar are completely drenched when they are pushing the car on the road outside the garage but when they usher the car inside the garage, Kishor Kumar’s trouser is almost dried except few wet patches.
CKNG has got matching music and songs keep pace with the mood of the film in those particular moments.
Film is a fun trip till the moment where Kishor Kumar and Madhubala are entrapped by the Sajjan at his Adda.
It becomes dull for some time but again gains the momentum as soon as Ashok Kumar and Anoop Kumar reach there.
Years have passed and years will be passed but this film will always be seen to watch the performances of three actors who were brothers in real life also and who played the brothers on screen also and for the pair of Kishor Kumar and Madhubala. Such mad lovers were not seen again on the screen.
Tags: Alok Das Gupta, Anoop Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Kishor Kumar, KN Singh, Madhubala, mohan choti, Sajjan, Satyen Bose, Veena
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
awesome man..terrific movie…and great songs!! a total entertainer!!
Good post on one of my most fav movies of Indian Cinema.
Yes Kishore’s birthday had also a strange co-incidence with a death day of a priest/father of a Goan church, on 4th August 1929 ( Kishore used to dream about him visiting Goa and had planned to capture this eerie-ness in a small scene, in his unreleased film “Neela Aasmaan-1958″ ! ).
I am a ‘kaayal’ of the innocence that kishore exuberated in many of his films/songs of the 50’s . CKNG was one such film, with scenes full of innocence.
As many of them know, Kishore was the producer of the film. He did huge profits from the film Luko Churi ( Bengali film that ran for 2.5 years ) and wanted to divert the attention of the IT fellas. So Anup Kumar, his secretary’s name was given as a Producer. As fate turned to be, CKNG was a huge hit. A Golden Jubilee. Kishore wanted Kamal Mazumdar to direct CKNG. But last moment KM developed cold feet for this “Hindi” movie and thus Satyen Bose, a close friend, was literally pulled in.
There is an interesting view to the “similar” story from where Kishore got the idea of casting the 3 brothers – 1952 – Golden Pictures pr. Presents ASHOK KUMAR, ANOOP KUMAR AND KISHORE with NALINI JAYWANT, rama shukul, kanhaiyalal, amita and new find NAINA in “SARHAD” – story of 3 brothers who were out to kill one another for a GIrl…! Supervision : Gyan Mukherji , Produced by : Isabel Clifford & P R Patkar Music : Arun Kumar Art : Ganesh Basak, Written & Directed by : Vrajendra Gaur Contact : Golden Pictures. Nilam Mansion. Lamington Road Bombay 4 Phone : 71475 Grams : Lajawab Bombay
Unfortunately Sarhad could not be made.
Kishore would give the music rights to who else, but his mentor – the great S D Burman. I have an interview of Kishore, where he categorically said that he wanted to give what Public wanted, through CKNG. He also knew that the western songs had a big impact of many cinema lovers. So he literally “instructed” SDB to just “copy” the songs from western films/music. This was the first film where Kishore worked closely with RDBurman too ( one of the first few films of RDB as an assistant to SDB ). All 3 of them used to go to Rythm House in Mumbai and sit for days together and listen the records and make note ( to note ). I love every song of this movie. Also sad to see that the song “In Haathon Se Sabki Gaadi” was not picturized. I am particularly amazed by the fast music ( in the titles ) converted to a normal paced song by SDB – Ruk Jaao Na Jee.
Can go on and on about this movie, but sometime later. DVD of this movie sell like hot cakes, even after 50 years !
@Tejas,
yes a complete entertainer whose charm still exists in full form.
Good post as usual RK. Also have you seen Do Dooni Char, it was an early adaptation of Comedy of Errors, with Kishore Kumar and Asit Sen in the double roles. I thought it was quite entertaining enough.
@Kcp,
Thanks for informative comment. Ya he gave Producer’s name as Anup Sharma. Who was perhaps his secretary.
As I know only two songs “ek ladki bheegi bhagi see” and “Hum the wo thee” were inspired from english songs. Is there any other song also which was inspired from the english song?
And If I recall then Kishor Kumar’s name was mentioned in the list of playback singers during the casting in the begining.
Do you have this song “In haathon se sabki gaadi”?
additionally Mohan Choti also hum a song when Madhubala goes there on Sunday. That tuning was also good.
@Ratnakar,
No I have not been able to see this film. I had searched it but did not get the DVD or CD and never got a chance to watch it on TV also. I had audio cassette of the songs of film.
Will watch it some day. It will be a fun to watch Kishor Kumar in the double roles which later Sanjeev Kumar played in Angoor.
RK, I think all the songs except Sudha Malhotra’s were inspired from the west. Dont know the exact references now, but they were.
Nopes. Kishore’s name was not included in the list of “playback” singers.
the song “In Haathon se” is found here : http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/hindi_bollywood/s/director.88/movie_name.438/
Yes the movements of Mohan Choti with his imaginary girl friend was simply awesome.
@Kcp,
Sorry my hands missed typing “Not” in relation to Kishor Kumar’s inclusion in playback team else why to make the statement?:)
I had in mind [And If I recall then Kishor Kumar’s name was "Not" mentioned in the list of playback singers during the casting in the begining].
Perhaps they applied the logic because he is singing his own songs so he should not be included in the list of playback singers.
Thanks for Musicindia link. Going to listen the song today.
Yes. There were quite a few films where his name was mentioned and quite a few films where it was not mentioned ! it all depended on the Producer’s way of thinking I guess :-)
KCP’s knowledge of Hindi films is commendable. Yes in 1952 the three Ganguly brothers were signed for Sarhad and that film was to be direccted by my father Vrajendra gaur but it could not be made unfortunately. I was surprised to know that the idea of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi was lifted from Sarhad.
My father wrote many films for Ashok Kumar like Kafila, Sardar, Sangram, Bimal da’s Parineeta,
and also Kishore Kumar’s immortal Jhumroo and Naughty Boy.