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CHAMELI KI SHAADI (1986) - A COMIC LOVE STORY

Basu Chatterjee is known for his light hearted films and most of them were very good. Chemeli ki shaadi is his one of the lesser known films of his career but a film worth to watch.

Chameli ki shaadi is light hearted comic love story and is all about love of small town boy and girl, how they meet, how their love progresses and how their marriage happens.

Charandas is a small town young boy who is fond of Kasrat and pehalvani (exercise and body building). His guru Mastram (Om Prakash) takes promise from charandas that he would not fall in love and not marry till the age of 40, because he believes that woman is the gate of hell (aurat nark ka dwaar hai). But Charandas and Chameli fall in love with each other at first sight. Then the difficulties arise. The casts of both lovers are different and so both the families are reluctant for any relation. And then how both lovers reach the final destination of marriage after lots of difficulties but getting support from friends.

Lots of comic situations and characters are there in the film but none of the characters is extra. All of characters have their appropriate place. Here Anil kapoor is charan das and Amrita Singh is Chameli. Pankaj Kapur and Bharti Achrekar play parents of Amrita Singh. Pankaj Kapur as Kallumal koyle waala is very funny. He sells charcoal at black rate. Amjad khan also plays excellent cameo as advocate who helps charandas at each stage of his love affair. He is also guru of charandas teaching love lessons. Anu kapoor is piyakkad mama of Chameli and his dialogues and acting is worth to watch. Talent which is unrecognized till date!

The film captures culture of small town north India by showing castsim, dialogues, houses (having chulla), Akhaada culture, etc. The innocence on faces of chameli and charandas makes film more watchable. There is no tension created in the story and film becomes smooth ride of comedy. Audience can not restrict their laugh even when chameli is restricted to go out of home and her mother beats her (chameli). Though whole film is full of comic scenes but some of the comic moments I remember are:
- Charandas and chameli meet for first time in restaurant. Charandas tries to impress chameli and her friend Anita (Komal Mauvakar). When chrandas tells anita that he is going to England as Rustam–e-hind Dara singh has recommended him then chameli interrupts “Tum England Nahin jaoge. Rushm-e-hind khood kyon nahin jaata. Darpok kahin ka!.”
- The second meeting at restaurant when charandas has not enough money and he is looking in menu for cheap items to order and at last orders baigan bhartha and chai.
- Taxi me Charandas aur chameli ke beech me Anita bethi hui hoti hai tab chameli usko dhoke se taxi se bahar bulakar jaldi se charandas ke paas beth jaati hai
- Jab chameli Anita ki help se charandas ko love letter likhti hai ki charandas ki aamdani kamse kam 2000 rupye honi chahiye par baad me 2000 ki jagah 500 rupye karti hai par shart hoti hai ki naukri sarkari ho jahaan upar ki aamdani jyaada ho.
- When Chameli’s relative Nathu raam tells about chamali’s affair and then chameli beats nathu ram by giving traditional hindi gaalis.(“muye chugli karta hai)
- Anu kapoor’s (as Mama of Chameli) introduction scene where he says “ apne ko roz ek bottle chahiye aur khaane ka chakachak.”
- Pankaj kapur’s day dreams and conversation with wife of becoming municipality chairman.
- Amjadkhan explains to Makhkhan (who is proposed to marry Chameli) “woh (chameli) bhens(buffalo) jaisi aur tum bakri jaise”
- When Chameli’s mother tells” Baap to pidhdhi jaisa hai kuchh karega nahi” see expressions of Pankaj kapur.
- As chameli’s mother restricted her entry to outside world and she is fond of movies and radio, charandas fights in ring and wins but accepts radio as prize which is actually to be given to loser against bicycle. How charandas sends that radio to chameli is also watchable scene.
- the whole climax
Here you can not find any scene which is forcefully kept in the film.
Music (Kalyanji Anandji ) is average but suits mood and treatment of the film. The lyrics in one dream song ”utar aayi akhaade me tere sapno ki raani”, then another dream song ” Mohabbat ke dushman jaraa hosh me aa” where charandas becomes salim and pankaj kapur becomes mughl-e-azam, are appropriate for this comedy.

So, on the whole Chameli ki shaadi is not a classic but a good time pass comedy and can be considered as one of the good comedy films of hindi cinema. If you love any kind of film or light hearted comedy then go and watch CHAMELI KI SHAADI. I can’t understand how this film is unrecgonised when it gave fresh feel and comic relief in the era of crap smugglers movies.