Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Kiran Juneja, Oshin Brar, Yashpal Sharma
Director: Gifty
Comedy is subjective, right? Some viewers (those who watch Punjabi cinema and find Diljit Dosanjh’s films unmissable) would think ‘Jatt & Juliet’ was the height of humour. Some would continue to feel his first release of 2015 ‘Sardaarji’ is the funniest film ever. So while we all can go back and forth all day talking about it logically, we also agree that ‘Mukhtiar Chaddha’ might be an immediate Box Office success, but still not end up being a cult classic.
Mukhtiar Chaddha (Diljit Dosanjh) plays a typical Delhi guy who has lofty aspirations and some really unusual ways to make quick money. And this trait - of raising cash in a flash – is made evident from his mobile’s ringtone. Each time he is in dire straits and desperately looking for easy money, his phone starts blaring. And the ringer? Well, it says "Aapko paise chahiye, only paisa”.
So with the mindset to come up with extra funds, and fast, it is only obvious that Diljit tries some smart and silly strategies. From seducing a middle-aged married man by speaking to him like a girl to hiding Dimple’s (Oshin Brar) secret of having failed in her exams from her parents -he does just everything to extract money. Interestingly, within the first hour of the film, we know Diljit’s characteristics are that of a typical Punjabi ‘biness’man: opportunist, flexible, resilient.
Diljit has set the bar really high with many of his past projects such as ‘Jatt & Juliet’, ‘Punjab 1984’, ‘Sardaarji’, and it may not be completely incorrect to state that the remarkable humour and seriousness in his films made many of his contemporaries invest more thoughts and efforts in their projects.
Therefore, it comes as a bit of let-down when Diljit’s film ‘Mukhtiar Chadha’, which looks so positive on paper, fails to deliver.
Directed by Gifty, it has an interesting cast – including Kiran Juneja (Mukhtiar’s mother), Yashpal Sharma (crooked land grabber Chidi Husain). Then, there are other gags which have become popular by several movie belonging to the same genre – Diljit along with his friends gatecrashing a wedding, Kiran Juneja playing the temperamental Punjabi mother, and Chidi’s younger brother who loses his cool without the slightest provocation.
While the cast has been included to leave the viewers in splits, it is disappointing to see how nobody (except Diljit) plays a vital role in anchoring the story in any way.
And what really saves the film even as it brims with usual tropes is Diljit’s impeccable comic timing. His perfectly pitched confident-Delhi-trader-ready-to-make-quick-money behaviour makes the film very watchable.
Agreed, there are moments when both the plot and pace slacken, but Diljit’s swiftness while delivering his punchlines leaves a strong impact. And with his wrong pronunciation where friend ‘Dodge’ becomes ‘dog’ and the plans to cut his new ‘video’ is referred to as ‘vidooo’, Diljit proves he is perfectly suited to the film’s overall tone which is bother perky and at times, unapologetically silly.
Most of the songs barring Diljit’s ‘Click Click’ and Nooran Sisters’ ‘Main Deewani’ are totally superfluous, despite the music being spirited.
Of the supporting cast, Kiran Juneja doesn’t face any difficulty in sleepwalking through the role, Oshin Brar is sluggish for the most part, which can be boring to watch. Yashpal Sharma, unfortunately, gets a limited screen time. However, his punches (via shayri) come in generous doses. ‘Chaddha tu pasand aya manney, shayri ki samajh hai tanney’ is one of his many dialogues that highlights one of the funniest sequences.
If you really have to watch this film, focus only on Diljit Dosanjh, not the story.
Rating: 2.5/5
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