When an actor plunges into production, expect a show reel for herself or himself. Only a few actors manage to make sensible, story-based cinema, which isn’t written keeping the actor-turned-producer in mind. Chalo Dilli is one of those rare films produced by an actress with a view to making entertaining cinema. And the director and writer succeed in entertaining the audience, to an extent.

Road-trip cinema is not new to the Indian audience. Also, there are many Hollywood films based on the same theme like Due Date, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles, and many Indian filmmakers too have had tried their hand at movies based on long journeys.
Yet the film manages to keep you glued to the screen. Like his previous film, Dasvidaniya, director Shashant Shah borrows the idea, as well as scenes, from various Hollywood movies but what matters is how it is presented to the audience.

Lara Dutta, the female protagonist, works for a multinational financial institution and is heading back home from Mumbai to Delhi. But she misses her flight and encounters Vinay Pathak, the male protagonist. They’re poles apart. Vinay is loud and crass, exactly the opposite of Lara. Both of them find themselves stuck with each other for the rest of the journey to Delhi.

Thankfully, here there’s no romance, and the story is about two individual people meeting each other accidentally, and travelling together.

To start with, though this journey is enjoyable, there are too many loopholes in the script. The reason Lara misses her flight and the fact that she doesn’t even realise she has landed in Jaipur is unpalatable. During their journey, the duo comes across a variety of people and scenarios, from dhabas to deserts to camel-cart rides. Although the ensuing interaction is interesting, there is considerable scope for improvement.

For instance, the interaction between co-passenger (a Bengali couple) and Vinay Pathak is entertaining but you expect it to be a laugh-riot. In fact, throughout the film, you keep searching for a scene or two, which will be hilarious but they’re simply not there!

Also since the movie is shot en route to Delhi from Jaipur, eye-pleasing locations would have further boosted the product.

Towards the end of the second half, the film starts to drag. But the trump card is the finale. The climax is very touching and brings tears to your eyes. In fact, it is so touching, it tends to compensate for the fact that this film is a rehash of Hollywood movies or that it is not hilarious enough. You leave the auditorium with a pleasant feeling – and that says a lot for the climax.

Right from selection of subject to writing it to casting, Director Shashant Shah is in form this time. Editing is fine. Cinematography is all right. Music goes well with the mood of the film. But the Laila o Laila track could have been picturised and choreographed better.

Performance-wise, Lara Dutta is first-rate. Vinay Pathak makes you smile and, sometimes, laugh. Towards the end, he makes you cry too. Admittedly, a splendid job. The rest of the cast provides adequate support. Akshay Kumar in a cameo is very good.

Verdict: Though it did not open in a big way, this film has potential and collections might grow with word of mouth.