Chandni Chowk To China Movie Review (CCTC)
After the super successful Singh Is King, Akshay Kumar is back with Chandni Chowk to China produced by Warner Bros, one of the largest production houses in Hollywood. The film directed by Nikhil Advani (Kal Ho Na Ho, Salaam-e-Ishq) also stars Deepika Padukone and Ranvir Shorey along with Mithun Chakraborty in a cameo. Chinese Martial Arts actors Gordon Liu (Kill Bill) and Roger Yuan are also a part of the movie.
The pre release hype has been huge, with talks of Akshay Kumar turning into a global sensation and extending his fan-following further. Trade pundits believe, with decent word of mouth, Chandni Chowk To China can in fact beat the Rs 200 crores (worldwide gross) record set by Aamir Khan’s Ghajini in less than 3 weeks. Does Nikhil Advani – Akshay Kumar deliver? Or do they need to? Welcome, Singh Is Kinng and many other Akshay Kumar comedies, being mediocre at best, have worked big time at the box-office.
Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) is an uneducated naïve yet a superstitious man hailing in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. Despite the kicks and advises from his Dada (Mithun Chakroborty), down on his luck this vegetable cutter from the paranthe wali galli visits all possible saint’s, tarot reader’s and baba’s in search of any form of luck. Just when he had given up all hopes of getting something out of the luck charms to make his life, two men from China come in search of him claiming him to be the reincarnation of a war hero from the past and with an offer to take him to China. Sidhu blissfully sets forth to China with Guru Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey) who instigates dreams of a delicious future and forgets to reveal the menace which awaits him. He dreams of a wonderful life with his dream girl, who he calls Ms. TSM (Deepika Padukone), on his way to china. Will this clumpsy weak man live to the hopes of the villagers in fighting against evil and buy them their freedom?
Chandni Chowk To China Review
Akshay Kumar himself claimed recently that the movie lacks sense. Chandni Chowk To China not just lacks sense but rather has no story. Unfortunately, the movie is poorly directed and mostly filled with over the top performances. The first half is a complete drag; the pace is extremely slow and the film is completely dependent on Akshay Kumar and his by now trademark antics to carry it along. But watching his previous 10 odd back to back films with the very same mannerisms, it’s getting awfully hard to sit through.
The second half is better, the action is great but the climax is as flat as a cola without fizz. After all the build up, which consumes the entire second half, a thrilling climax is the least you can hope for. You expect it to be a serious combat between the good and the evil, but the director has instead opted to make it funny. Funny it is, but convincing; it isn’t.
The action is top class, going by the standards of Hindi films. Choreography is brilliant and the way Tere Naina is picturized is nice. The music is good, the Chandni Chowk To China Title song and the S.I.D.H.U track stands out.
Akshay Kumar is getting extremely repetitive with his characters. It’s the same as what you saw in many of his previous films. He’s hilarious at times but while you watch him perform, you get the seen-those-a-million-times-before kind of feeling. Why can’t a capable actor, commanding super popularity, with many talented directors eager to sign him on; attempt something different?
Deepika Padukone looks stunning and has put in a lot of effort into those action sequences. In a negative role, as a Chinese, Deepika is brilliant. Mithun Chakraborty is fine in a short role. The talented Ranvir Shorey disappoints. The Chinese actors are good!
Overall, for a movie that has been hyped as one of the biggest release of the year, it has about 2 – 3 funny scenes and a couple of good action sequences! That’s about it. If that’s good enough to spend your hard earned money on the film, go for it.
Finally, with a hope that Akshay starts experimenting with his roles and tries something different for a change, I go with 2 stars for Chandni Chowk to China. Disappointing!
Rating: 
Other Notes – The funniest thing about the film was the potato with the shape of the Hindu god Ganesha. Akshay somehow manages to hold on to it throughout the film. Bodies are broken, blood is shed, Akshay is thrown from the top of the Wall of China.. but through it all.. the potato manages to survive!
On a serious note, CCTC is strictly for Akshay Kumar fans, others stay far away. What really baffles me is, why doesn’t Akshay try something different? Why is he stuck with his same old successful formula? You might argue that the same movies are working big time at the box-office. I don’t deny that, but wouldn’t an actor love to have a movie like Taare Zameen Par, Chak De India or a Jodhaa Akbar in his filmography? Hope things change with Eight by Ten directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, which I believe could be Akshay’s best movie in a long long time!! Leave your comments below on the (whatever you call it) CCTC / CC2C / Chadni Chowk To China Review
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Comments
sjm: (January 16, 2009 at 12:56 pm)
Akshay: bollywood king of tomorow: (January 16, 2009 at 1:11 pm)
Akki plz grow up, don’t sign this type of Bakwaas movies. I liked your acting but there is no script, senseless story so it’s totally boring and wastage of time.
See the movie only 4 Akshay: the future king of bollywood.
Fathiya: (January 16, 2009 at 1:43 pm)
Akshay (himself) admitted that’s he’s doing some crap movies.. if u don’t believe it, then you’ve to watch NDTV’s latest interview with him.. he said it (in hindi) that’s he’s doing some crap meaningless movies and then he told the audience: just go watch the movie, buy a popcorn, and enjoy your time ( but he forgot that all the audience in this world won’t enjoy these shallow movies!)
Indicine Team: (January 16, 2009 at 1:56 pm)
Sudeep, I could atleast sit through Singh Is King, Golmaal Returns and Welcome.. But CC2C was a terrible watch, especially the first half. I would say this one would end up being Akshay Kumar’s Tashan of 2009. A mixture of Action, comedy and drama… all gone wrong.
Going by the initial reviews, public opinion.. it looks like the first big disappointment of 2009.
Indicine Team: (January 16, 2009 at 2:01 pm)
But the most shocking part, which I forgot to mention in the review was the preview was held on 2 screens at 7PM. While screen 1 was 80% full, Screen 2 was about 80% empty, which was quite shocking considering the fact that Ghajini was shown on 3 screens and all of them were full.
More bad news.. All India average for Paid previews is a disappointing 65 – 70% I doubt this will pick up on Saturday and Sunday. If it doesnt, its a huge flop.
Indicine Team: (January 16, 2009 at 2:08 pm)
I agree with Fathiya, apart from the RNBDJ (which was below average) thing, she is right.
We as audience need to reject movies like Welcome, Heyy Babyy outright. To Akshay Kumar fans, what would you rather like to see your star in? A classic like say Andaaz Apna Apna, old Golmaal (Amol Palekar) or something crap like CCTC?
neha: (January 16, 2009 at 2:20 pm)
i just watch cc2c and i think this is a good movie they get every thing what you need in masala movie,good action,aki doing good comedy like always a think aki rock agian after SINGH is KING
ROHAN: (January 16, 2009 at 2:30 pm)
CC2C is the best comedy and action movie good thing about this movie you can watch cc2c with youre family
Fathiya: (January 16, 2009 at 2:50 pm)
Indicine Team: Heyy Baby wasn’t a so bad movie, at least it was better than Welcome, Tashan & Golmaal.
And RBNDJ was a below average movie?! How come Indicine Team u say that?! the best thing in this movie was Shahrukh’s character as Sury.. it was a new script, a good direction, beautiful songs, good comedy.. what else do we want from any movie, I don’t know why u call it ( a below average movie!)
Indicine Team: (January 16, 2009 at 2:56 pm)
Good direction? You hated DDLJ but you loved Rab Ne ?
New script? Tell me what was unique about the movie? Rab ne is one of the most stupid SRK films ever. Suri’s character was good, but Raj ruined the good done by Suri.
Anyway, this is about Chandni Chowk To China. Lets stick to the topic. If you have any questions regarding Rab Ne, ask in the Ask Us section.
malik: (January 16, 2009 at 4:07 pm)
indicine team:
your review for RBDJ is a crap because RNBDJ is a superhit movie of 2008 and u know that,and 80 to 90% of people like this movie and still u r saying that it is a stupid movie .
for ur information Ghajni,RNBDJ,Jodha Akbar,Rock on and Dostana are the biggest movies of 2008.
so kindly try to change ur review now for RNBDJ and stop saying that it is a stupid movie even u know it is a big Hit of 2008.
Thank You.
ANU: (January 16, 2009 at 4:33 pm)
thanks for the review..
so its better to watch GHAJINI again rather than CC2C
WILL SEE GHAJINI ON SUNDAY AGAIN.. A Beautifull love story..
Sumit: (January 16, 2009 at 4:54 pm)
Movie was pathetic.deepika has no dialouges.no storyline.chinese irritating.i loved singh is king oso rnbdj even bits of ghajini but this was not tolerable.like a drona or tashan
Sumit: (January 16, 2009 at 5:04 pm)
Plz refrain frm dis movie.i cldnt laugh at all and sit thru it.it is waste of time.i lost it u dont.sum of u might hv liked golmaal returns.but this is hopeless.about ghajini if u watch tamil version i think u feel cheated and disappointed
Ajay: (January 16, 2009 at 5:32 pm)
Thought of seeing the preimere . waste of money.. utteer follish movie…. only stunts r gud(not by akshay kumar). i dont understand y is the movie worth 100 crores? rarely it can recover 1/4 of it. huh…. 1).RNBDJ 2).GHAJINI 3).CC2C. SO SRK THE TRUE KING
Ajay: (January 16, 2009 at 5:34 pm)
i doubt if warner bros will ever invest on akshay and also because of him i guess warner bros wont invest in bollywood. N PLEASE PLEASE DONT MAKE CC 2 AFRICA…… LOL
Joy: (January 16, 2009 at 6:31 pm)
Thank you all for your comments. I was planning to watch this movie tomorrow as there are no new movies released but now I know I have to do something better and creative!!
Thanks a trillion :-)
Houng cha: (January 16, 2009 at 7:39 pm)
Hey Indian people: you always want to see such films like Sholay, Rang de basanti, Dil wale dulhan le jaya ge. What´s wrong with us. You always like the same story and same indian heros and villains.
I saw today Chandni Chowk to China. I like the film very very much It will be Blockbuster in overseas and superhit in India. Because the Indian people don´t understand chinese. Because I can understand Hindi and Chinese. I found the film very good and it will be Blockbuster in oversea.
You also want in a film an Indian hero and an Indian villain. If the villain does not belong to Indian or he speaks the other language than hindi. you don´t understand. That´s why they say Chandni Chowk to China is not a good movie.
I said the movie will be Blockbuster in China and overseas, because they can understand hindi and chinese. And the storyline is different from the others indian´s film.
Sameer . .: (January 16, 2009 at 8:04 pm)
C.C.2.C Is a Comedy and Action Movie . Akki Is a Wonderful Actor But Script is too Weak . God Only Knws It would b a Hit Lyk Ghajini r not . Overall My Rating 2/5 . R.N.D.B.J Was Also Lyk C.C.2.C Type Movie Only . R.N.D.B.J Was A Blockbuster by Some S.R.K Fans n Dis May b Hit by Akki Fans . Bye .
Aakash Kumar: (January 16, 2009 at 8:06 pm)
this is a very funny film
nobody cares about critics these days. they’re always wrong nowadays
Akshay be serious or you will be out of the race.
I do not wish to see your movie as already the rewiews have put us off.But from your promos I predicted the acting same as your last 10 movies and nothing new in it.Same expression,same stunts ,same
songs siituations .Bet how will the producers recover thier cost?
Grow up Akshay,You r getting old and not young to prove yourself after all this.