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
Ur exactly right. Stupid movie with senseless direction. A big letdown. I can safely say that there is no difference between akshay n govinda now. The story seemed from 80s and the gravity- less scenes were extrremely irritating n insulting to a movie goers intelligence.
By sahil-bro fantastic review.akshay needs to change himself.i would say out of 2 hours 30,45 minutes of the film r gud may be dats y it got 2stars.and my appeal to ppl.please don’t promote movies like sing is king,welcome and cc2c coz they genuinely don’t deserve it.rather support aamir,wednesday..evn rnbdj and ghajini were atleast thouroughly entertaning
Some scenes are so absurd that u actually have to pinch urself to believe it-like the song sequence in tere naina,cosmic kick scene in the 2nd half and finally that unintentional hillarious climax.seriously akshay needs to learn 4m other superstars like srk and aamir.akshay knows hw to make money by making same kind f flicks.i wasn’t expcting much but it wasn’t even entertaining
As about the good part in the movie look out for first 25 minutes. As about the best sequence watch out 4 dat flight scene in 1st half when akshay keeps his luggage. Movie cud have been so gud but is a big let down due to director nikhil advani who is still in his salaame-ishq mode.. I wonder if he actually directed kal ho na ho… lol. Now nikhil ji wants to make a sequel of cc2c which will b china to souh africa
Indicine Team:What do u feel whether it will hit or not….IS this film in the categories like Golmaal returns welcome .no entry?
oh dear, i knew it.
just like i had predicted , the film has turned out to be a terrible film. i had predicted this on the ‘ghajini movie review’ forum. (please see my comments there).
my predictions always seem to be right. at least 99% of the time anyway.
i knew the director (nikhil advani) would spoil the film. and apparently he has spoiled it. the critics are all panning the film.
nikhil advani is the guy that made the film salam-e-ishq. and that film was really boring and amateurish. and when i heard that nikhil advani was directing chandni chowk to china, i knew there and then that the film will be awful. when i watched some of the promos of the film on youtube, i was sure that the film would have no substance and awfully made by nikhil advani.
poor akshay……poor poor akshay…..i really feel sorry for him. this was supposed to be his first international break, if you will, but it looks like it will be his last. i dont think too many international producers will be signing him after this. i think his career will be on the decline.
i dont think the film will do any where near the business singh is kinng has done, let alone beat ghajinis record as some people may think !
akshay deserves much better than that. the director has killed him.
i also have this funny feeling that akshay’s next film ‘kambakht ishq’ will also be a boring film and will not shatter box office records as some people predict.
i feel sorry for akshay, as i feel after these two films, his career will be on the decline, and he will no longer be the superstar he is.
remember, you heard it from me first.
i havent seen CCTC yet. i will see it tomorrow.
Sudeep, the hype will probably take it to a HIT but a superhit or Blockbuster looks unlikely. Monday will give a clearer picture. If it crashes, then the movie could even Flop!
If this movie goes on to be a Blockbuster then Akshay is truly the Box-office King.
Indicine Team:U havenot given me answer whether it is in the categories like GOlmaal returns ,No entry,welcome or not
I donot know…But still i think that this is like a Golmaal returns and welcome type of films where critics were not pleased by the film but still it rule the box office….I hope it will be same type of films…I will watch it today
I will wait other critics to review this film…I was hoping big from this film…I m somewhat dissapointed by this review
sudeep
just go and watch it man ! and decide for yourself.
iam going to watch it tomorrow.
Boy’ this movie is been trashed by hollywood critics left n right, Nikhil Advani might hav jus portrayed a bad bollywood film to hollywood. Wen Akki said AB to leave his brain at home for the premiere i knew CCTC wud endup like a golmaal returns n i think thats exactly wat has happened.
AK i feel this might jus b a eye opener for u els u’ll history…
I m been crazy out here,…I donot know what will happen..I m hoping for best for chandni chowk to china………Indicine team:Can u tell me is this movie is in the categories like golmaal returns,no entry,welcome where u and other critics were not happy but it turns out to be hit
I even donot get ticket so have to returns i will go and watch it in afternoon show
Golmaal Returns is much much much better film than these stupid flicks Chndni chowk n Singh is King..
Hey Sudeep dont get mixed up, i can feel that u r a grt8 fan of AK. i hav already booked the ticket n have paid heavy. anyway this will b enjoyed by AK fans as most of the reviews say, may b they will save the film.
anywayz i will not b going with ny expectations now hopefully i get entertained by AK atleast.
i m just waiting and waiting still 3 more hrs left to get into the show….I know even it is not great it will be good since AK is there so Crossing my finger…I have read other critics and all have been dissapointed by this film…Taran Adarsh,Starboxoffice.com,Starnew channel,Zee news channel…..But AK have said to leave out their brain while waiting might be they havenot done so still dying to see it
Indicine Team: As I said earlier.. the movie is a trash.. we can say it and decide from the trailer.. and you asked a question that: why a popular actor like Akshay doesn’t do any different movies?
Akshay is giving the audience what they want.. want to pleases them actually! Didn’t they like these stupid Golmaal and Golmaal returns?! ( specially Golmaal Returns) which I spent only 5 minutes watching it and then I “hated” myself for doing so.
A message for all the viewers:
Jut enhance your tastes for movies, I know that most of you are working very hard during the day and need to spend some good time watching a comedy movie which make u laugh and forget your tough hours .. but you must enhance your taste and love some good comedy, some quality ones, and not movies like these craps.
If Akshay Kumar had any doubt, that most of ppl won’t like it, do u think that he even thought of doing these type of movies? No for sure.. coz he knows and aware that there are millions of audience who enjoy these crap and the movie will be a successful in India for sure ( but.. if this one didn’t work for him.. 100% he will stop doing cheap comedies and will do some high class movies)
Now if I mention here just as an example.. RBNDJ.. wasn’t it a love story with some high class comedy scenes in it? Ghaajini.. wasn’t it action movie but also with high class romantic and comedy scenes which pleased the audience?
Hollywood would definitely consider cc2c as a trash ( if they’ve rejected a movie like Taare Zameen Paar and didn’t enter Oscar! so.. what would they think of movies like Golmaal series and cc2c?!)
I have watch the interview of AK in zoom last night…He said that he usually dissapear after even film is released …..He said he cant listen the bad review of the film which he had done very hardly..The effort of the making film people donot see ….THis is right thing he have said
Sudeep ! don’t think about the review .go and enjoy the movie .
it is a verey good movie for all kind of people . I am sure you will enjoy the movie .it has good action .comedy .and music .we have alot of problem in our daily life and we need some entertanment
and CC2C is a good pakage at this time .and we all know that Fathiya is sharuk and roshan fans that’s way he is always aginst akshay’s movie .
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.
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.
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!)
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.
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.
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?
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
CC2C is the best comedy and action movie good thing about this movie you can watch cc2c with youre family
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!)
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.