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Chandni Chowk to China
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Wikipedia article
'Chandni Chowk to China' (shortened to 'CC2C') is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Nikkhil Advani and stars Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, with Mithun Chakraborty and Hong Kong action cinema actor Gordon Liu among the co-stars. In addition to being shot in China, many parts of the film were shot in Bangkok, Thailand,[http://www.bollywoodmovies.us/blog/2008/03/deepika-padukone-in-bangkok.html BollywoodMovies.US: "Deepika Padukone in Bangkok"] , 24 March 2008. although some of the China scenes were shot in sets in the Shanghai Film Studio.[http://www.newsline365.com/20083459/chandni-chowk-to-china-shot-mostly-in-bangkok/ NewsLine365.com: "Chandni Chowk to China shot mostly in Bangkok"] , no date. The film revolves around a vegetable cutter from Chandni Chowk in Delhi who finds himself on an adventure in China after the residents of an oppressed village deem him to be the reincarnation of a slain Chinese revolutionary.
Distributed in the U.S. and co-produced by Warner Bros., it is the third Bollywood movie made and distributed in partnership with a major Hollywood studio, following Sony's 'Saawariya' (2007) and Walt Disney Pictures' animated feature 'Roadside Romeo' (2008).[http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/news-and-features/features/movies/e3ib2281aad370d31feaaf4da3296c4068b Chhabra, Aseem, "From Bollywood to Chinatown: Warner Bros. teams with India for 'Chandni Chowk' martial-arts musical"] , 'Film Journal International', 14 January 2009. It is Warner Bros. Pictures' first Hindi film. Released on 16 January 2009, it was a flop at the box office.[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/india/yearly/?yr=2009&p=.htm India Yearly Box Office 2009]. 'boxofficemojo.com'.
Plot
Sidhesh Sharma aka Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) is a lowly vegetable cutter at a roadside food stall in the Chandni Chowk section of Delhi, who consults astrologers, tarot card readers, and fake fakirs despite his foster father Dada's (Mithun Chakraborty) exhortations. When two strangers from China claim him as a reincarnation of war hero 'Liu Sheng' and take him to China, Sidhu, encouraged by trickster Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey), believes he will be feted as a hero, unaware of his own recruitment to assassinate the smuggler Hojo (Gordon Liu).
Sidhu travels to China with Chopstick. Along the way, he meets Sakhi (Deepika Padukone), the Indian-Chinese spokesmodel known as Ms. Tele Shoppers Media, or Ms. TSM, who also appears in China. Her twin sister Suzy, known as the femme fatale Meow Meow, works for Hojo, not knowing Hojo tried to kill her father, Inspector Chiang (Roger Yuan). Sidhu, through a series of accidents, initially eludes Hojo. However, Sidhu realises the truth about his identity. Devastated, Sidhu apologizes to Hojo. Just then, Dada shows up and starts beating Hojo's men, Hojo kills Dada, and Sidhu is exposed as a loser. Also, he is beaten and urinated on by Hojo. Injured and disgraced, Sidhu vows revenge. Three months later, Sidhu encounters an amnesiac vagrant, whom he later identifies to Sakhi as Inspector Chiang. Chiang later recovers his memory and trains Sidhu in kung fu. When Hojo again meets with Sidhu, Suzy injures Chiang; but upon seeing Sakhi, betrays Hojo. Sidhu fights Hojo in single combat, eventually using a modified vegetable-cutting technique to overpower him. After a huge fight, Sidhu finally kills Hojo. In the aftermath, Sidhu opens a vegetable stall in China but is recruited to fight for some African pygmies.
Cast
* Akshay Kumar as Sidhesh "Sidhu" Sharma / Liu Sheng
*Deepika Padukone as Sakhi / Miss TSM and Suzy / Meow Meow (Double Role)
* Ranvir Shorey as Chopstick
* Mithun Chakraborty as Dada / Mr. Sharma (extended appearance)
* Roger Yuan as Police Inspector Chiang Kohung
* Gordon Liu as Hojo
* Kiran Juneja as Chiang's wife
* Kevin Wu as Frankie
* Conan Stevens as Joey
Production
The film, earlier known as 'Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo' and also 'Made in China',[http://www.naachgaana.com/2007/12/08/mithun-in-chandni-chowk-to-china/ Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network, "Mithun in Chandni Chowk to China?"] via Naachgaana.com, 8 December 2007 is written by Sridhar Raghavan.
Shooting began in January 2008 and included a schedule in China.[http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k7/aug/aug307.php Indiantelevision.com, "Warner Bros to distribute Nikhil Advani's 'Made in China'"], 21 August 2007
Release
Box office reception
'Chandni Chowk to China' earned in its opening weekend.[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Media__Entertainment_/Chandni_Chowk_to_China_crosses_Rs_33_cr_at_local_box_office/articleshow/4004243.cms Chandni Chowk to China crosses Rs 33 cr at local box office], 'The Economic Times', 20 January 2009 It went on to earn a total of in India. The film's total North American box office in the four weeks of running was $921,738, and total worldwide gross was $13,439,480.Critical reception
Claudia Puig of 'USA Today' said, "This Indian/Chinese cinematic hybrid is likable and entertaining but overlong and occasionally hokey", and that Kumar's "physical humor brings to mind Jim Carrey".[https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2009-01-15-chandni_N.htm Puig, Claudia, "'Chandni Chowk' takes meandering journey across Asia"], 'USA Today', 16 January 2009 John Anderson of 'Variety' wrote, "If 'Chandni Chowk to China' were a person, it would need Valium", and found that "everything is fast and furious, hilarious, hysterical and frantic. Some of the sequences as are quite beautiful and, in the case of the dance numbers featuring Padukone, stunning. But it's the fight scenes as that truly take off".[https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939339.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 Anderson, John. 'Chandni Chowk to China' (review)], 'Variety', 15 January 2009 Frank Lovece of 'Newsday' wrote, "Less a Bollywood bonbon than a pan-Asian fusion dish, this combination of Indian musical and Chinese chopsocky is, nonetheless, delicious fun".[http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/ny-etcc5998902jan16a,0,5220071.story Lovece, Frank. 'Chandni Chowk to China' (review)], 'Newsday', 16 January 2009Steven Rae of 'The Philadelphia Inquirer' stated that, "'Chandni Chowk' is entertainingly goofy for about 30 minutes. And then, for the next two hours-plus, it's agony." Scott Tobias of 'The Onion' described the film as "crass, schizophrenic, culturally insensitive, horribly paced, and shameless in its pandering to the lowest common denominator", while Owen Gleiberman of 'Entertainment Weekly' said, "This galumphing elephant of a chopsocky revenge-of-the-nerd quasi-musical lacks the lyrical choreographic beauty that has marked such Stateside Bollywood releases as the gorgeous 'Lagaan'".[https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20252601,00.html Gleiberman, Owen. 'Chandni Chowk to China' (review)], 'Entertainment Weekly' 14 January 2009 Michael Philips of the 'Chicago Tribune' called the film "a massive and rather tiring showcase for Bollywood action hero Akshay Kumar".[https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-chandni-review-0116jan16,0,1174162.story Philips, Michael. "'Chandni Chowk to China': Bollywood hybrid fails to fly"], 'Chicago Tribune', 21 January 2009 Indian critic Taran Adarsh gave the movie 1.5/5 stars, calling it "a big, big, big letdown".[http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/13650/index.html Adarsh, Taran, 'Chandni Chowk To China' (review)], BollywoodHungama.com Rajeev Masand of IBN termed it a tiring watch, while praising Kumar's performance.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090119235211/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masands-movie-reviewchandni-chowka-misadventure/82944-8.html Masand, Rajeev. "Masand's Movie Review: 'Chandni Chowk'asa misadventure] IBNLive.com
The film has received one award nomination, with Deepika Padukone being nominated for Best Actress at the 3rd Asian Film Awards held in March 2009.
Controversy
In Nepal, there were protests against the film due to a passing claim that Buddha was born in India; Lumbini, which is the birthplace of Buddha, is located in Nepal.
Several shows were cancelled in Nepal due to the protests.[http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1222726 India is Buddhas birthplace in 'Chandni...', Nepal fumes], Daily News and Analysis, retrieved on 20 January 2009 Protestors threatened to burn cinemas that screened the film, and racial slurs like "Dhoti" were hurled against Indians online.
The protests continued for several days, despite the Nepali distributor deleting the piece of narration that mentioned Buddha in the copies of the film shown in Nepal. On 22 January, Nepali cinemas stopped and banned screening 'Chandni Chowk to China'.[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Chandni_Chowk_to_China_banned_in_Nepal/rssarticleshow/4016801.cms Chandni Chowk to China 'banned' in Nepal], The Economic Times, retrieved on 23 January 2009
In the aftermath of the Nepal controversy, actor Shekhar Suman criticised the film with some derogatory and rude comments. He also stated the movie is an amateurish attempt by Nikhil Advani, terming it as a "worst" film. Mostly, supporters of Kumar, especially Nikhil Advani stated that it was a publicity stunt to bring Suman's son Adhyayan in limelight for release of his film 'Raaz: The Mystery Continues'. Suman replied to the claim that it was not a publicity act and the latter apologized to Kumar for it.
Music
The music of 'Chandni Chowk to China' was released on 2 December 2008. The album features composers as diverse as ShankarEhsaanLoy, Kailash-Paresh-Naresh, Bappi Lahiri-Bappa Lahiri and Bohemia.
Reception
Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama.com rated it 3.5/5, claiming, "'Chandni Chowk to China' is clearly the next musical hit in the making."References
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