Chhichhore movie review: Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor deliver relevant film with important message

Chhichhore
Director - Nitesh Tiwari
Cast - Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor, Varun Sharma, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Prateik Babbar, Naveen Polishetty, Tushar Pandey

An ode to college-time friendships, romances, ragging, fights, competitions and countless memories, Chhichhore is a riot of emotions, and takes you on a nostalgic ride. It’s a relevant film with a rather important message conveyed through an engaging narrative. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal fame, Chhichhore is high on content and humour packaged so well that it stays with you for a very long time.

The story is simple — a bunch of engineering students and their journey from being losers to choosers. Sushant Singh Rajput (Annirudh) and Shraddha Kapoor (Maya) play a divorced couple, and they have a reunion of sorts with their college buddies, though in rather unwanted circumstances. Together, they recall and relive their old college memories, the good and bad days spent almost 20 years ago. The screenplay takes a trip down memory lane through college hostels, sports grounds and canteen conversations; switch to present day and you see the same camaraderie in their friendship that was forged in college.

Watch the Chhichhore trailer here 

Brilliant writing loaded with comic punches, one-liners and genuinely funny jokes makes Chhichhore a winner. Full credit to the writers for ensuring that the humour is not even remotely slapstick. For instance, when Varun Sharma’s character compares spotting a girl in an engineering college to Halley’s Comet that is visible every 75 years, it isn’t demeaning women but proof of clever writing. Keeping the storytelling simple, Nitesh made an intelligent move to weave flashback sequences into the present day, and keep audiences attentive. Though mostly predictable, the build-up towards the climax manages to look intriguing.

Among the cast, you see Varun Sharma (Sexa), Tahir Raj Bhasin (Derek), Naveen Polishetty (ACID), Tushar Pandey (Mummy) and Saharsh Shukla (Bevda) aptly fitting in their respective parts and doing full justice to their screen-time. The way each character is introduced in the film with minute detailing and individual traits, it makes you sit up and take notice.

There are performances that stand out without screaming from the rooftops. From playing Chucha in Fukrey to Sexa in this film, Varun nails it with an impressive performance, yet again. So comfortable with his body and style of dialogue delivery, he knows when and how to throw his weight around, quite literally. Sushant looks good as a young college student but in his ‘40s, he is rather unconvincing and a misfit. Shraddha’s character, it seems, has been written with least amount of interest. Although her screen presence is felt each time she’s in the frame, she hardly gets any dialogues and you ask yourself ‘was she even needed in the film’? Even the chemistry between Sushant and Shraddha is unconvincing and their scenes together flirting or comforting each other look rather juvenile. Prateik Babbar, who delivered an intense performance as the popular guy and a baddie in college, could have been given a little more screen time.

There is an extensive use of prosthetic makeup to show the characters ageing onscreen. While some are shown going half-bald, others decide to grow their tresses. There’s one guy with an American accent too -- he has stayed in New York for 20 years, after all. However, in Shraddha Kapoor’s case, the only transition that shows her going from her 20s to 40s is midi-dresses turning into cotton suits and saris. Sadly, so little imagination there!

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Thankfully, Pritam’s music and background score by Sameer Uddin does not sound forced at any point and beautifully blends with the narrative. The song Fikar Not in the end credits is a refreshing change from the high-pitched item songs or over dramatized romantic numbers and is brilliantly choreographed.

A must-watch with your college friends, Chhichhore is relatable and relevant. Watch it for its uncomplicated screenplay, gripping narrative and some stellar performances that leave you in stitches.

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