The title of the movie that means shallow goes well with the characters in Nitesh Tiwari’s Chhichhore. Although, it does not apply to the film itself, which is trying to encourage a conversation around a topical and distressing issue. We take a look at it in the Chhichhore film review.
A lover boy, a pottymouth, a porn addict, a habitual drinker, a mama’s boy, a glamorous bombshell, and a classic underachiever bring to the film a hue of colors through their personalities. Each one of them is set apart from the rest with their quirks.
Sushant Singh Rajput who plays Anni leads the jingbang ably with Shraddha Kapoor as Maya and Varun Sharma as Sexa among the other prominent actors.
The narrative swings back and forth between the hostel days and the present time as old friends reunite in a cruel twist of fate.
Depending on how familiar you are with life in a hostel, Chhichhore will be that much more relatable. If you belong to that ilk, then the film will make you feel nostalgic as it takes you back to your hostel days. Nitesh Tiwari has tried to infuse the hostel scenes with humor. Whether that works for you will depend entirely on your experiences and if you buy into the shenanigans of a bunch of cronies.
The subtlety needed for transitioning the viewer from a somber scene to one of utter tomfoolery is not evident. As a result, the tonal shifts in the narrative might be a bit too exaggerated for your liking. The film does not quite pull off the somewhat elusive feat of making the audience laugh and cry during its runtime.
The last hour of Chhichhore, when the losers try to win the sports championship is intriguing. You are on tenterhooks as the protagonists battle it out in their respective sport. Will they win the competition or like every time succumb to the more decorated team led by Raggie (Prateik Babbar)? The execution of the sports scenes is applause-worthy. The background score amplifies the tension in the latter half.
Will the masterfully-executed final act of the film be enough to overshadow some of the lapses early on? That depends entirely up to the individual viewer. For me, Chhichhore had its moments, but I felt that those never elevated it enough to make it a memorable film.
If you enjoy buddy movies with a dash of melancholy in it, Chhichhore might appeal to you. However, if you are looking for an expertly-crafted story that hits the right notes more often than it misses, Chhichhore will leave you disappointed.
Chhichhore film review rates Chhichhore (2.5 / 5)
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