CHAMKU
Bobby Excels in a Controlled Portrayal
by Vishal Verma

Banner: Vijayta Films
Genre: Action Drama
Shooting Studios: Filmcity & Sankraman Studios
Director: Kabeer Kaushik
Star Cast: Bobby Deol, Priyanka Chopra, Ritesh Deshmukh, Irrfan Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Rajpal Yadav & Arya Babbar
Editor: Sanjay Sankla
D.O.P: Gopal Shah
Music Director: Monty Sharma
Lyricist: Sameer
Singers: Shreya Ghosal, Shail, Richa Sharma, Amitrajit Bhattacharjee, Vaishali Samant, Saleem Shahzaad,  Prem Raagi, Soumya Raoh, Anaida, Kalpana & Parthiv Gohil
Media Relations: Vijay Grover & Firoza Kapadia

Technical Analysis
Kabeer Kaushik, after the well -made drama ‘Saher’ (critical hit, B.O. Turkey) starring Arshad Warshi & Mahima which was touted as an intriguing departure from usual Bollywood melodrama, now comes with an action drama on the somewhat similar lines of identity crises. We have just witnessed a similar film releasing this week were there is a constant battle of identity going on.

The idea of the protagonist facing the dilemma of his own identity in his conscious and sub-subconscious mind is a masterstroke.  

So does the execution of the promising helmer Kabeer in Vijayta Films latest offering after ‘Socha Na Tha’ ads more glory to the Deols especially for Bobby after ‘Apne’. Certainly, Bobby gives an intelligently restrained performance and that’s the major highlight of ‘Chamku’. But unfortunately, Bobby’s fine display & brilliant camerawork by Gopal Shah, does not captivate the audience as it was the case in the helmer as well as the producers earlier films.

Kabeer does starts the film with a bang but his bafflingly laid back narration, makes the audience feel dry after the promising start of an action packed drama.

The Story
A slow paced but well picturised film depicts the journey of a male Naxalite from the southern interiors of Bihar, tutored under a covert governmental program & trained to kill. Chandramohan Singh urf CHAMKU (Bobby Deol – very good), loses his parents in his childhood and gets adopted by a naxalie leader – Danny Denzongpa, who gets killed and later Chamku falls in the hands of the IB. Chamku becomes a political killer who is constantly fighting a losing battle inside his explosive intrigues and finally gets a chance to encounter.

In between he gets ample time to romance a teacher – Priyanka Chopra (looks disinterested) .
Now, this could have been a volatile high octane thriller but unfortunately it fails to maintain the pace and gets lost in personal vendetta, train blast, romance and what not.   

Promotion
The movie has been promoted accordingly. The recent success of ‘Singh is Kinng’ and ‘Phoonk’ has underlined the importance of promotion in bold capitals. The promos are interesting. Sunny has given his full hearted support for the promotions & that is a great gesture which speaks about the bonding of the Deols.

Media awareness by Vijay Grover & Firoza Kapadia has been pertinent.

Business Analysis
Considering the rural subject, the movie will do better business in the B & C centers as compared to the metros. But the going is tough cause it lacks the sting, absence of a hit number and faces competition from 3 other films.