Movie Review: EK CHALIS KI LAST LOCAL !!!

A comic thriller is what this movie can be identified as. Starring Abhay Deol and Neha Dhupia opposite each other for the first time, this movie is different from the stereotype Hindi movies that are being made contemporarily. The plot is entirely based upon the story of two young people whose lives are changed dramatically and forever on account of sheer luck and chance.

Nilesh (Abhay Deol) is a call center employee who misses the last local train to Vikhroli scheduled at “ek chalis”. Because of that, he now has no alternative but to wait for another train to come, since the auto drivers are on a strike. It is then that he meets up with the future love of his life, Madhu (Neha Dhupia) who has also missed her train. They both end up going to a local bar in order to kill time. Thus a series of adventures and misadventures follow as the duo encounter situations, which are sometimes sweet and sometimes sour. However their lives are catapulted forever as they manage to make money…. Loads of money, that is!!!!

The movie is placed in the backdrop of the Mumbai’s murky underworld. And though it is dealing with the criminal side, yet the movie does not fail to tickle one’s funny bone. Dark, subtle humor, situational comedy and a rapid pace keeps the audience alert and edgy. One incident leads to another and it forms a rhythm until it reaches the final resolution.

Abhay Deol may not have produced any major sky scraping blockbusters but he has definitely proved himself to be a versatile actor in his own unique way. After “Socha Na Tha”, “Ahista Ahista” and “Honeymoon Travels Private Limited”, he is once again a treat to watch out for in this one. Neha Dhupia complements him in the frames too.

It is a totally plot driven movie and debutant director Sanjay Khanduri says that it is based upon his personal experience of missing a local train once and from the observations that he has made of “Aamchi Mumbai”. He is also the scriptwriter for his movie.

The music is fairly constructed too as “Laree Chutee” has already been topping the music charts. The cinematography department is handled by C.Vijaysri who is also the first woman in the Indian film scene to command that pedestal. Bharat Shah has produced the project under the banner of “Quartet Films”.

In a nutshell, the movie is a satirical projection of the Mumbai gang world as the lives of two youngsters gets weaved with them and finally how they emerge victorious, winning both love and wealth.

Quite a fair film !!!!