Anil Kapoor and Amrita Singh star in Basu Chatterjee’s 1986 romantic comedy Chameli Ki Shaadi. It was critically acclaimed, despite a lacklustre box office performance due to its low cost. Basu Chatterjee’s film has gained a cult following over the years and is one of his best known.
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Chameli Ki Shaadi Review
Many of Basu Chatterjee’s films, such as Chhoti Si Baat, Khatta Meetha, and Dillagi, feature his trademark impishness and love of caricature. Chameli Ki Shaadi is a fine example of Chatterjee’s light touch and deft characterisation, set in a small town where the kitchens run on coal.
Wrestler Charandas (Anil Kapoor) meets Chameli (Amrita Singh) shortly after taking a vow of celibacy, and the two become fast friends. “Nari nark ka dwar hai” – women are the gateways to hell, and Charandas’s mentor Mastram (Om Prakash) warns him that he must avoid them until he is at least 40.
Charandas, on the other hand, is unable to resist Chameli, who has already failed four times in the eighth grade. Kallumal Koylewala (Pankaj Kapur) is a greedy coal trader whose daughter, Chameli, happens to be. The castes of the Charandas and the Chamelis are also distinct.
Humor is abundant as Kallumal and his teary-eyed wife (Bharati Achrekar) struggle to keep their daughter hidden away. Lawyer Harish (Amjad Khan) and Mastram (Anupam Kher) both play a role, despite their dislike of love and courtship.
It turns out that Kallumal is less of an evil father and more of a clown with a Hitler moustache as Charandas forgets his vows and falls deeper in love with Chameli. The best of Basu Chatterjee’s films advised against getting too serious in life. In Chameli Ki Shaadi, he follows his own advice to the letter. Actors are in peak form. Both Amrita Singh and Anil Kapoor shine as the chubby but dim-witted lovers in their respective roles. While Amjad Khan’s schemes are limitless, the actor’s acting ability extends beyond villainy. A cult of personality has grown up around Kallumal Koylewala’s antics.
Dhadkanein is a novel by Om Prakash Sharma. One of Prakash Mehra’s financiers, Satyen Pal Choudhary, invited Sharma to Mumbai to discuss making a film out of Dhadkanein in the early 1980s. Sharma gave them the go-ahead to make the film, but he declined their invitation to visit Mumbai. He was surprised to find out that the film was being directed by Basu Chatterjee, with producer Prakash Mehra on board as executive producer.
Pankaj Kapur can play light and serious roles with equal dexterity. Amrita Singh’s father was Kapur, despite the fact that he is only four years her senior in real life. The movie is a social comedy set in a small town. It has many quirky characters. Chameli Ki Shaadi, in the best tradition of the Basu Chatterjee laugh-fest, is effortless in creating the laughs.
Chameli Ki Shaadi Plot
Wrestler Charandas lives with Bhajandas as a youngster. Charandas, according to Bhajandas, should get married and start a family. The only thing stopping Charan from becoming a wrestler is his desire to remain single until the age of 40 as dictated by Mastram’s custom. When Charan sees Chameli working at Kallumal’s coal depot, his worldview is turned upside down. Realizing he may have to leave Mastram’ Akhara if they get married, he contemplates his options.
The brother’s close friend, Adv. Harish, is Charan’s go-to attorney. Harish values Charan’s affection and is willing to lend a hand. Charan is brave enough to tell Chameli that he loves her. There is also Anita, Chameli’s longtime best friend who believes that Chameli truly loves Charan. The two begin meeting in secret for the first time. When a relative of Chameli spots the two in a restaurant, however, the love affair is exposed.
It is soon apparent that the families of the respective wards will not allow inter-caste marriages to take place. Chameli’s parents decide to arrange for her to marry one of their acquaintances while she remains under house arrest. Charan is alerted to the new information. Charan’s love for Chameli finds unexpected support from Mastram. To him, being single is a test for aspiring wrestlers, just as being in a relationship is a test for lovers.
Mastram and Charan’s friends are rooting for the couple to succeed despite the challenges they face. Against Charan, Champa summons the aid of her rogue brother, Chhadam Lal aka Chhadmi. In collaboration with Harish and his crew, Charan devises a strategy to free Chameli from her captivity and return her to her parents’ house. Charan kidnaps Chameli from her own home, while Harish ensures that the couple is legally married. Harish convinces Charan and Chameli that as long as Indians are afraid to marry outside their caste, they won’t be able to unite as a people.
When Chameli’s parents learn that she is missing, they file a police report against Charan. They make their way to the location of Charan and Chameli’s wedding. Meanwhile, Bhajandas and his henchmen show up to cause havoc in the union. Charandas and Chameli have both arrived late, as they are now legally married. It is Harish who they hold responsible for the duo’s degeneration, and they are furious with him. It is Harish who meets with Kallumal privately to explain that his son-in-law, the leader of all the young people, and the akhads’ supporter, will help him gain votes from both castes in the upcoming election.
Kallumal caves in after hearing Harish’s argument and being swayed by the false hope of winning the local election that he had entertained. He also says that an influential candidate like Kallumal will win the election. If Bhajandas accepts Kallumal’s marriage proposal, he will receive additional benefits for his coal business. Aside from that, Kallumal will provide him with discounted coal and cement. Gluttonous Bhajandas finally gives in. A happy ending brings the blessing of both parties together for Chameli and Charandas.
Chameli Ki Shaadi Cast and Crew
Star Cast – Anil Kapoor, Amrita Singh, Pankaj Kapur, Amjad Khan, Om Prakash, Satyen Kappu, Tabassum, Bharati Achrekar, Ram Sethi, Annu Kapoor, Jayshree and Shail Chaturvedi.
Director – Basu Chatterjee
Dialogues – Basu Chatterjee
Story – Om Prakash Sharma
Producer – Ramesh Ningoo and Sushil Gaur
Lyrics – Prakash Mehra and Anjaan
Music – Kalyanji-Anandji
Chameli Ki Shaadi Box office
Budget: Rs. 90 lakh
India Net Box Office Collection: Rs. 1.53 crore
Worldwide Collection: Rs. 2 crores
Verdict: semi-hit
Chameli Ki Shaadi Trivia
- The movie is based on Dhadkanein, a novel by Om Prakash Sharma. Sharma later stated that he was dissatisfied with the film because Basu altered a lot of the original story.
- Only this film had director Basu Chatterji and composers Kalyanji-Anandji collaborated.
- When Anil Kapoor was just starting out in his career, it was an honour to be cast in a film produced by Prakash Mehra.
- According to the media, Prakash Mehra had only signed Anil Kapoor to counter arch rival Manmohan Desai for the film. Mehra wanted to prove to Manmohan Desai that he could sign a hot newcomer just like Desai had done with Jackie for Allah Rakka.
- Trump Card was the original working title for the film.
- The song Phool Jahan Jahan from Naya Kadam was used as the background music for Anil Kapoor’s wrestling practise.
- Anil Kapoor admitted that he had a premonition that something would go horribly wrong with the production. He felt that Prakash Mehra and Basu Chatterjee were trained in two different branches of the film arts, and their styles may clash in the movie.