The Indian movie `Chini Kum` is an unconventional love story between two persons with different background as well as generation. The lead roles are played by Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu where the hero`s age was 64 and heroin`s was 34. The director of the film is Balkrishnan who is an advertising executive and this film is his debut venture.
Synopsis of Cheeni Kum
The film starts in the kitchen of `Spice 6`, which is an Indian eating place in London. The restaurant is well known for its tasty food and discipline. The head Chef Buddhadev Das Gupta played by Amitabh Bachchan is the main attraction. He is determined to make the restaurant as London`s best restaurant. He is very particular about everything about the restaurant be it discipline or taste about the food. In one such fine morning when Buddha was delivering a lecture on discipline, one of the waiters named Colgate brings back a Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulav. The customer sent it back because of the reason that the dish is very sweet. As a meat dish, it is not supposed to have sugar in it. Buddhadev becomes furious. He brings it back to the table and talks to the customer. Buddhadev does not know that the fault is done by his cook. He asked some questions to the lady as for example is this their first time in London? How is Zafrani Pulav made at their home? Would they be so kind as to teach him? The customer quietly leaves.
The next day same things happen and Colgate takes back another Zafrani Pulav. Buddhadev tastes it furiously and recite its ingredients. He said it as the child of his kitchen. He also claims that Spice 6 prepares the best Hydrabadi Zafrani Pulav in the town. Colgate informs that it was not sent back, but cooked for Buddhadev by the last night`s customer. That customer is Nina Verma played by Tabu.
Budhdhadev eventually finds out that the problem lies in his kitchen and decides to make amends to Nina and lends her his umbrella during a rainy day. Nina is a thirty four years old software engineer. She is intelligent, playful, charming and strong willed person. Nina and Budhdha subsequently become friends, fall in love and decide to get married. She is introduced to Buddhadev`s mom, played by Zohra Sehgal who instantly approves of her. On a lighter side there is a nine years old girl played by Swini Khara who is neighbour of Budhdha.
Buddha calls her sexy. She teaches the ways of impressing girls to Budhdha. This is a hilarious part of the film. But the sad part is sexy is suffering from leukemia which is known to all. Sexy also knows the thing and she wants to watch some A- rated films and requests Budhdha to bring them. Buddhadev gets closer to Nina. They get into a decision that they want to marry each other. Nina wants to meet Budhdha`s mother and just at that time a phone rings from India that Nina`s father is admitted to hospital because of mild heart attack. They decide to go to India but Sexy`s condition gets worsen at the same time and Budhdha needs to stay back at London.
Nina goes back to India where her father is ill. Budhdhadev somehow manages Sexy`s case and arrives in Delhi to see Nina`s father, Mr. Verma played by Paresh Rawal. Mr. Verma is a distinctive Indian retired person. He spends much of his time in Bhajan i.e. devotional songs. Mahatma Gandhi is his favourite character while he likes Bhojan i.e. food and Bhaji i.e. a reference to cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Nina tells Buddha that her father is six years younger to him i.e. he is at 58. From the beginning Mr. Varma tries to embarrass Buddhadev in many ways but ultimately he asks Verma for his daughter`s hand.
Mr. Verma gives a sarcastic look and does not believe the whole thing. He refuses to believe it till Nina comes and convince her father that she loves her. After some heated conversation Nina`s father says her that Budhdha is already an old man, how much more he can live. But Nina is completely convinced and tries to make her father understand that she prefers to live few years with love that living more years without love. Mr. Verma ultimately takes the help of bhookh hartal i.e. hunger strike. Buddhadev reaches Nina`s place to solve the matter. He assures him that he is sufficiently covered by insurance and so there would be no problem for Nina. Finally after seeing Nina`s decision Mr. Verma agrees with the whole thing. By that time Sexy passed away. In the last scene it is seen that Buddhadev`s mother, Buddhadev, Nina, Buddhadev`s mother and Mr. Verma having dinner at Budhdha`s restaurant. Buddhadev decides to fulfill one of Mr. Verma`s wish and that is watching a game of cricket at Lord`s stadium. Budhdh`s mother tells Mr. Verma that he is lucky enough to have handmade food from his son-in-law as these days it is troublesome to get it from even daughter-in-laws.
Cast and Crew of Cheeni Kum
The star cast of the movie includes Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Zohra Sehgal, Swini Khara, Vinay Jain, etc. The director of the movie is Balkrishnan while it is produced by Sunil Manchanda, the excellent music is given by Illayaraja. The cinematography is done by P C Sreeram.