Movie Review: Grab a bucket of popcorn, sit back and enjoy the ride as Chennai Express is here to entertain

Film: Chennai Express 
Ratings: ***1/2
Directed by:Rohit Shetty
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Niketan Dheer, and Satyaraj

What it's about:The story isn't very different from all the usual boy-meets girl romance. You know from the beginning what will happen. You have seen it many times before but the beauty is that you know whats coming, and you still want it. Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) embarks on a journey to fulfill the last wish of his grandfather: to have his ashes immersed in the Holy water of Rameshwaram. He meets Meena (Deepika Padukone) on the train and while attempting to rescue her from kidnappers gets caught up in her mess. Thus begins his journey to her village, her people, and how her fight becomes his fight. It's a refreshing light-headed cocktail of love and laughs. The director stays true to his style and his audience. It is clean, colorful and comical. 

What's good: 
This is a treat for all Hindi film lovers. It has it all you'd expect from a big commercial masala film. It has all the ingredients -- big star cast, drama, action, comedy, songs, the car chases and the big finish, all delivered in Rohit Shetty's unapologetic ishtyle. For SRK fans, it is an even bigger treat. The actor returns to what he does best -- romance. But it isn't the sacrificing and soppy love of Jab Tak Hai Jaan. This one is a crowd-pleaser. The film begins with a flashback with Rahul growling like a wild animal, and then he tells just how he got there. Among the things that crop up in Rahul and Meena's misadventures: Her dad's stolen car, a dwarf in the middle of the forest, a walk up 300 steps of a temple and drama at high-seas! SRK is in his elements whether he is beating up a village full of people, romancing Meena, beating up the big baddie or faking bravado when faced with four hefty goons. Deepika delivers yet another fantastic performance. She stays in character throughout and matches her co-star's energy and enthusiasm whether it is singing dialogues or fighting goondas. It's impossible to watch this movie impassively. Chennai Express has the the kind of flourish that makes you smile. Watch out for the crazy references in songs and scenes to Shah Rukh's previous films. Overall, this is a bubblegum blockbuster. 

What's not: 
There is just too much Tamil in Chennai Express. There I said it. There are long dialogues between actors in Tamil, and while one doe understand what is being conveyed, it is still tedious. This is what it must feel to the rest of India, when they watch Hindi films with an overdose of Punjabi (songs/scenes) in Hindi films.The different being that Punjabi is similar to Hindi, and most people understand it. Not the case with Tamil. While Shah Rukh and Deepika are enough to light up the scene, you begin to miss other familiar faces in terms of character actors, who are always a part of Rohit's other films like the Golmaals, Bol Bachchan and Singham. Here, with all the south flavour, one often wonders if there are south actors in Hindi film or if it is a south film starring SRK and Deepika. It isn't convincing when Rahul suddenly speaks Tamil in the climax, and the very people who didn't understand Hindi earlier now comprehend everything. There is also boos boos like not a single scratch on the car, after it has been repeatedly banged from both sides, the injury on Rahul's lip getting wiped out afterMeena touches it but badi badi film on main aisi chhoti chhoti galtiyaan hoti rehti hain.