ChaalBaaz, wah! Amazing

ChaalBaaz (1989).
Yeah, I've had an unique Bollywood experience again.

The way that I discovered this diamond was in a way like I always do.
Namely, by looking on wikipedia at actors pages and looking for a movie list.
Then downloading the movies that they've won a Filmfare award with.This is really the way, and makes sure that I've a good movie experience.
This time I looked on wikipedia for the actress Sridevi, not an actress in recent bollywood movies, but she has a huge reputation (highest paid actress) in the 80s and 90s.
I was not unknown with her reputation. 

Other movies I watched with her in it were: Chandni, Lamhe, Sadma and Mr. India. And I have to say, the way she plays/acts/dances…they don't make 'm that talented anymore.
It's a different generation, today there are a lot of really beautiful actresses, the look fantastic, but acting….that's a different story. Sridevi is a total package, she can dance, is really expressive with her face, can portray a lot of different emotions, just perfect, oh, and she was not size zero, but just a normal postured Indian girl :)

In ChaalBaaz, Sridevi plays a doublerole (like in Lamhe), but this time she plays two totally opposite of each other characters (sisters). The movie is inspired by 'Seeta aur Geeta'. Sridevi plays both the twin sisters Anju and Manju. They got separated when they were born by there mentally unstable nanny. An evil uncle gets their parents killed in a car accident. Anju stays in a big house with her evil uncle Tribhuvan and his wife.
The uncle is played brilliantly by Anupam Kher. The uncle abused Anju with a whip, by giving her injections.
molest her by throwing her of the stairs (yeah, the beginning of the movie is tough and sad and I don't think Sridevi used a stuntdouble).

The result of this evil behavior is that Anju is a very quiet, timid, frightened girl.
Her passion is classical Indian dance Bharatnatyam, but she is not permitted to dance of course. Yep, melodramatic bollywood as the best. The other sister, Manju, lives on the street, is very assertive, is stage dancer, drinks alcohol often, likes to fight and keeps close contact with her nabour, a drinking taxi driver called Jaggu. Jaggu is played by the South-Indian demigod/legend Rajnikanth (Robot / Endhiran anyone?). I've seen another movie of this actor (called Sivaji: The Boss) But that was too over the top for me. But in ChaalBaaz I liked his humble sincere acting.
After Manju meets a man in a bar (Suraj, played by Sunny Deol) and Anju runs away from home after being almost raped, the next part of the movie if about the confusion and mix-ups of the lead characters with their supporting characters. The taxidriver has a shy Anju that doesn't drink and in the big home the evil uncle and his partner is being put on place by the dominant Manju.

This movie is a comedy, but because the abuses also a drama, and there are also some fightscenes in.
The thing I found really good is that there are a lot of genres in this movie, but everything is just the right amount, like a good recipe. Sridevi plays the two different leads very very good, the introvert Anju and the extravert Manju. Furthermore Sridevi shows that she can dance, as well as Bharatnatyam and modern style.
The songs and music is also real strong. Personally I like the melody of the romantic song "Tera Beemar Mera Dil". Anyway, I really enjoy movies like these, that contains a rollercoaster of emotions and a happy end.
The movie is from 1989, this is visible in the sound and picture quality, but has it's charm.
A must see for everyone that likes not only new movies, but also classics like this one.
Oh yeah, and of course everyone that likes Sridevi has to see this movie.

Anju

Manju