Chashme Buddoor

Sai Paranjape is one of my favourite directors. Her films always deal with situations and characters which one can easily identify with.

CB is the story of 3 bachelors. 2 of these (played by Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani) spend most of their time chasing girls. The third one has a little different attitude in life and is more academically inclined.

The movie is absolutely hilarious. I liked it enough to buy a personal copy.

A gem of a film that has simplicity rare to find in cinema these days.

It has a charm that is now seldom or rather not present. Look at that one scene in which the detergent Chamku is being sold. That one scene speaks volumes about how innocent and silly the ways to impress were. In a similar vein, this film has many moments that make us woo for it. The characters are affable, the dialogs are simple and the treatment is just down to earth.

Setup in an apartment are 3 friends who have to go through so many hurdles to pay their rent. A girl comes in their community and all the 3 try to woo here in their own ways. She decides who is the right one for her. All through the film, it's never boring or tiring on brain. You can simply have a smile and at times laugh out loud too. The best part indeed is that the film does not itself too seriously.

Sai Paranjpe was a brave woman director who was considered to be ahead of her times. She has extracted brilliant performances from brilliant actors. Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval set a precedent of brining common man stories into the film domain. They were simplistic and endearing. Chashme Baddoor stand the test of time and it is relevant even now. Most of the credit can be attributed to the writing of characters by Sai Paranjpe herself.

The characters of Omi, Jai, Siddharth and Lallan Miyan will stay etched in the memory after we have seen this. Lallan Miyan comes at few times only, but is witty and makes a mark for himself. Except Farooq, I remember others by their character names only. That's the impact this film had on me. Not to forget Neha superbly acted by Deepti Naval.

The cinematography may be age-old and simplistic, but it works. The editing is fine too, though some songs might have done away with but they add charm. Listen to Kahan Se Aaye Badra sung by Yesudas and it's wonderful.

I am going with 4/5 for this film.

Definitely one of the most popular romantic-comedies produced by Bollywood, this seems both like a parody of certain Bollywood cliches, and a tribute to Bollywood itself. There are certain over-the-top moments, some melodrama, but underneath it all, it is what it is- a funny, light-hearted film that will make you smile.

Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval have a lovely onscreen chemistry. There is a very clean and pure vibe to their relationship in the movie, and it is so beautiful to watch. Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani are funny as two wannabe womanizers. Their account of their interaction with Deepti Naval's character was very funny, and was a parody of many iconic Bollywood scenes.

The music is good, topped by Kahan Se Aaye Badra which is a beautiful, beautiful song that I am going to keep humming for the rest of the week. This was a feel-good movie that is definitely going to win hearts for a long time to come.

I'm amazed at the tepid review given by commenter Naam Gum Jayega to this film. The commenter does not know what he's talking about, and knows nothing about Delhi in the 80s. I grew up in Delhi in the 80s and this is wonderful nostalgic little trip back to those days of wide and empty streets, lush green springs, and a leisurely life style.

Faroque and Deepti share an incredible chemistry in the movie, and Rakesh Bedi, Ravi Baswani and Saeed Jaffrey provide able support to their characters. Those who knew Delhi Doordarshan from the 80s would recognize such Delhi theatre regulars as Vinod Nagpal and Keemti Anand doing bit roles.

Absolutely Love this movie!

I have seen it 10 times within a month! Its Hilarious, original ..reminds me of my old college days.

A must see for everyone. (Wonder why there aren't other movies like this one. I guess the closest match is Katha. If anyone can find an equivalent Hindi movie, I would love to hear about it).

The storyline, acting, direction are totally superb. . Deepti Naval and Farooq Sheikh are great. Saeed Jaffrey's acting as the paaanwaala is too good to believe. Note his typical Agra'ite language.

Another good point: You can also see the Delhi of yesteryears - how it looked like in 1981, pollution free and without the ubiquitous Maruti. Wide roads, with few people.