Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi

This is a three hour long light hearted story of three brothers. The film has a good storyline and is not a collection of comic situations. This has made the movie last these 60 years. The director stcks to the screenplay, the actors adhere to their director. The music lifts the movie A must watch.

This is a true classic! Simple story, wonderful music, great acting, brilliant cast and phenomenally hilarious!!!

Three brothers (brothers in real life too) manage a car repairshop, the eldest (Ashok Kumar) being a misogynist because he was jilted once. Hence, he does not want his younger, and in his eyes, naive brothers to go after women. So, he stops them from any female contact whatsoever. But the inevitable happens, and they fall in love one after the other. What ensues is all sorts of hilarious situations - an enormously funny boxing match (between the eldest and the youngest brother, played brilliantly by Kishore Kumar) where the referee (Anup Kumar playing the middle brother) gets knocked out, crazy detective routines, an out of this world car race and the typical climax - a fight sequence.

This movie stands tall amongst the greatest comedies ever, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Singin' in the Rain, Modern Times etc. Shows you that you do not need to get obscene or profane to get laughs! And believe me, this one gives you more laughs than you can handle!!!

Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) : Brief Review -

What Mughal-E-Azam means to grandeur cinema, CKNG means to comedy cinema. Bollywood's answer to classic Hollywood musicals from the golden age. I have been through this movie many times during childhood, but the actual fun is experienced today only. Maybe because I have seen a lot of old Hollywood classics that defined and established formulas, genres, and sub-genres in the early talkie era. I can recall at least 5 dozen classic comedies (including rom-coms, screwball, and musical comedies) from the golden age of Hollywood (30s-50s), and yet, I can proudly say that Bollywood made this classic musical comedy in the late 50s. So, we were late, but not as late as they expected us to be. Even Hollywood wasn't really good with multistarrer comedies in that period, so Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi has an upper hand there. It's non-stop entertainment. Almost every comedy movie feels boring for at least 5 minutes here and there, but this one literally has no such moments. Usually, songs work as loo breaks, but here, songs are even better than the narrative. In Hollywood movies, musical numbers are there to define the situation and carry the story or narrative forward, but in Bollywood, music has always been a different setup of entertainment. For that, the story had to be dropped for 5 minutes. Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi broke that stereotype for filmmakers and audiences. You see the songs, how they are designed, how the tunes match the tone of the situations, and how brilliantly the lyrics put the situation in words. Pure masterclass! Many typical plot holes and subtexts were established here. Just keep an eye on them, and you'll realize how important this film was for the Bollywood industry. What's more? We have seen the same templates used in the 90s comedy (that's 30 years later). Imagine the impact it must have had on audiences in the 50s. Evergreen Comedy and Iconic Album Hands down.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

It seems Ganguli brothers were a huge fan of Marx Brothers Movies and that's what their source of inspiration was when they made "Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi". But the inspiration is limited only to the idea of all three brothers acting in a musical and a comical thriller. The movie is a showcase of talents of ever talented brothers Ashok Kumar, Anup Kumar and specifically Kishore Kumar. Watch him singing melodious "Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi si", naughty "Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka", hilarious "Paanch Rupaiya Barah Aana" or mad cap "Hum The Woh Thi". If there ever was a true all rounder in Indian Cinema, it was the Singer, Composer, Writer, Director and Actor Kishore Kumar and arguably he is the only Genius that bollywood has ever produced. Almost 20 years now that he died of a heart attack but you can still see his style reverberating amongst the new generation of performers.

The Ganguly brothers came together for this hilarious venture. This story of a misogynist older brother (Ashok Kumar), an inept and sycophantic middle brother (Anup Kumar), and a simple yet suave younger brother (Kishore Kumar) will have you in stitches. Directed by Satyan Bose, the film had a plump and cute Madhubala in the lead.

I love Ashok Kumar as the older brother who is trying to keep his brothers away from all contact with women, Kishore as the younger brother who is falling for a woman who came to the car repair garage late one night, but most of all I find Anup Kumar incomparable as the middle brother who veers from side to side, unable to take a stand. He was a comic genius in this film. O Mannu Tera Hua Ab Mera Kya Hoga!!! LOL! Sachin Dev Burman spun magic in the songs that were situationally perfect and often hilarious! Ek Ladki Bheego Bhaagi Si was super melodious. The fantasy number Main Sitaron Kaa Tarana had Madhubala in a classical dance garb carrying a black purse! Hal Kaisa Hai Zanab Kaa, and Hum The Woh Thi were so cute. There was an excellent Mujra by the duo of Helen and Cuckoo, in which you can see Helen excel in a rare classical number.

The story was interesting, acting great by all the actors. I consider a pick me up kind of film and watch it and laugh at it any number of times. If you have not yet seen it what are you waiting for?