Chandni Chowk to China

Chandni Chowk to China feels like an old-fashioned masala movie that has been upgraded for today's audiences. It has ideas like a timid man turning into a hero and twins separated at birth - that were staples of masala movies of the 80s - and throws in exotic locales, grand song sequences and fancy stunt sequences. The film's approach swings between treating the subject in a tongue-in-cheek manner and taking things seriously. The story(about a cook in Chandni Chowk who mistakenly thinks he is the reincarnation of a long-dead Chinese warrior) just cannot be taken seriously and the film works when it realizes this. For instance, the cinematic screenplay turns that involve the twins (Deepika Padukone plays a model and her Chinese twin) and their dad are actually enjoyable and the obvious way the products she hawks in an advertisment eventually turn up in the story, is rather clever. But the movie falls flat whenever it takes itself seriously. This usually happens in the sentimental scenes between Akshay and his dad though the scenes where Akshay is insulted by the villain are guilty of being a bit too downbeat also. That said, the film is also guilty of not knowing when to stop taking itself lightly. Akshay's training scenes after he realizes his true calling and the subsequent fight sequences are nicely done. But the unnecessary comic touches drain away the excitement in those scenes.