Chori Chori Chupke Chupke

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke
Movie poster
Directed by	Abbas-Mustan
Produced by	Nazim Rizvi Amrohi
Screenplay by	Shyam Goel (Dialogues) Javed Siddiqui
Story by	Neeraj Vora
Starring	Salman Khan Rani Mukerji Preity Zinta
Music by	(Songs) Anu Malik (Score) Surendra Sodhi
Cinematography	Thomas A. Xavier
Edited by	Hussain A. Burmawala
Production company	Emaar Films International
Release date	9 March 2001
Running time	170 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi
Budget	₹130 million (US$1.8 million)[1]
Box office	₹375 million (US$5.2 million)[2]

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (English: Secretly and Stealthily) is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Abbas-Mustan. It stars Salman Khan, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta in leading roles. The music is composed by Anu Malik and the lyrics are penned by Sameer. It emerged as a commercial success and was one of the highest-grossing films of 2001.^[3] The film generated heavy controversy during its release because it was one of the first Bollywood films to handle the taboo issue of surrogate childbirth.

This is the only movie of director duo Abbas-Mustan in which Salman Khan worked. Earlier they approached him for the 1993 movie Baazigar. However, the role was later offered to Shahrukh Khan. Some of the scenes in the film have been borrowed from Pretty Woman (1990), and the storyline is similar to 1980 movie Avan Aval Adhu and the 1983 movie Doosri Dulhan by Lekh Tandon.^[4]

In 2001, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) seized prints of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, after it was discovered the movie was funded by Chhota Shakeel^[5] of the Mumbai underworld, which resulted in the well publicised Bharat Shah case.

Plot

Raj Malhotra (Salman Khan) and Priya (Rani Mukerji) are members of high society. They meet, get married and soon afterwards Priya gets pregnant. Very early in the pregnancy, Priya trips, miscarries, and becomes permanently infertile. On the Dr. Balraj Chopra (Prem Chopra)'s advice, they decide to look for a surrogate mother to bear Raj's child. The surrogacy is concealed from their conservative family. Raj meets Madhubala a.k.a. Madhu (Preity Zinta), a prostitute who agrees to have Raj's baby, in exchange for money. After some much-needed behavioural grooming and an image make over, Madhu meets Priya — who will be left unaware that Madhu is a prostitute—and the three depart for Switzerland together to carry out their plan.

Soon Madhu is pregnant with Raj and Priya's child, and he happily tells his family that Priya is expecting. Meanwhile, Raj's business partner Ajay Sharma (Adi Irani) has begun sexually harassing Madhu until she is ready to leave Switzerland, upset at the thought that Raj told his friend that she is a prostitute, although he didn't. Eventually, Priya finds out about Madhu's past, but she still believes that Madhu should carry their child, and she begs her to stay. Finally, Raj's friend assaults Madhu while he thinks she's home alone, but Raj saves Madhu. Overwhelmed by Raj's kindness, Madhu falls in love with Raj.

Raj's family suddenly arrives in Switzerland. While Priya reaches for pregnancy-simulating pillows, the family meet the heavily pregnant Madhu and Raj tells them that she is a friend who is staying with him and Priya while her husband is business-traveling and she has no other family. Raj's grandfather Kailashnath Malhotra (Amrish Puri) and father Ranjit Malhotra (Dalip Tahil) arrange a religious ceremony and tell Raj and Priya that they are going back to India; this also includes Madhu.

The ceremony is very important so Priya sends Madhu as herself. The emotion at the ceremony is too much for Madhu and she becomes conflicted about giving up her child. Priya finds Madhu's room empty and the money dumped on the bed, and pursues her to the train station, only to slap Madhu when she confesses that she loves Raj. By the time Raj gets there, Madhu has gone into premature labor. The doctor announces that only one—Madhu or her child—can be saved, and Priya asks him to save Madhu. However, both mother and baby survive and seem likely to thrive. Madhu gives the baby to Priya, who quickly settles into a hospital bed with "her" baby. The doctor tells Raj's family that Madhu's child was stillborn and Madhu has made a recovery.

When Madhu is ready to leave, she promises Raj that she won't go back to prostitution. When he takes her to the airport he realizes that she loves him and kisses her forehead. Madhu leaves happily, ready and able to start fresh, as Raj and Priya start their new lives as thankful and proud parents to their newborn son Rocky.

Cast

• Salman Khan as Raj Malhotra, a wealthy businessman who is deeply in love with his wife.
• Rani Mukerji as Priya Malhotra, Raj's extraordinarily beautiful wife who suffers a miscarriage causing her to be infertile.
• Preity Zinta as Madhubala, a prostitute who is hired by Raj to be a surrogate mother for him and Priya.
• Amrish Puri as Kailashnath Malhotra, Raj's grandfather
• Dalip Tahil as Ranjit Malhotra, Raj's father
• Farida Jalal as Asha Malhotra, Raj's mother
• Prem Chopra as Dr. Balraj Chopra, Priya's doctor
• Johnny Lever as Pappu Bhai
• Adi Irani as Ajay Sharma, Raj's business partner
• Ruby Bhatia as News reporter
• Deepti Bhatnagar as item number
• Dinyar Contractor
• Bhairavi Vaidya as Salman Khan's Mami

Critical reception

The film met with mostly mixed-positive reviews, with critics praising the uniqueness of the film which dealt with a previously untouched subject. Preity Zinta's performance in a meaty, unconventional role was especially noted by many critics alike. However, the duo of Salman Khan and Rani Mukerji faced criticism, with reviews expressing that they were nothing more but beauty fillers in the film. Film critic Sukanya Verma found Mukerji to be "handicapped with a role that doesn't give her much scope besides weeping and sobbing" and stated Khan's performance lacked substance.^[6]

Awards

Soundtrack

Music by Anu Malik and lyrics by Sameer. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 20,00,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the year's sixth highest-selling.^[7]

References

External links

• Chori Chori Chupke Chupke on IMDb