Chandni Chowk to China (DVD)

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The movie deliberately incorporates thematic elements that pay homage to older Bollywood movies of the late 60s and 70s. The twin sisters theme of the movie has been used in numerous blockbusters such as "Seeta Aur Geeta" (1972), and "Ram Aur Shyam" (1967), where the lead characters are long-lost twin brothers/sisters. In addition, "CCTC" also pays tribute to the martial-arts genre by showing beautifully choreographed wire action sequences in the encounters involving Sidhu and Meow Meow at the airport, and Sidhu and Hojho goons at the Great Wall of China.

Video:
Warner presents this movie in a fine anamorphic 2:35.1 widescreen version that renders itself beautifully on my 42-inch Panasonic plasma TV. The colors are deep and vibrant, although at times I felt that the picture quality was soft. This might be the intention of the director, though, to depict the Sidhu's fantasy world and to represent the mystical Chinese mainland. With the arrival of Blu-ray, one can't help thinking that "CCTC" would have looked sharper in high-definition than its regular DVD counterpart.

Audio:
Warner Bros. have included a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio mix in this release. The movie for most part is front-channel driven. However, there are instances when we get a good workout from all the channels in the fight sequences at the airport and Great Wall of China, thereby creating a satisfying 360-degree effect.

Extras:
The DVD contains a few extended scenes, most of which are filmed after Sidhu and Chopstick arrive in China. These extended scenes don't add much to the character, story, or script and have rightly been left out from the final version of the film.

Since "CCTC" was shot in China and India, I am amazed that Warner Bros decided not to use Mandarin, Cantonese, and/or Hindi subtitles for this DVD. This noticeable omission may alienate viewers who are not conversant in Hindi but still want to watch a Bollywood movie. Out of all the studios, Sony sets the example in terms of publishing a large number of subtitles for its DVD releases. Also, missing is the scene selection option in the DVD.

Parting Thoughts:
The idea of a Bollywood martial-arts movie sounds promising on paper. However, none of the filmmaking elements in "CCTC" create any lasting impression on the viewer. This movie should not be an entry point for the American audiences who are interested in Bollywood movies. Akshay Kumar is banking on his upcoming movie, "Kambakkht Ishq" ("Damn, Love"), to turn his fortune after a string of failures in "CCTC" and "8x12 Tasweer" (8x12 Image). In this economy, where Hollywood movies are finding hard to generate cash at the U.S. box office, a failure of a Bollywood movie can put a big question mark on similar hybrid efforts by other studios. Still, I feel Warner Studios and other Hollywood studio will continue to tap into the Bollywood cinema in one form or the other. I seriously hope they do. As my colleague John Puccio rightly pointed out in his review of "An American in Paris," he is forever grateful for the "Next" button on his remote control. But what do you do with a movie that doesn't even have good dancing numbers, story, or script? Warner Bros. exclude the use of key subtitles and a scene selection feature from this DVD, which is indicative of their halfhearted attempt to bring the movie to home video. You have been forewarned.