Chatur Singh Two Star (2011) – Review in English

About the story: Chatur Singh (Sanjay Dutt), aka Two Star because of his badge of rank, considers himself the world's most clever detective (even though he collects all his "knowledge" from detective novels). Morally supported by his right hand Pappu Panther (Suresh Menon) who unconditionally adores him, Chatur Singh purposefully works towards the third star on his uniform – to the dismay of his superior Raj Kumar Sinha (Anupam Kher) who regularly suffers from Chatur Singh's tremendous incapability. Chatur Singh even manages to screw up totally the seemingly simple task of guarding minister Y.Y. Singh (Gulshan Grover) in a hospital. But he's still absolutely confident of his abilities, and when he smells a plot and his great chance, he follows the minister's attractive secretary Sonia Varma (Ameesha) to Cape Town...


There would have been loads of reasons to disperse Chatur Singh Two Star unseen in some archive. First, the movie was delayed. It was shot in 2008, then seemed to be forgotten in some drawer until it surprisingly was announced for release in 2011 (except for some desperate Ameesha Patel fans no one had really called for it). Second, the era of slapstick comedies which, despite every brainlessness, become box office success, is (thank God!) finally over. Third, director Ajay Chandok had shown already with his film Nehlle Pe Dehlla that a comedy made by him doesn't necessarily have to be funny, especially when delayed by many years.

Sanjay Dutt can tell a thing or two about all that. However, probably remembering Nehlle Pe Dehlla and the recent fates of No Problem and Double Dhamaal, he didn't tell very much at all during the promotion of the movie and concentrated on mentioning that CS2S was not, as rumours kept maintaining, a Hindi remake of Pink Panther. Indeed the plot doesn't resemble the story of Inspector Clouseau. According to Sanjay and the opening credits, the story of CS2S is based on a novel named 'Chaalaak Jasoos' by M Raza. Okay, but does this make the movie better?

I say it from my personal point of view: Compared to No Problem and Double Dhamaal, CS2S was almost an enjoyable watch – which of course doesn't mean much by this measure. A brownie point is definitely the cast attending with solid routiniers like Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher, Rati Agnihotri, Gulshan Grover, Satish Kaushik, Suresh Menon, Sanjay Mishra, Shakti Kapoor and Murli Sharma plus presenting Ameesha in a red sari as an eye-teaser for the men in the audience. Too bad that no one has told Ajay Chandok that certain gags cease being witty at the latest when repeated for the third time, that sometimes it's better to pull the handbrake before 'funny' becomes 'moronic', and that he should have saved certain 'knee gags' as well as the ineffable menagerie in the end...

But what finally reconciled me a little bit with CS2S is the fact that Sanjay, unlike No Problem and Double Dhamaal, obviously enjoyed doing this movie. He had fun, and that shows. He sang two songs for CS2S, the first one ("Singh Singh Singh Chatur Singh") even being really jiggy. You can argue over whether Sanjay should play a bumbling wannabe detective like this at all – but he dives with visible delight head first into every sense and nonsense and into even the most crazy outfit variations while grimacing in a way I've never seen from him before. Perfect hamming, sure, but so what – he made me laugh with his goofy ways. If only the movie as a whole would have been a bit better... but as it is now, it's simply trash. You best be in a party mood and have some like-mooded company while watching CS2S, then it should be endurable. In any case for Sanjay's fans, even when their tolerance threshold lies below mine.

Produced by Mohammad Aslam; Directed by Ajay Chandok
110 Min.; DVD: Pen, English Subtitles (including songs)
© Diwali

P.S. Wajid (from Sajid-Wajid) about Sanjay's two songs for CS2S: “While one of the versions is a rap number with an underground feel to it, the other is a full on film version with dialogues incorporated in it. I can confidently state that for the first time, audience will acknowledge that Sanjay Dutt has sung like a playback singer. He has his ’sur’ in place and is bang on with his rendition. The rap version especially was quite difficult to sing, but it’s his effort that makes it stand out. It’s a good new age song."