Chhichhore: The Losers strike Gold

Chhichhore: A nostalgic ode to a multitude of hostel memories

At a time when most people in the world are stuck in a rat-race to move up the ladder of life, Chhichhore, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, serves as a timely reminder that the result isn’t always everything. It sends the message that it is important to enjoy the journey, even if we don’t obtain the result.

The film, which seamlessly interchanges between two separate time frames, portrays the life story of a group of engineering college students, that belong to the ‘LOSER’ hostel, H4. One timeline is that of the college, showing the wild, carefree spirit of youth. The other timeline that runs throughout the film is the present day, where that same group of students is well into their middle age, much more mature and mellow compared to their college days. The screenplay writers and director, make the changes between the past and the present effortlessly and at relevant times, thus enhancing the impact of the storyline on the audience. At no point do these changes seem forced or randomly stuck in without any connection to the rest of the storyline. The plot of this film, which is at its heart a lesson to enjoy the journeys of life rather than always remaining on the result, gets you invested in its characters from the very beginning and you are willing them on to succeed. In the theatre I was sitting in, there was a loud round of applause from the crowd on multiple occasions. While the plot, which uses athletics competitions as a significant part of the college life, is not something that is extremely original, it is dripped in authenticity and that adds an extra layer of appeal to the film. Nitesh Tiwari, an IIT graduate himself, and someone who lived in Hostel H4, has mentioned multiple times that he has derived most of his characters and events from people he has seen around him on campus. It is this authentic appeal that makes this movie different from similar college dramas like Student of the Year.

The acting in this film, especially by the main group of boys and Shraddha Kapoor is wonderful. Such a film tests an actors true acting credentials as it requires them to play carefree, fun-loving students, as well as mature, old adults, who have been through a tragedy, with equal nuance and conviction. It is the kind of role that most actors would relish as it gives the chance to show ones’ flair and varied skillset. This movie is undoubtedly driven by Sushant Singh Rajput. He is the central figure throughout the movie and owns that role superbly. He understands that even though the film has a big cast, as one of the bigger stars, it is his job to carry the movie. He blends confidence with a shade of shyness wonderfully in his younger avatar, and backs that up with a sincere vulnerability as the father who is going through the trauma of his son trying to commit suicide. Shraddha Kapoor, the other ‘Big name’ star, also turns in a solid performance. While her performance in the younger version is nothing too spectacular and is at points too polished for her surroundings, she comes across as one of the best actors when it comes to the older years,  showing great restraint and despair as a distraught mother and a divorcee who is faced with adverse conditions in life.

While the above two actors carry much of this movie, especially in terms of screen-time, there were two performances which stuck out for me. Both Varun Sharma and Naveen Polishetty, especially in their younger avatars put in brilliant performance. Varun, as Sexa, a pervert who only ever has one thing on his mind, sex, is brilliant with his one-liners and manages to illicit numerous laughs from the audience. He plays the role in such an unabashed nature that you can’t help but support his character. Naveen, debuting in Bollywood with this film, plays the role of Acid, a senior who can’t finish a sentence without abusing someone. He puts across this very ‘cool dude’ vibe and does it in an extremely relaxed yet intense way.

This movie revolves around its group of boys and Tahir Raj Bhasin, Tushar Pandey and Saharsh Kumar Shukla (the remaining members of the group), as well as Prateik Babbar (showcased as the entitled villain), do their job in upholding the pace of the narrative and keeping the audience invested in the journey of the characters.

Overall, Chhichhore is an extremely enjoyable and entertaining film, with each cast member playing their role in enhancing the storyline and keeping the audience interested. It manages to convey an important message, about the easing of pressure on students and the need to enjoy life for what it is rather than constantly looking at the next target, in a stern yet enjoyable manner. The best part about this film is that due to the first-hand experiences of the director, all the characters in the movie resemble, through their personality traits, people we have seen around us.

- Ahaan Gupta