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Raju Chacha (General Movie ,2000)  Starring
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Synopsis
Successful architect Siddhant Rai (Rishi Kapoor) is in the midst of an important meeting when he is informed that his three naughty
motherless kids have driven away the tenth governess. It is a big relief to Rai when Anna (Kajol), the eleventh governess successfully
handles the kids and wins them over. She is affectionate, yet strict.
The twist in the story comes when Siddhant Rai's enemies in the form of his relatives come up with vicious designs to do away with Rai,
also an inheritor of huge wealth, and his children to amass the fortunes. Here enters 'Raju Chacha' (Ajay Devgan), a small-time thief,
whose eyes chance upon Anna at a road crossing when he is fleeing after a bank robbery. It is love at first sight and the chor
enters the billionaire's house posing as a millionaire.
'Raju' is excited at the prospect of the booty he could loot from Rai's mansion and continues fooling everybody around him including
Anna. The thief has a change of heart when he sees the kids in peril at the hands of the scheming relatives. The climax has 'Raju'
being arrested by the police, billionaire Rai dying and 'Raju' escaping from police clutches to save the kids and Anna.
Bollywood has comfortably settled down to pre-release mega hypes. Raju Chacha is no exception. Whether the film, like several
of its predecessors falls flat on all the hype of a budgetless Devgan extravaganza or springs a surprise to be worth the hype only
time can tell. The film, as it is, comes with the advantage of being Kajol's comeback vehicle
Review
The year begins with a bang for Bollywood as "Raju Chacha", touted as the most expensive movie ever made in the history of talkie,
goes 70mm.
The film marks the rite of passage for both Ajay Devgan and his dusky wife Kajol, who have been hibernating in nuptial bliss ever
since they tied the knot. The film is a dream project for both and neither has spared any effort to make it a success.
Ajay the producer has spent lavishly on the film's making. He entrusted the job of directing the film to his brother Anil who, who has
done a good job, considering the fact that it’s his first shot at the turnstiles.
"Raju Chacha" is a fantasy tale that revolves around three children, a young governess and a small-time crook hoping to make an easy
buck. Rishi Kapoor at last does a role that suits his age better. He grooves well as Siddhant Rai, the rich architect who lives in a
swanky bungalow and leads an affluent lifestyle. Being a widower his three children Rohit, Rahul and Rani (played by child artists
Harsh, Manshukh and Saakshi) are his be-all and end-all. But he is not able to give them much his time as he is busy trotting the
globe on his work.
The palatial house is forever bustling with the little ones' pranks, pampered as they are from their childhood. Having never been tied
to anyone's apron strings, the children act their own masters and every time Siddhant gets them a governess, they drive her away with
their naughty tricks.
But Anna (Kajol) won’t be cowed down by their intimidatory tactics. Bubbly and effervescent as she herself is, she actively
participates in the children's mischiefs and is soon accepted by them. Besides, being an orphan, she easily empathizes with the void
in their hearts.
Shekhar (Ajay Devgan), a small-time crook who makes a living out of swindling others, has a crush on Anna. Through her, he wants to
reach Siddhant's swelling fortunes.
Siddhant's uncle( Govind Namdeo) wants to get rid of him and his kids to appropriate his billions. His evil intent succeeds to some
extent, after he gets Siddhant killed in a car accident and begins to ill-treat his children.
That’s when Shekhar has a change of heart. He steps in as the children's savior, impostering as Siddhant's long-lost brother Raju.
Thus a chor becomes a chacha and together the quintet fights the baddies and throws them out of their house.
Ajay Devgan and Kajol, both seasoned actors, turn in superb performances once again. However, it is the three child artists Harsh,
Manshukh and Saakshi who steal the show with their sprightly performances. There is also a surprise cameo by Sanjay Dutt, who steps in
at the unlikely hour and claims to be the true Raju Chacha.
Made at the whopping budget of 35 crore, the film is Devgans' third production. Yet, despite the hype and hullabaloo surrounding it
the film, it turns out to be a mere pot pouri of famous Hollywood flicks. Director Anil seems to have drawn a lot of inspiration from
the classic musical " The Sound Of Music" and the recent ones like "Home Alone" and "the Lion King". Jatin Lalit's euphonious score is
a highlight of the movie, particularly the song "Dil Dil", which has a lot of flamenco and Arpeggio style of guitar play thrown in.
Art director Nitin Desai again is at his best as he meticulously erected Rishi's over 100 feet-high fantasy castle (spread over 3
acres) at the cost of Rs. 5 crore amidst the verdant hills of Ooty.
To boot, the movie boasts of special effects that will leave the viewers astounded. The title song, for instance, features special
effects involving as many as 4000 children, parachuting down or having a train ride.
Ajay describes the film as" a dream project made from heart and soul". He says there was no question of going over-budget as no upper
limit was set in the first place. Yet the man has put a lot at stake--the mammoth budget apart, months of arduous work doubling as
producer and actor. It remains to be seen if it will capture the imagination of the viewers and catapult Devgan into the big league.