- Release Date 22 Aug 1986
- Avg. User Rating
4.50
8 votes - Rank
16
Chantabbai
- Cast Chiranjeevi, Suhasini Maniratnam
- BannerJyothi Art Pictures
- Editor Gautham Raju
- Cinematography Lok Singh
- Music Chakravarthy
- Producer Bheemavarapu Bucchi Reddy
- Director Jandhyala
- Audio release date NA
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Chantabbai story at a glance
Hollywood has introduced the movie genre of detective stories right from Sheclock Holmes era. James Bond followed him up and amazed the audience all over the world. Telugu Cinema was of no exception to be away from this influence , which prodded Superstar Krishna to act as the indigenous detective in Gudhachari 116. But something totally experimental happened during mid 80s from the thought of Hasya Brahma Jandhyala. He introduced a Telugu Private Detective named James Pond (Pandu Ranga Rao) who is not angry young man but ultimately hilarious- generating laughter even till date!
The film is none other than on of the very best comedy films in Telugu Cinema ever- Chantabbai!
The story is about a private detective from Vizag, named James Pond (Chiranjeevi) who along with his funniest assistant Ganapathi (Sutthi Velu) solve cases in a cleverly funny manner. The Sub Inspector Soumitri joins this team to create even more unforgettable laughter! Pond loves a Telephone service lady Jwala (Suhasini) who is so annoyingly talkative all the time! The scenes between Pond and Jwala is a real treat to watch in the film. Once Jwala gets trapped in a theft crime for which she is not guilty. Then Pond acts with wit and cleverness and rescues her from the case. It is when Jwala’s friend Dr.Nischala (Muccharla Aruna) comes to the former to tell about a peculiar problem her family is in.
Apparently Nishchala’s father (Jaggaiah) has a son who got separated with him years ago. During his last days , he feels it is time to meet his long lost son for whom he was so unfair. Jwala immediately suggests Pond as the ideal choice for solving the case to Nischala and Pond readily accepts the case. In the interrogation phase, Pond and Ganapathi interact with a bunch of hilarious people in which the most noted are Kalyan (Chandramohan) and his wife Vagdevi (Srilakshmi). Pond comes to a conclusion that Kalyan is Chantabbai after thorough interrogation in his own funny way. But Kalyan is one crazy guy who is into eating all the time and plans to cheat Nischala’s family for the sake of money.
Coming to the fantastic characterization of Vagdevi, she is one hilarious writer in Telugu. Her conversations with the Editor Potti Prasad to get her work publish is one of the best written comedy sequences in Telugu Cinema. To make things worse, Kalyan’s brother Pattabhi (Sudhakar) and his wife also join this madness in NIschala’s house and create hell to the family- fighting over who is the real Chantabbai.
The rest of the movie is about how Pond solves the case and proves yet again he is a funny yet intelligent Private Detective!
Performances:
Chiranjeevi is the undisputed star of the film. He has changed literally every aspect of his body language and dialogue delivery for the role of Pond. He understood the character so well that one can see Pond but not the actor Chiranjeevi throughout the film. Suhasini is at her usual best as love interest of Pond. Her girl-next-door looks are one of the assets of the role she played in the film. Sutthi Velu is another fantastic actor who acted as the innocent assistant of Pond!
Srilakshmi generates unlimited laughter as the determined writer. In fact, after this role, most of her roles got trademarked as the funny writer troubling everybody around! Chandramohan and Sudhakar are at their obvious best and act perfectly having shades of comedy and cruelness! Bheema Raju acted as Mr.Soumitri who gives a great performance as the funny Police who is troubled by Pond all the time! Jaggaiah and Muccharla Aruna deliver a fine performance as father-daughter respectively.
Highlights:
- It is one of the very first movies in which Chiranjeevi tried Comedy genre. He was known for serious and action oriented roles till then.
- The film features two funny songs – One in which Chiranjeevi is seen in different attires- including a lady attire (Neno Prema Pujari) and the other one where Chiranjeevi acts like Charlie Chaplin
- The comedy sequences between Pond (Chiranjeevi) and Ganapathi (Sutthi Velu) is a laugh riot.
- The Editor-Writer episode between Potti Prasad and (Vagdevi) Srilakshmi is another fantastic laugh riot where she introduces funny cuisine names such as Bangala Bow Bow and Aratipandu Lamba Lamba!
- The current ace producer of Geetha Arts, Allu Aravind acted in an interesting role where he attacks Pond in every way possible- apparently to keep Pond alert against enemies in his profession! He is Chiranjeevi’s real life brother in law as well! It is interesting to see Allu Ramalingaiah who is Chiranjeevi’s father in law acting as Jwala’s father in the film!
- The great comedian Sutthi Veera Bhadra Rao acted in the role of a funny servant- who translates Telugu into English and renders his lines throughout the film!
- Though the film was inspired from an English Comic Film “A Shot in the Dark” the indigenous touch of Jandhyala is seen in every frame of the film.
Cast:
Chiranjeevi- Pandu Ranga Rao aka James Pond
Suhasini Mani Ratnam- Jwala
Muccharla Aruna- Nischala
Jagayya- Nischala’s Father
Sutthi Velu- Ganapathi
Bheema Raju- Mr.Soumitri
Allu Arvind- Pond’s funny employee
Allu Ramalingaiah- Jwala’s Father
Kalyan- Chandramohan
Vagdevi- Srilakshmi
Potti Prasad- Editor Potti Prasad
Sutthi Veera Bhadra Rao- Servant in Nischala’s house
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