Film Review: Aloo Chaat
Director: Robby Grewal
Cast: Aftab Shivdasani, Aamna Shariff, Linda Arsenio
Rating: ***1/2

The English attempted to rule on us by dividing Hindus and Muslims. Director Robby Grewal attempts to unite Sikhs and Muslims by exploiting English. That’s how you could summarize the recipe of Aloo Chaat .

Nikhil (Aftab Shivdasani) has just returned from London and his parents want to get him married in their community. But he loves a Muslim girl Aamna (Aamna Shariff) and his father (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) is strongly against inter-caste marriage. Nikhil seeks help from family friend Hakim Tarachand (Manoj Pahwa), a sexologist.

Knowing his parents wouldn’t approve of a Muslim bride, Tarachand suggests Nikhil to introduce an English girlfriend to his family. Nikhil hires Nikki (Linda Arsenio) to pose as his girlfriend and simultaneously gets in Aamna in the family as Nikki’s friend. The premeditated idea is to create a conspicuous contrast between the two girls making Nikki the incompatible bad girl in the family so that Aamna by default gets a comparative clean chit.

Appreciatively, the screenplay doesn’t waste unnecessary reels in establishing the romance between the lead couple. The narrative is kept crisp and concise, and focuses mainly on female bonding within the family. The comedy isn’t slapstick. The humour is handled rationally; Some scenes have you in splits. Also, the Aloo Chaat symbolism is smartly incorporated in the story.

Both Aftab and Aamna are pleasing. Linda Arsenio is mention-worth. It’s delightful to see Kulbhushan Kharbanda in a lighter vein. Dolly Ahluwalia is a pleasant change from her regular Bollywood grandma characters. Manoj Pahwa and Sanjay Mishra have hogged the meatier parts and are funny in their acts.

Aloo Chaat isn’t any boring health food. It’s instead easily edible and guarantees some tangy tickles.