Chachi 420(1997)
Chachi 420 is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language comedy film co-written, produced, and directed by Kamal Haasan. The cast includes Kamal Haasan in a dual role, Tabu, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, Johnny Walker, Paresh Rawal, and Fatima Sana Shaikh. The story follows Jaiprakash Paswan, a divorced father who disguises himself as an elderly Marathi woman named Laxmi Godbole to work as a nanny for his own daughter. The film explores themes of family, caste prejudice, and forgiveness through its comedic and emotional narrative. It is an official remake of the 1996 Tamil film Avvai Shanmugi and the 1993 Hollywood film Mrs. Doubtfire. The film was a commercial success, earning ₹11.42 crore and was declared a 'HIT' by Box Office India. Chachi 420 was released on 19 December 1997 and has a runtime of 162 minutes.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 19 December 1997
- Director
- Kamal Haasan
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 42m
- Rating
- 5.6/10
Storyline
A divorced father loses the right to see his daughter. Desperate, he disguises himself as an old woman and gets a job as her nanny. He must keep his identity a secret while winning back his ex-wife's heart.
“A father's love knows no disguise.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Chachi 420
Cast reunions in this film: Paresh Rawal & Om Puri (25 films together), Nassar & Kamal Haasan (17 films together), Amrish Puri & Om Puri (12 films together), Nassar & Madhan Bob (10 films together), Paresh Rawal & Amrish Puri (10 films together), and Tabu & Amrish Puri (7 films together).
Trivia
- Kamal Haasan directed the original Tamil version 'Avvai Shanmugi' and also starred in it, before remaking it in Hindi himself.
- The film's music was composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, who was still early in his career and later became a famous director.
- Actor Paresh Rawal was originally considered for the role of the father, but Kamal Haasan decided to play the lead himself.
- The movie includes a cameo by director Kundan Shah, who appears as a doctor in one scene.
- Some comedy scenes were improvised on set, especially those involving Kamal Haasan and actor Om Puri.
- The film was shot in parts of Mumbai and Chennai, with some sets reused from the Tamil version.
- Despite being a remake, the Hindi version changed certain cultural references to better connect with North Indian audiences.