Chachi 420

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Chachi 420 (Devnagari: चाची ४२०) is a 1998 comedy film, made in India and directed by Kamal Haasan who also starred in the film as the main character. Other actors include Amrish Puri, Tabu, Om Puri, Johnny Walker, Paresh Rawal, Rajendranath Zutshi, Ayesha Jhulka, Nassar and Baby Sana. This is a remake of Tamil Movie Avvai Shanmugi also starring Kamal Hassan.

The film is reminiscent of Mrs. Doubtfire, in which a father (Hassan) gets divorced from his wife and also loses the custody of his daughter. From there he tries to get in his wife's house by disguising as a maid to be near his daughter and wife. And as he does a series of comic situations occur. Shruti Haasan made her debut as a child singer in the film.

[edit] Plot

Kamal Hasan plays a film choreographer Jaiprakash Paswan who falls in love and marries Janki (Tabu) the daughter of the wealthy Durgaprasad Bhardwaj (Amrish Puri) without Durgaprasad's consent who wanted his daughter to marry Dr. Rohit (Zutchi). However, Janki is unable to tune herself into the simple and middle-clssed lifestyle of Jai. Soon diiferences tear the marriage apart and Janki returns to her father having divorced Jai. The custody of their daughter Bharti (Baby Sana) also goes to Janki. However, Jai is allowed to see Bharti every Friday under surveillance. But when Jai makes a desperate attempt to steal Bharti away, the Friday visits are also stopped because he is caught red-handed. Still desperate to see his daughter, he finds an opportunity when Mr. Bhardwaj puts up an advertisement in the newspaper for a nursemaid for his granddaughter. With the help of Joseph (Johnny Walker), a drunk make-up man he transforms into an elderly woman and calls himself Laxmi Godbole (He choses the name while applying for interview over the phone. Laxmi is derived from Lux and Godbole from Godrej). He plans are almost foiled when the interview is terminated even before his chance. But while playing with firecrackers a stray fuse causes the child's clothes to catch fire. Jai aka Laxmi rescues Bharti and thus is chosen as the maid. But Bharti is able to identify her father quickly. He admits his true identity to Bharti but makes her promise to keep it a secret. Soon the whole household starts to adore Laxmi except Banwarilal Pandey (Om Puri), Bhardwaj's Secretary because of the mystery surrounding Laxmi's husband. Meanwhile Laxmi's popularity in the Bhardwaj household goes on increasing especially after "she" rescues Janki from a gang goons and saves Bhardwaj's life. Bhardwaj apparently starts to fall in love with Jai's alter ego.

Banwari is still investigating Laxmi's background. Meanwhile, Jai's landlord Haribhai (Rawal) is also attracted towards Laxmi. Jai also finds work for the down-on-luck Siraj (Naseer) as Bhardwaj's cook. But since the Bhardwajs are vegetarian he disguises his friend as Shivraj Sharma. Confusion still ensues regarding Laxmi's background and increases when Jai meets Banwari and introduces Haribhai as Laxmi's husband while he tells Haribhai that Banwari is his husband. Soon Siraj's true identity is revealed. However, Laxmi persuades Bhardwaj not to fire Siraj as the poor fellow has been faithful. But Banwari, now, starts to share his suspicions with Janki. ven Janki starts becoming convinced about Laxmi's dark character and the two try to expose Laxmi. Janki also finds that Laxmi has been visiting Jai at night and another young assistant of Jai, Ratna (Ayesha Jhulka) has been visiting him during day. Believing that Jai is having an affair with two ladies simultaneously, Janki,ho had started to think about returning to Jai after seeing a video of how they had and how they had fallen in love, goes to attempt suicide. Laxmi learns about Janki's actions and goes to stop her.

Laxmi reaches Janki just as the youngster jumps into a river off a bridge. In the water Jai reveals who he really is and that he had always been there with her. Bhardwaj, havng realized that Jai would make a better husband for Janki that Rohit(another of Laxmi's persuasions), accepts Jai as his son-in-law. However, to avoid ruining there reborn romance once again, Jai and Janki agree to keep Laxmi's real identity a secret. Bhardwaj is made to believe that Laxmi drowned while trying to save Janki. Jai and Janki reconcile and remarry.