Judwaa 2: 'Chalti Hai Kya 9 Se 12' from Varun Dhawan's film rides high, but only on nostalgia

The trailer of David Dhawan’s comedy Judwaa 2 was equivalent to a nostalgia ride for the viewers. Its first song ‘Chalti Hai Kya 9 Se 12’ follows the same path as it transports them back to 1997 on the sets of David’s Judwaa, with two Salman Khans, Karisma Kapoor and Rambha dancing to the tunes of ‘Tan Tana Tan Tan Tan Tara’. [caption id=“attachment_3972549” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez in a still from Judwaa 2. YouTube[/caption] The best part about ‘Chalti Hai Kya 9 Se 12’ is that its essence has been deliberately kept true to the original. Varun Dhawan’s entry on Anu Malik’s iconic music makes for a great start but that is the highest point of the graph of the song. Varun, though more expressive than Salman, lacks the superstar’s screen presence but does not do a bad job either. In fact, all three cast members - Varun, Taapsee Pannu and Jacqueline Fernandez (even a hilarious Pawan Malhotra as the jailer) - keep the energy level of the original song intact. Dev Negi’s vocals fall short before those of Abhijeet Bhattacharya but Neha Kakkar nails her supporting vocals. The production design and costumes have improved for obvious reasons but the novelty and inherent charm of the original song remains unparalleled. But we have the entire team of Judwaa 2 for paying tribute to, if not recreating, this extremely catchy song. Judwaa 2 also stars Anupam Kher, Ali Asgar and Rajpal Yadav, with Salman and Karisma in guest appearances. It is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and is slated to release this Dushhera on 29 September.