KK Films Creations and Oops Digital Entertainment’s Chhabi (Marathi; UA) is the story of a photographer who clicks pictures of a woman in a village, but nobody can see the lady in the photographs, except the photographer himself.
Parth Deshmukh (Dhruv Chheda) goes with his parents to Dhamapur village in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. He clicks pictures of a beautiful lady against the backdrop of picturesque locales in the village. However, his memory card gets lost. Luckily for him, he has some pictures in another memory card. Anyway, his girlfriend, Vedika (Srushti Bahekar), who is in Bombay, can see no girl in the pictures when Parth shows them to her on his return. Parth and Vedika now go to the village to trace the missing memory card. But instead, quite inadvertently, Parth unearths the mystery of the missing village photographer, Bhaskar (Makarand Deshpande), and his lecherous brother, Vardhan (Sameer Dharmadhikari).
Advait Masurkar’s story is weird and many parts in it hardly make sense. His screenplay is weak and fails to sustain the viewers’ interest. How Vardhan misuses brother Bhaskar’s photographs is not explained clearly to the audience. It is also not clear whether Bhaskar’s girlfriend, Chhabi (Anagha Atul), had died recently or ages ago.
Dhruv Chheda is so-so as Parth. Srushti Bahekar is okay as Vedika. Anagha Atul is average in the role of Chhabi. Sameer Dharmadhikari lends fair support as Vardhan. Makarand Deshpande is alright as Bhaskar. Rajan Bhise has his moments as Parth’s father. Shubhangi Gokhale is alright in the role of Dhruv’s mother. Sanjay Kulkarni is adequate as Dhruv’s uncle, Rajaram. Leena Pandit is ordinary as Dhruv’s aunt, Aruna. Rohit Lad (as Dattu), Dnanesh Dabhane (as Nilya), Apurva Kavade (as Rajaram uncle’s daughter, Priyanka), Santosh Bandekar (as Chhabi’s father) and Jaywant Wadkar (as Damu) and the others provide the desired support.
Advait Masurkar’s direction is weak. Rohan-Rohan’s music is functional. Mangesh Kangane and Prashant Madpuwar’s lyrics are ordinary. Rahul Thombre’s choreography is quite alright. Aditya Bedekar’s background music is fair. Rohan Madkaikar’s camerawork is eye-filling. Anil Wath’s art direction is okay. Ajoy Deshmukh’s editing should’ve been sharper.
On the whole, Chhabi is a flop show.
Released on 25-9-’25 at Maxus Andheri (daily 1 show) and some cinemas, and on 26-9-’25 at Jai Hind Mukta A2 (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Filmastra Studios. Publicity & opening: poor.
