Chandni Chowk to China is a Hindi film slated for release on 16th January 2009. It will be directed by Nikhil Advani and stars Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles, with Hindi Cinema veteran Mithun Chakraborty and Hong Kong veteran Gordon Liu also playing important roles. The film is the first Hindi film to be shot in China. However, many parts of the film were shot in Bangkok, Thailand, Shanghai Film Studio. This is Warner Bros. Pictures's second Hindi film. Although some of the China scenes were shot in sets in theOur protagonist Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) is the lowest on the totem pole, cutting vegetables at a road side food stall in Chandni Chowk in Delhi. He longs to escape his dreary existence and looks for shortcuts- with astrologers, tarot readers, & fake fakirs basically believing anything except himself, despite his father figure Dada's (Mithun Chakravorty) best efforts. His redeeming moment arrives when two strangers from China claim him as a reincarnation of a war hero in the past and take him to China. Sidhu now dreams of wine, women and a princely existence in foreign lands. Thanks to the devious translator, a conman by the name Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey), little does he know that he is being taken to the promised land to rid the Chinese village of the vicious smuggler Hojo (Gordon Liu)!
So Sidhu blissfully sets forth to China with Chopstick who instigates dreams of a delicious future and forgets to reveal the perils which await him. Along the way he meets Sakhi (Deepika Padukone), Ms. Tele Shoppers Media (Ms TSM) who has embarked on a journey to pay homage to the land of her birth and her believed to be dead father and twin sister Suzy (who worked for Hojo not knowing that he tried to kill her father). Initially Sidhu through a series of lucky coincidences manages to sidestep being beaten by Hojo's men but finally Hojo catches up with him and exposes him as the country buffoon that he really is by finishing off Dada. Sidhu has the fire of revenge in his belly and finds the one man who will make him a Kungfu expert and set the village free, the Police Chief Chiang, who actually is the father of Sakhi and Suzy. Chiang has lost his memory after an incident with Hojo, but his Kung Fu skills are still intact. Gradually he recollects all his memories and agrees to take Sidhu as his apprentice. Armed with his Sifu(master), faith in himself and the love of the fair Sakhi Sidhu sets forth to conquer all!
The film, earlier known as Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo and also Made in China, is written by Sridhar Raghavan.
Shooting began in January 2008 and included a schedule in China.
Nikhil Advani later announced that Deepika Padukone is essaying a double role in the film. She plays a Chinese woman and an Indian woman. Chinese action-film veteran Gordon Liu will make his Bollywood debut in this film.
The music is by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy. The movie also features music by Kailash Kher, Bappi Lahiri-Bappa Lahiri and a rap song sung by Akshay Kumar and composed by Punjabi rapper Bohemia. The music was released on December 2nd 2008. Also, this movie has been rated by the MPAA- PG-13 for violence, adult situations, and language.
The music of Chandni Chowk to China was released on 2nd December 2008. The album features composers as diverse as Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Kailash-Paresh-Naresh, Bappi Lahiri-Bappa Lahiri and Bohemia (musician). Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama.com rated it 3.5/5, claiming, "Chandni Chowk to China is clearly the next musical hit in the making."