Chalte Chalte released on 13 June 2003, and proved to be a commercial success at the box office, grossing ₹43.38 crore (US$5.4 million) worldwide. It received positive reviews from critics upon release, with praise for its theme, screenplay, soundtrack and the lead performances; however, some critics noted a thematic similarity between the film and Saathiya (2002), which also starred Mukerji in the lead. The film was screened at the Casablanca Film Festival.
The film begins in a bowling alley, where a group of friends are awaiting the arrival of Salim. Meanwhile, Deepak arrives with his fiancée Sheetal. When a conversation about love arises, Deepak and the rest find it necessary to make Sheetal aware that true love does exist. They tell her the story of Raj and Priya, two of their closest friends.
Raj Mathur, a graduate of engineering, is the owner of Raj Transport, a small trucking company he founded himself. Raj is a carefree man who is unorganized, messy, lazy, and never on time. Although he isn't the richest, he's always happy.
On the other hand, Priya Chopra is a successful fashion designer from a wealthy family. Originally from Greece, she lives with her aunt Anna, who wants to give her the best in life. Priya has her life all planned out – the complete opposite of Raj. These two completely different people meet in a car accident when Priya crashes her car into Raj's truck. Though the two get off to a rocky start, they meet again at the wedding of Salim and Farah, eventually becoming friends. The two slowly fall in love.
Raj learns that Priya is engaged to a man named Sameer. Desperate, he follows Priya to Greece, where he continues to woo her. When it's time to part, Priya realizes that she is in love with Raj. They get married after persuading Priya's parents, and arrive in Mumbai, where Raj welcomes Priya into their home.
Back to the bowling alley in the present: Salim arrives along with Farah and announces that today was Raj and Priya's first wedding anniversary, so they were planning a surprise party. Excited, Sheetal can't wait to meet the famous Raj and Priya, but when they do arrive, they're nothing like what they seemed. The two can't stop arguing.
It is revealed that Raj feels the pressure to meet the expectations of Priya's family and is struggling financially. Priya cannot stand to see her husband in this state and secretly asks her former fiancé for money. When Raj learns of this truth, he gets really angry and accuses Priya of infidelity with Sameer, causing her to run away to her parents. Raj, realizing his error, goes after Priya, only to be insulted by her family.
Priya decides to leave for Greece because she can't stay with Raj but can't stay without him. When Raj is informed of this, he races to the airport to stop Priya. He says he will change and that he has a dream of the two of them starting a family together. Although Priya expresses that she has the same dream, she feels it is impossible for them to be together, so she boards the plane. Giving up, Raj remembers his oath of never giving up on their love and sends his talisman as a reminder to Priya. When Priya receives the talisman, she too recalls Raj's confession. Raj sadly returns home to find Priya waiting for him. She says that the only way to make their dream come true is to be together. In a playful manner, the two get into another argument but they say that this is how they express their love. They continue to argue as the credits roll.
This was the third and last film produced by Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla's company, Dreamz Unlimited. The publicity strategy of the film was designed by Kanchana Kodituwakku and Dreamz Unlimited.
According to Khan, Mukerji was initially offered the role of Priya, but due to prior commitments with Shaad Ali's Saathiya (2002), she turned it down. Post her refusal, Aishwarya Rai was signed for the role, but had to leave the film after some problems with her then-boyfriend, actor Salman Khan, who is said to have disrupted filming. After Rai's departure from the film, it was offered to Kajol, Shah Rukh's frequent co-star and friend, but she too declined the role due to her pregnancy. This caused considerable delay in the progress of the film until Mukerji agreed to take over the role and save the film.[4]
Mukerji had a complete makeover for the role, by MAC Cosmetics India director Mickey Contractor.[5] Contrary to the Hindi-media prejudice of fair skin being considered more attractive,[6] Mukerji and Contractor received praise for her new, tanned complexion, including their use of smoky-eye, which was subsequently used in other films, most notably in Mukerji's Hum Tum (2004), Veer-Zaara (2004) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).[7]
Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama gave the album 3.5 stars and stated "Chalte Chalte is a romantic album that should go well with both class as well as mass".[8] According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 18,00,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the year's sixth highest-selling.[9]
Chalte Chalte grossed ₹30.15 crore (US$3.6 million) in India and $2.81 million (₹13.13 crore) in other countries, for a worldwide total of ₹43.28 crore (US$5.2 million), against its ₹11 crore (US$1.3 million) budget.[1] It had the third highest worldwide opening weekend of the year with figures of ₹12.38 crore (US$1.5 million).[10] The film earned ₹20.14 crore (US$2.4 million) during its first week.[11] Worldwide, it is the 4th-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2003.[12]
India
It opened on Friday, 13 June 2003 across 280 screens, and earned ₹1.50 crore (US$180,000) nett on its opening day, which is the 7th highest first day of the year.[13] In its opening weekend, the film grossed ₹4.52 crore (US$540,000) nett and is the 7th highest opening of the year.[14] It grossed ₹8.23 crore (US$990,000) nett in its first week.[15] The film earned a total of ₹19.44 crore (US$2.3 million) nett and is the 6th-highest-grossing film of 2003.[16] When adjusted for inflation, its total nett gross is ₹69.68 crore (US$8.3 million). It was declared a "hit" by Box Office India.[1]
Overseas
Outside India, it is the second highest opening of the year as it grossed $1.15 million (₹5.37 crore) in its opening weekend.[17] It went on to gross $1.58 million (₹7.38 crore) in its first week.[18] The film earned a total of $2.81 million (₹13.13 crore) and is the 2nd-highest-grossing film of 2003 behind another Khan-starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho.[19]
Critical reception
Film critic Taran Adarsh praised the film's writing and performances. He wrote, "Chalte Chalte clearly belongs to Shah Rukh Khan, an actor par excellence. One actually runs out of adjectives and personifications if asked to describe this performance by the actor."[20] Vivek Fernandes of Rediff was less positive, and noted that the film "rides on a wafer-thin plot. What could have been an interesting study of marital relations disintegrates into soppy fare. And the blame lies entirely with the exasperatingly predictable screenplay and tacky dialogue."[21]
