The above mentioned title is a Hindi idiom which means, “life must go on”.
In relation to the film, it refers to “the one that runs or moves is called a vehicle”.
The title itself is highly apt as it cleverly mirrors the movie’s central theme. The brothers (Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar and Anoop Kumar) own a garage and the garage is their vehicle of life (bread & butter).
The title acts as a light-hearted metaphor adapting to life’s chaos and all the sub-plots in the film.
The brothers own a 1928 Chevrolet Vintage car which frequently breaks down and needs repairs somewhat relating to the ups and downs in their life. Also, the phrase embodies the spirit of going with the flow and keeping the engine of life moving.
In the film, Ashok Kumar despises women and forbids his younger brothers from getting married. Here the title acts like a pun that their lives are much like a stalled car due to their anti-romance policy. When they fall in love, their stagnant lives starts moving ahead.
Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (the car) is the central core of the plot which is responsible for all the slapstick non-stop action, romantic mix-ups and family drama. The title also symbolises the non-stop, fast-paced rhythm of the protagonists lives.
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