Chori Chori Chupke Chupke

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (transl. Secretly and Stealthily) is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Abbas–Mustan, with a screenplay by Javed Siddiqui and story by Neeraj Vora. Produced by Nazim Rizvi, the film stars Salman Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Preity Zinta, with music composed by Anu Malik and lyrics by Sameer. The narrative follows a wealthy married couple who, unable to conceive a child, hire a sex worker to serve as a surrogate mother, leading to emotional and social complications.

The film was inspired by the Tamil film Avan Aval Adhu (1980), and explores themes of surrogacy, societal taboo, and unconventional family structures. Principal photography took place in Switzerland and various locations in India. The film’s subject matter generated widespread attention, as it was one of the earliest mainstream Hindi films to address surrogacy—a subject rarely depicted in Indian cinema at the time.

Initially scheduled for release on 22 December 2000, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke was delayed following the arrest of its producer Nazim Rizvi and financier Bharat Shah. The Central Bureau of Investigation alleged connections between the film’s financing and Mumbai underworld figure Chhota Shakeel, leading to the temporary seizure of the film's prints. It was eventually released in March 2001.

The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. While the direction and storyline attracted some criticism, Zinta’s performance as a prostitute-turned-surrogate mother received widespread acclaim and earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 47th Filmfare Awards—the film’s sole nomination. Chori Chori Chupke Chupke emerged as a commercial success, ranking as the sixth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Over time, it has been regarded as a landmark film in Bollywood’s cinematic portrayal of surrogacy, and later inspired the Indian television series Dil Se Dil Tak (2017).