Tired of films that give you just one thing?  Want more for your theater going dollar than just a comedy or just an action film or just a romance? How about a film with everything? Slapstick? Song and dance? Kung fu? Romance? Melodrama? Twins separated at birth? Flying hat death? High tech gadgetry? Curry? Welcome, my friends, to Chandni Chowk To China.

Somehow I find myself doubting whether Chandni Chowk To China is a film that will benefit much either way from a full on sales pitch. It is, after all, the sort of film that will excite or repel in equal measure right from the word go and no amount of discussion will sway those on either side of the fence much. You hear the phrase 'Bollywood kung fu comedy' and whether that pushes you to the pro or con side you're pretty much already there and unlikely to switch teams. But sometimes it's worth the effort, so hear it goes…

Akshay Kumar is Sidhu, a poor young man raised as an orphan in the downtrodden street of Chandni Chowk. He dreams of a better life but he's kind of dim, really, and unlikely to ever rise above his current status. His only real connections in life are with Dada, the man who raised him and for whom he works chopping vegetables all day; Chopstick, a swindling fortune teller; and a miracle potato that Sidhu believe carries the image of elephant-god Ganesh. There's the beautiful girl pitching dance products on television as well but that can't really count, can it?

Sidhu's life changes dramatically one day with the arrival of a pair of men from a remote village in China, a village tucked under the shadow of the Great Wall which is currently under the thumb of the evil Hojo – played by the iconic Gordon Liu – who is plundering its ancient treasures and selling them to the highest bidder with any villagers who refuse to cooperated being cruelly executed by Hojo and his razor-bladed bowler hat, a gimmick stolen shamelessly from James Bond villain, Odd Job. These villagers, it seems, believe that their only hope lies in recruiting the reincarnation of legendary warrior Liu Sheng to save them from Hojo and Liu Sheng, of course, is Sidhu.

No doubt about it, the makers of Chandni Chowk To China have watched Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle more than once and are hoping to create the Bollywood equivalent here and while Kumar doesn't quite measure up to Chow in either kung fu skills or slapstick comedy genius he does okay on both fronts. The film – a lean-by-Bollywood-standards two and a half hours long – indulges all of the Bollywood tendencies that either delight or infuriate, particularly in the early going, but by the end of things has actually become remarkably focused on its goals.

Chandni Chowk To China separates itself from other recent Bollywood flicks with international designs on a few fronts. First, while it is clearly the product of Bollywood and could never, ever have come from anywhere else, it is a little more sensitive to international tastes than most and reins back both the typical excesses and running time just a touch. Second, and very important to kung fu fans, it clearly knows and loves the source genre that it is choosing to dabble in here and takes the time to get things right. The kung fu is plentiful and surprisingly good. Third, it never gets so caught up in all the big, splashy numbers that it forgets that it's the details that seal the deal and the film is positively loaded with amusing little touches tucked away in the background. Fourth, and most importantly, it gets the casting right – particularly the casting of the supporting players. Kumar we've already touched on and female lead Deepika Padukone is very strong in her dual role. More impressive is the international casting. Gordon Liu – a true living legend – gives great villain, Roger Yuan makes a strong mentor to Kumar, and human behemoth stuntman Conan Stevens makes for a truly memorable henchman to Liu.

Yes, it's bloated by Hollywood standards and, yes, you can make a pretty good argument that most (if not all) Bollywood films would benefit from cutting out thirty to forty five minutes. But that said, this is pure entertainment that gives the audience exactly what it sets out to: a candy colored good time. Long run time or no, this entertains from start to finish and I never once felt the urge to check the clock.