Adipur in Gujarat | Hollywood star Charlie Chaplin shot to global fame for his iconic character of the "Little Tramp" as well as for his innovative silent films that combined slapstick comedy with poignant social commentary. The actor’s unique style and ability to evoke both laughter and empathy made him one of the most beloved figures in film history, even inspiring Hindi film actor Raj Kapoor’s character in films like “Shree 420” and “Mera Naam Joker.”
But did you know that a cult-like following of the Swiss-born English actor has taken hold of a small town in Gujarat? About 290 km west of Ahmedabad, Adipur in the Kachchh district is an unlikely haven for Charlie Chaplin impersonators, who celebrate his birthday by dressing up as the "Little Tramp"—toothbrush moustache, bowler hat, scuffed black suit and cane included.
The story of how Charlie Chaplin came to influence the sleepy town of Adipur stretches back decades. In the 1960s, the town only had two cinemas, which screened mainly Bollywood films. Then, in 1966, “The Gold Rush,” a film that had originally been released four decades earlier, came to town.
Ashok Aswani, the son of a local pharmacist, was cycling to his job as a typist when he saw a poster of the film and came to a halt. A cinema buff, he was fascinated with the actor’s look, so he got off his bike, bought a ticket and went to see the film.
The movie made Aswani fall off his seat with laughter. The film’s music and photography were so different from what he was accustomed to watching in Hindi movies that he saw the movie a total of four times! Because of Chaplin, Aswani became interested in acting and went on to pursue a professional course in a top filmmaking institute in Pune, but was expelled six months later when he failed his tests.
Returning to Adipur, he became an Ayurvedic doctor and opened the Charlie Circle club in 1973, giving away free Chaplin CDs with his products.
Today, most Adipur residents are members of the Charlie Circle, which numbers over 200 people. Every year on the actor’s birthday (April 16), scores of impersonators imitate the Little Tramp’s bow-legged dance walk and waddle with mixed results. The colourful party fuses Chaplin worship with Indian song and dance. Girls kitted out in local costumes swirl around doing the garba, a popular local dance. A procession snakes through the town, while bystanders gape and traffic comes to a halt.
As dusk settles, festivities move to a hall where locals perform mimes, skits and watch a Chaplin film on the big screen. The uniqueness of this town’s obsession has inspired a 74-minute documentary by Australian filmmaker Kathryn Millard, and even led to television offers for Charlie Circle members to participate in reality shows.
Aswani says Chaplin has helped him live a better life by spreading joy and happiness to others. He exhorts everyone to look for the “Charlie” inside themselves and spread laughter and happiness to alleviate the pain and suffering of people.
