The Master Chicoo and Baby Munmun mystery
One child artist with two screen names or doppelgängers or twins?
If you like watching Hindi films from the 1970s, chances are you will recognise this child artist appearing in a bunch of them.
He is Master Chicoo. Best remembered as the child who interrupts Vidya Sinha’s happy reverie in the title track of Rajnigandha (1974) by requesting “tote aur bandar ki kahaani.”
He is also seen as the young Asrani in Fakira (1976) and Johnny Walker’s son in Sanjog (1972).
Chicoo is also credited as Master Chikkoo/Chikku/Chikoo/Chiku in various films he featured in.
Often, Chicoo was cast as a girl, like in Salaakhen (1975), Raja Rani (1973), and a very brief (and perhaps uncredited) appearance in Naseeb (1981).
Around the same time, another child artist, Baby Munmun, was seen in Jeevan Jyoti (1977) and the children’s film Minoo (1977).
Munmun, if you notice, is the spitting image of Chicoo.
Which brings me to my question and the likely scenarios involved:
Are Munmun and Chicoo the same?
Are they twins?
Or are they siblings with strong resemblance to the more famous Master Bittoo-Rajoo?
This mystery has long bothered me, and no amount of trawling on the internet has helped. So, if you enjoy pointless trivia and can crack the connection, please help.
Otherwise, my only option would be to rely on my wishful thinking that someday Chicoo/Munmun’s great-grandchildren would find this page and solve the ‘Chicoo kaun, Munmun kaun’ riddle for me.
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