A young group of four college students decide to play a rather vicious prank on the father of one of them, a young girl named Sheetal, threatening him that his daughter would be killed if he did not pay ransom. This prank goes totally bad, as the girl is mysteriously murdered during their hideout. Following the incident they look for ways to clamber out of the situation to avoid being blamed for no fault of their own, and they seem to make every possible mistake in the process. This is the core story of Khiladi, a typical Hindi film of the times in many aspects, but also a cut above the usual fare in others.
The early portions of the film offer some sweet nostalgic throwback right into the early 1990s, and the film feels pretty much like an enjoyable high school romance, filled with a youthful spirit and a lot of comedy. The comedy isn't very original or particularly funny, some of it is actually too obvious and exaggerated and the school excursion sequence in particular is clearly inspired by Some Like It Hot. The youthful feel, however, is quite sweet and pretty well handled. The camaraderie between the group of friends is right on, and some of the early songs feel pretty much like a take-off on Grease.
Once the film enters its suspense/murder mystery mode, it initially falters but recovers very soon. The group's reaction to Sheetal's murder is most unnatural. They don't seem shocked enough, they don't even go into the house checking if the murderer is there. What's more, just within seconds, they are too quick to pull themselves together and start planning what to do with the body! Even more weird is that the one who first initiates getting rid of the body is the guy who's supposed to be the victim's boyfriend. That too, their plans to get rid of the body are so unsophisticated it's almost funny.
This is not to say this part is bad enough to ruin the film, because the story reemerges very soon, and as it turns into a murder mystery thriller cum whodunit, it's enjoyably effective. The viewer is left wondering who could have possibly been the murderer, and this secret is kept really well. Technically, the film is quite okay, the camera and sound are decent, it's okay within the context of the film. The music is excellent, with some youthful numbers decorating the first half, while ballads like the sensuous "Dekha Teri Mast Nigahon Mein" and the melodious "Waada Raha Sanam" stand out and resonate.
A very young Akshay Kumar is perfect for this lead role. It was clear right then that he had everything it took in terms of star quality - very handsome, eminently likable, and with a strong, charismatic screen presence. It goes without saying that his action scenes are superbly performed. What's more, he's a complete natural throughout and is so easy on the camera. Ayesha Jhulka is cute and efficient. Deepak Tijori plays his regular part in those days, that of the main hero's good friend. The rest of the cast do well in their bit parts, and although the acting is typical for a commercial Hindi film, it's generally okay.
Khiladi is overall a very enjoyable experience, and I'm sure for many it bears some great nostalgic value, given the songs and that innocent atmosphere of yesterday's mainstream films, which is somewhat missing in today's more sophisticated cinema. Those were the days when films didn't have much financial or technical advances that prevail today, but they had heart and a strong sense of connection to the Indian culture and to the moviegoing masses. Khiladi actually does a good job of not spoonfeeding the audience to an over-reaching extent, and that's why it's watchable and entertaining even today.
