Khiladi

One of my all-time favorites. The story is so great along with the execution and the performances are commendable. Its a simple sense, if anyone is watching this movie after 27 years and still loving it then yo do the math, how this movie is !!

I'd heard a lot about 'Khiladi' and was interested in watching it. The director duo Abbas Mastan are known for making thrillers and unfortunately, for ripping off. I don't know whether 'Khiladi' itself is a ripoff. It is a very Bollywood film and on top of that from the early 90s (so expect some strange dances, out of place songs and weird fashion) but otherwise quite well directed to an extent. They successfully manage to hide the identity of the killer and it does come as a surprise when revealed.

If it were made today, I think it would have been better in the technical department. Other than that, the film starts in a college campus with funny comedy (but some of them are really over the top). The songs are nice but they seem forced in the screenplay, which was the case in many Hindi films of that era.

Akshay Kumar does well. He's very good with the comedy scenes. Deepak Tijori is brilliant as stands out in most of his scenes. His and Akshay's camaraderie is shown with a touch of humour but in a realistic way. As a newcomer, Sabeeha does well. However, Ayesha Jhulka is strictly okay in most scenes and doesn't deliver in others.

I'd say it's one of the better films of it's time as it's quite enjoyable but it ain't no masterpiece. Enjoy it for the funny moments, nice songs (most of which are horribly picturized) and to solve the mystery of who the killer is!

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.

I have been on a journey to revisit some old favorites and this weekend's pick was Khiladi. Despite repeat viewing, enjoyed every bit of it. The movie is no where as polished as Hindi movies off late but it represents everything we liked about Bollywood. The humor may be bit crude, romance somewhat clichéd, logic takes a break once in a while but none of this stops from making the movie immensely enjoyable. It reminded me what's missing in Hindi movies of today: such genre bending entertainers which pack in everything from thrill, romance, humor, emotions to action. Akshay Kumar and Deepak Tijori turn in a spontaneous performance. Also, sad to know now that Ayesha Jhulka never made it big but her classic looks and girl next door charm still makes her one of favorite actress. So, if you are still old school at heart, this is a must watch for you.

It was the era where music companies promoted the songs at great lengths resulting in record sales of the cassettes (there were no CD's back then). Audience used to catch the bait of super-hit music and flock to the cinema houses. It goes without saying that Jatin-Lalit's melodious music was backed up with marketing muscle of Venus resulting in a product "Khiladi".

"Khiladi" itself turned out to be a a surprise package as the expectations were nothing more than a romantic flick. The murder and the suspense added novelty to the proceedings resulting in a runaway hit.

Akshay Kumar:: "Khiladi" served as a good platform which could showcased his skills. And yes, he got noticed.

Ayesha Jhulka:: Her fan-following owing to her previous outing "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander" ensured to flock to the cinema halls and contributed the two-cents

Deepak Tijori:: An extended "Aashiqui" role.

Sabeeha:: Gave another go in this movie and then probably left Bollywood for good.

Johnny Lever:: Had a good comedy track and later on went to become a Abbas-Mastan regular.

Rest of the star-cast namely Tinnu Anand, Shakti Kapoor, Beena and Anant Mahadevan were adequate. The college comedy ensures fair share of laughs. Music as I stated earlier was the key-factor.

Quite later I was made aware that the plot was a direct lift of "Khel Khel Mein". The climax had an edge-of-seat excitement (and I wouldn't be surprised if it was plagiarised again).

Verdict: A wholesome entertainer.