Khel Khel Mein: A deadly game of revelations

Director Mudassar Aziz successfully dwells into the themes of how much we really know our friends and partners. The game of surrendering phones leads to a major chaos, unexpected secrets tumble out leading to major conflicts

  • Starcast: Akshay Kumar, Vani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Aditya Seal, Ammy Virk, Pragya Jaiswal, Fardeen Khan and others
  • Direction, screenplay and story: Mudassar Aziz
  • Based on: Perfect Strangers by Paolo Genovese
  • Producers: Ashwin Varde, Bhushan Kumar, Vipul D. Shah and others
  • Music: Tanishk Bagchi, Rochak Kohli, Guru Randhawa and Raj Ranjodh
  • Cinematography: Manoj Kumar Khatoi
  • Production house: T- Series Films and Wakaoo Films and White World Productions
  • Running time: 2 hours and 21 minutes
  • Streaming site: Netflix

Mudassar Aziz’s Khel Khel Mein based on the Italian movie Perfetti Sconoscuit (Perfect Strangers) has been remade in several languages including the Malayalam movie 12th Man. 12th Man was directed by Jeethu Joseph reuniting him with Mohanlal. What makes the subject of Perfect Strangers so relatable is the exploration of how smartphones create havoc in a what appears to be a perfect marriage. Jeetu Joseph’s 12th Man was more of a mystery/thriller with his signature touches. Khel Khel Mein on the other hand is more of a matrimonial comedy. Every time the movie switches into a tense mode a comic scene follows soon.

The Italian movie Perfect Strangers has been remade into several languages including the Malayalam movie 12th Man

The plot of Khel Khel Mein is set against the backdrop of a big Indian wedding. You have three couples along with a bachelor friend. The night before the wedding Vani Kapoor’s Vartika suggests a game of surrendering their mobiles. Everyone has the license to read or listen to whatever message or video call that will come. What starts off as fun soon goes into a very murky territory. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Khel Khel Mein is Mudassar Aziz’s portrayal of sensitive issues without getting preachy. The movie dwells on teenage sex, infertility and homosexuality among others. All this is backed with strong humor particularly from Akshay Kumar.

Akshay Kumar plays Dr Rishabh. He is an expert at telling white lies. It is refreshing to see Akshay back in the humor zone, a genre which he has aced previously. The actor generates many chuckles with his perfect comic timing. Apart from the humor scenes Akshay also shines in the portion where he gives advice to the teenage daughter about taking things to the next level with her boyfriend. The scene is treated with a lot of maturity giving the movie some depth. Another scene that needs to be mentioned here is the one where Akshay gives a speech on how marriage is not an ownership but a partnership. It is very poignant.

Akshay Kumar as Dr Rishabh. He generates many chuckles with his perfect comic timing

Apart from marital problems the movie also briefly touches upon homosexuality through the character of Fardeen Khan’s Kabir. Initially the actor doesn’t seem to have much to do but he makes a striking impact in the scene where Kabir opens up on his sexual preferences and being removed as a cricket coach in an all-boys school. The management had feared that a gay coach is not good for the students.

Fardeen Khan makes a striking impact in the scene where Kabir opens up on his sexual preferences

Taapsee Pannu shines the best among the female leads

Taapsee Pannu shines the best among the female leads. The Punjabi twang is reminiscent of what the viewers have already seen in last year’s Dunki but still the actress shines bright as a homemaker desperate to have babies. Without her husband’s knowledge she is looking to have children through an infertility clinic. A particular mention must be made of the scene when she lambasts her husband on hiding an important report. Ammy Vik as a hotheaded Sardar also makes a strong impact. He is especially good in the scene where he reminisces about a past love and an inability to keep people happy.

Among the rest Aditya Seal and Pragya Jaiswal also get their moments to shine. Just like the characters of Taapsee and Ammy’s these two also have some dark secrets, Vani Kapoor as the writer though suffers from a sketchy characterization. Her track is half-baked. Her idea of the phone game comes across as scheming than fun, as a result the taunt of Akshay Kumar at one point makes the viewers side with him. Also, the scene where she tries to be a cool mom to Akshay Kumar’s daughter doesn’t have the desired impact.

Another slight issue with Khel Khel Mein is the gag involving an attempted suicide. The punch lines are hilarious, and the absurdity of the situation does make the viewers laugh but in the overall scheme of things the makers could have done away with this.

Keeping aside these small niggles Khel Khel Mein is easily one of the most enjoyable Akshay Kumar movie of the recent past. The film would have fared much better with a solo release date instead of getting sandwiched with Stree 2.

Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba: The central performances coupled with the first half makes the movie watchable

A convoluted second half makes the movie a not so Hasseen sequel

  • Starcast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Sunny Kaushal, Jimmy Shergill and others
  • Director: Jayprad Desai
  • Writer: Kanika Dhillon
  • Producers: Anand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma and others
  • Production Companies: Color Yellow Productions and T- Series Films
  • Music: Sachet- Parampara and Anurag Saikia
  • Cinematography: Vishal Sinha
  • Running time: 2 hours and 12 minutes
  • Streaming site: Netflix

The first part of Haseen Dilruba was a well-made exploration of love and marriage under the guise of a thriller. Director Vinil Mathews did an excellent job in showcasing the various stages of Rishabh Saxena (Vikrant Massey) and Rani Kashyap (Tapsee Pannu’s) marriage. The way the relationship swings between intense dislike and intense love kept the viewers hooked. Haseen Dilruba also worked as an investigative thriller with the viewers constantly guessing about a supposed murder along with the disappearance of Rishabh’s cousin Neel (Harshvardhan Rane). The sequel naturally comes with a certain baggage. Director Jayprad Desai does a good job in carrying forward the craziness of Risabh and Rani. This time around Sunny Kaushal plays the third wheel, and his character is also equally twisted. However, after a promising start the movie starts stagnating for two reasons. One is the unnecessary subplots and two overdose of twists in the second half.

In Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba Rani and Rishi have relocated to Agra. However, they live separately. Sometimes they do meet but give the impression of being strangers. Rishi pays a big amount to a travel agent who promises to make fake passports so that the couple can leave India. On the other hand, there is the compounder (Abhimanyu) who falls in deep love with Rani. Monty (Jimmy Shergill) is the uncle of Neel; he wants to see Rani behind the bars for a certain crime, he is also absolutely certain about Rishi being alive. He keeps track of everything Rani does, in the process the travel agent is also arrested. Rani decides to marry Abhimanyu to convince the cops about Rishi’s death. The plan is to escape with Rishi at the right time leaving Abhimanyu stranded but things go awry. This is the story in brief.

The story of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba dwells into the familiar territory of love, obsession and betrayal. But to the credit of Jayprad desai he does keep the viewers tensed about what will happen next more so in the first half. The scenes of Rani and Rishi meeting as strangers is fun to watch. The conversations are filled with some quirky dialogues.

Initially the viewers feel that Abhimanyu is too meek, and things would be very easy for Rani and Rishi however the twist regarding Abhimanyu’s character takes the viewers by complete surprise.

Rani and Rishi give the impression of being strangers
Initially the viewers get the impression of Abhimanyu being too meek

The actions of Jimmy Shergill and his desperation in catching Rani keeps the viewers guessing about her eventual fate. Special must also be made of Dinesh Pandit’s pulp fiction novels. Both Rani and Rishabh quote lines from his works and this adds to the drama on numerous occasions. Here it has to be mentioned that Dinesh Pandit is not based on any real-life author. Writer Kanika Dhillon has just used a fictional name to pay homage to all the pulp fiction writers.

Coming back to the movie the plot becomes very messy in the second half. A major stumbling block is how Monty and his men are not able to catch Rani and Rishi when it is very clear on how they are taking help from these pulp fiction books. There is no denying that some of the second half developments are thoroughly unexpected but at the same time it makes the viewers scratch their heads. The changing dynamics also leaves the viewers bewildered because of the rushed storytelling.

The trio of Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey and Sunny Kaushal leave a strong impact with their performances. As Rani Taapsee looks like a million bucks. The way she seduces Abhimanyu into marriage and sexual undertones have been wonderfully portrayed. She particularly stands out in the movie’s climax while showcasing the emotional turmoil.

As Rani Taapsee looks like a million bucks

Vikrant Massey is also a treat to watch with his striking portrayal of a man torn between love and madness. Sunny Kaushal proves to be a valuable addition in how he handles the different shades of Abhimanyu. He goes from meek to aggressive without any hitch.

As Monty Jimmy Shergill has a commanding presence delivering an impressive act. The character starts off with promise but after a point he becomes a mere pawn. Aditya Srivastava gets even less prominence

Sachet- Parampara and Anurag Saikia’s music goes well with the mood of the movie. Haaste Haaste in particular makes for a good number. This takes place during the marriage of Rani and Abhimanyu. Vishal Sinha’s cinematography is also of a fine standard.

Dunki: This Rajkumar Hirani Directorial Is A Heartwarming Tale That Tackles An Important Social Issue

The ace director is once again successful on taking the audiences through an emotional rollercoaster particularly in the second half

Dunki (Hindi)
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, Boman Irani and others extended special appearance (Vicky Kaushal)
Director and writer: Rajkumar Hirani
Additional writers: Kanika Dhillon and Abhijat Joshi
Producers: Gauri Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Jyoti Deshpande
Production Companies: Jio Studios, Red Chillies entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani films
Genre: Comedy/drama
Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Rajkumar Hirani is one of those filmmakers who has struck a chord right from his first one Munnabhai MBBS. The director has successfully developed the knack of bringing social issues to the fore in a way that is accessible to the mainstream audiences. The one exception though is Sanju as that was an autobiographical work.

With his latest Dunki Rajkumar Hirani has focused his lens on Donkey Flight (illegal immigration). The film opens with the characters of Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar) and Balli (Anil Grover). They have been in London for the past 25 years but now they are homesick and want to return to India. But this is not possible for reasons that cannot be revealed here.

Taapsee Pannu and Shah Rukh Khan

The only person who can get them back to the country is Hardyal Singh Dhillon aka Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan). Manu, Buggu and Balli plan a meeting with Hardy in Dubai. The irony here is that once upon a time three of them were desperate to make a good living in London. The story shifts to a flashback where we are introduced to a group of people apart from those already mentioned. Their biggest dream is going to London in search of better prospects. Unfortunately all of them are poor in terms of both social status and education. In this scenario Hardy comes to that town situated in Punjab. Boman Irani plays Gulati. He runs an English speaking course. In this group of friends only one manages to pass the IELTS Exam. Manu and Balli manage to overcome their disappointment. Vicky Kaushal’s Sukhi though is not able to swallow the bitter pill. Sukhi’s reasons for going to London are different from Manu and Balii. He wants to save his ex girlfriend from an abusive marriage. Just before the interval there is the disturbing scene of Sukhi committing suicide by burning himself. Now Hardy takes it upon himself to make sure that Manu, Balii and others reach London even if it is through the illegal and dangerous means of Dunki.

Shah Rukh Khan with Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover

The first half of Dunki mostly has a breezy tone to it. There are many instances of Raj Kumar Hirani’s trademark humor in the portions featuring Boman Irani. The humor here hasn’t got the quality of the directors previous ones particularly the Munnabhai films and PK. The punch lines in fact come across as forced on certain occasions. However there are scenes which tickle your funny bone too.

There are also cute moments between Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee that bring a smile to the viewers face. Through this love Rajkumar Hirani focuses on the serious subject of illegal migrants. How they resort to dangerous routes in order to reach foreign countries. Many of them do not even make it and die in the process.

There are scenes in the second half where we see the characters going through several ordeals in harsh terrains. These moments are disturbing to watch.

Raj Kumar Hirani, the successful director 

Rajkumar Hirani is also successful in making some pertinent points about the struggles of Non English speaking Indians.

What doesn’t work for Dunki apart from the inconsistent humor are its foreign characters. They are mostly reduced to stock caricatures.

Talking about the performances Shah Rukh Khan blends well into the world of Raj Kumar Hirani. He particularly shines in the second half when things get serious. Taapsee Manu is also solid as Manu. She shares a good chemistry with SRK. Her Punjabi dialect is also spot on bringing back memories of Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan.

Shah Rukh Khan plays the soldier

There are portions in the film where SRK and Taapsee are seen with grey hair reminding the viewers of Khan and Preity Zinta in Veer Zara. The prosthetic work is neat and as a result the audiences feel that they have convincingly aged.

Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover also lend good support. They don’t feel burdened by the presence of SRK at any point. Vicky Kaushal in an extended special appearance makes his presence amply felt.

Pritam’s music is not a chartbuster but goes well with the mood of the film. Lutt Putt Gaya has a catchy tone. O Maahi and Nikile The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se are soulful in nature.

Watch Dunki for the top notch performances and the social relevancy of the subject.

Haseen Dilruba: An Exploration Of Love And Marriage Under The Guise Of A Thriller

Vinil Mathew’s Haseen Dilruba starts off as an investigation thriller but as the story progresses it turns out to be more than that. Vinil Mathews last film was the romantic comedy Hasse Toh Phasse. This one is a dramatic shift in terms of many things but fortunetly he pulls it off for most part.

Tapsee Pannu plays a middle class girl from Delhi( Rani Kashyap). She has done a beautician course and has certain qualities in mind that she wants in her life partner. Vikrant Massey plays Rishabh Saxena from Jwalapur, he’s an electrical engineer with a government job. His only hobby is repairing electronic items whenever he gets an opportunity. Rishabh is a far cry from the husband that Rani wants but she still ends up in an arranged marriage with him. However the marriage soon starts falling apart. One reason for that is the sexual incompatibility and other reason being the timid nature of Rishabh.

At this point you have the arrival of Neel played by Harshvardhan Rane. Neel is someone who is into adventure sports and it doesn’t take long for Rani to get attracted to Neel. Both of them have a secret relationship and that includes physical too. Things take a huge turn when Rishabh is supposedly dead in a gas explosion and Neel has disappeared. Rani is considered to be the prime suspect for the alleged murder of her husband.

The biggest reason why  Haseen Dilruba works  is due to the way Vinil Mathew portrays the various stages of Rani and Rishabh’s marriage. It swings between Intense disklike and intense love for most part.

Intially Rishabh comes across as a henpecked one but there is a sudden shift in the character when Rani reveals about her having an affair with Neel. The darker tone has been portrayed with subtlety and it never goes over the top. You only have a subtle gesture in terms of the facial features that suggest what is going through Risabh’s mind. Vikrant is good as the timid husband but he is even better when the tonality changes.

The passion that the characters share comes out very palpably and we firmly root for the couple.

The film also looks at how time and circumstances shape our actions and behaviour. There are no heroes and villains here as each character comes out with its own set of flaws. We are ultimately shown how we do crazy things for each other and to each other just because at that time we feel this is the right thing to do.

The film also talks about how men get uncomfortable when women openly choose to express their sexual drive. There are scenes in the beginning  of the marriage when Rani drops her pallu to excite Rishabh but Rishabh feels very uncomfortable.

Like most films of this genre Vinil Mathew employs the technique of going back and forth. The thriller aspect has also been done well since you are constantly guessing about what actually happened.

The thriller format isn’t something new for Tapsee but she still delivers a wonderful performance. She is someone who knows that she has flaws and has a hard time accepting them. However at the same time she has the ability to change as well. Tapsee pulls off all these shades well. Harshvardhan Rane leaves an impact in his small role. He fits the part of the handsome hunk and you can easily understand why Rani falls for Neel.

The only things which stick out are parts of Tapsee’s family. They simply dissapear when the story takes a dark turn and you are not given any proper explanation.

Haseen Dilruba isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but it is worth a watch for the plot and the performances.