Khel Hindi Movie

Feature Film | 2003
Critics:
Sep 21, 2003 By IANS


Thank God! Director Yusuf Khan had better sense not to let his debut venture rest solely on cricketer Ajay Jadeja's shoulders. What a washout it would have been! Had it not been for Sunny Deol and Suniel Shetty, Jadeja's filmi innings would been over even before the game began.


Khel for all purposes belongs to Sunny Deol, who makes his entry only in the second half but manages to rescue the film from plunging into the depths of mediocrity. That doesn't mean to say that the film soars to heights of greatness, but it is saved from being written off completely. As ACP Rajvir Scindia, Sunny for a change isn't mouthing anti-Pakistan rhetoric or spewing venom on enemies. On the contrary, he is a cool, jokey police officer who also doubles up as an investigator. Shetty as the obsessive anti-hero is excellent too.


The story, which is nothing new again, is about two dear friends, Dev Malaya (Shetty) and Rohan Poddar (Jadeja) - one a no-nonsense business tycoon and the other simple-hearted and magnanimous. Life is hunky-dory for the two till Saanjh Batra (Jaitley) walks into their lives. Dev is left love-struck by her while Rohan's simplistic philosophy of life leaves the nubile Saanjh awe-struck. Meanwhile, Dev starts becoming possessive of Saanjh, to the extent that when he spots Rohan with her, he accosts his childhood friend. Once convinced that there is nothing romantic between the two, he gets back to dreaming of a life with her. But he soon discovers that Rohan and Saanjh have realised their love for each other. Just after he has reconciled to the reality, life takes a strange twist. And it is this twist which brings in some excitement in the boring love triangle. Rohan accidently kills a girl, is arrested and while Dev gets the best lawyer to fight his case, he ensures that the lawyer doesn't get Rohan acquitted. Which means that Rohan gets a life term for murder and also loses his love, who now believes that she has been deceived. And that's when ACP Scindia enters and smells a rat in the case.


Stylised direction, cinematography and Sunny and Shetty's excellent acting (debutante Jaitley hardly deserves column space) save the otherwise run-of-the-mill storyline.


IANS

   

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