KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY Movie Review UPDATED - Page 6

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey Movie Review: Viva revolution!

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ensemble of Brilliant Newbies
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker

Rating: Three and a half stars

Generally, a biopic isn't invited to a Bollywood party, since it could frighten away too many other guests. However, out here a freedom fighter's life kicks down the front door and sits at the head of the table. If you don't care to know more about him, it's your loss entirely.

Because Surjya Sen died for us, for our independence, for our freedom from the Brits, initiating his combat circa 1930 with paltry resources. A year had elapsed since Mahatma Gandhi's plea for ahimsa ' without any change in the status of 'Dogs and Indians not allowed' in the gora clubs. Now as many as eight decades after the Chittagong Uprising, Ashutosh Gowariker's Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey has saluted the revolutionary hero, vivifying in the process the marytrdom of nationalist teenagers who formed his attack phalanx. Indeed, the most stirring and moving sections of the film focus on the young men inspired by the spirit of nationalism to leave home and comfort for their convictions.

A harrowing sequence detailing the suicide of four teenagers on being encircled by the British soldiers takes us back to the time when ideals meant more than one's own life. Also, the effect of the tragedies on the parents is brutal, yes, but is also underlined with pride for their children's contribution towards a free nation.

A night attack on the British armoury is recreated with the requisite amount of stealth instead of Stallone-style bravado. And when a brother loses his younger sibling in a skirmish, the close-ups are truly heart-wrenching. Whenever Gowariker goes for the jugular, he has us gasping. Undoubtedly, the ensemble of the teenaged freedom fighters ' whose hackles were aroused when they were forced to quit their everyday football maidan ' are the stars of the show.

The supporting characters are absolutely credible too. Take Surjya Sen's close friend (Sikander Kher), or the de facto lieutenants from in and around the township, as well as the women (Deepika Padukone, Vishakha Singh) who argue for equal rights and participation in the revolution. Throughout altruism and obsessive belief in a cause are as palpable as the antiquated guns these rebels tote, some for the first time ever. Kahan gaye woh din?

The film's second-half is far more engrossing as Gowariker cuts to the chase, whereas earlier he somewhat hobbles in establishing the mileu, the welter of characters and a needless lip-synced girl-bonding ditty. As a co-scriptwriter he has had to refashion considerable material from Manini Chatterjee's book Do and Die but some sections rankle like Surjya Sen's rhetorical monologue about his wife's death (without stating the specific cause). Plus an incident involving Netra Sen who is believed to have done a Judas on him' and the outrage of Netra's wife at the betrayal ' could have formed a strong dramatic interlude. Ummm, as it happens such backstories are conspicuous by their exclusion. Also during the preparation of the Uprising, Indian and British soldiers appear to have gone fishing.

Like it or not, formally Khelein'does not work as a biopic of Surjya Sen. In the film adaptation the revolutionary strikes us an inert, largely emotionless, commandeering individual. About the only time he seems believable is at the school where he teaches maths. This aspect of 'Masterda' is never explicated, as if he had suddenly forgotten all about algebra and geometry. Neither does it help that Abhishek Bachchan is assigned the onus of breathing life into a character of legendary proportions. He still appears to be playing Guru, either keep a straight expressionless face or a scowly one as if he'd been bitten by a mosquito. It's a role that cries for complexity and nuances, and for heaven's sake not a persistent folding of hands.

On the upside, Gowariker once again asserts that he is a responsible, committed director ' no Priyanka or Kareena pop up for a cabaret in the British club though they could have. Rather he does things with a twist of sobriety and conviction. Despite its many rousing moments, Khelein Hum'is not likely to make box office whoopee in this time of badnaam Munnis. Yet the period picture is a valuable addition to the director's oeuvre (Lagaan, Swades and now the Surjya Sen study are his best in that order).

On the tech-front, the cinematography is inconsistent. Could this have to do with the fact that the credit is shared by two DOPs? The editing is indulgent towards the director, and could have surely devised more imaginative transition shots than the much-too-repetitive palm fronds. The background music enhances the tension at several points though it could have been less obtrusive while pre-empting skirmishes with a hyper-active piano.

Of the acting crew, Sikandar Kher is correctly restrained. Vishakha Singh is a natural-born actress. Maninder as one of the party workers is terrific, he's strikingly spontaneous despite a role that gets fuzzy towards the finale. Feroze Wahid Khan is likeable, ditto Smit Seth. As a matter of fact, every little big rebel in Surjya Sen's skeletal army is outstanding like the hockey players were in Chak de India.

Chak de Gowariker! His Raashi, his heart is back in the right place.. and how.

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Tags:Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey|Deepika Padukone|Abhishek Bachchan

DEEPIKA PADUKONE AND ABHISHEK BACHCHAN IN THE FILM MORE PICS

Critic's Rating: 3.5/5 Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sikandar Kher, Vishakha Singh Direction: Ashutosh Gowariker Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes Readers Rating:

More from Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey

Trailer

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey: Songs

Photogallery Offcial Website

Story: Based on the book Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-1934 by ManiniChatterjee, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey documents a chapter from Indian history and showcases the exploits of real-life heroes. Led by Surjya Sen (Abhishek Bachchan), an ordinary school teacher, the gang of revolutionaries, comprised mainly by teenagers, unleashes a subterranean raid against the British occupation in distant Chittagong.

On April 18, 1930, they simultaneously attack several British outposts -- the armoury, the cantonment,the telegraph office, the European club -- with their indigenous bombs, weapons and raw valour. This leads to four years of hide and seek, where the patriots try to escape the wrath of the Raj that strikes back ruthlessly. Was this the brave, albeit relatively unknown beginning of India's freedom struggle?

Movie Review: Ashutosh Gowariker may have hit the headlines with films like Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar, but there is one film of his which looms large in terms of cinematic excellence. And that is the less successful Swades which peddled patriotism as the need of the hour; but it did it ever so softly, subtly andsensitively...Still remember it! Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey echoes a similar theme in a similar tenor. It celebrates the sentiment of desh-bhakti, yet once again with a sense of refinement.

The high point of Gowariker's film is the fact that it combines high-octane drama with a high degree of restraint. The film unfolds like a relentless thriller with loads of action involving the band of revolutionaries as they go about their bloody business. Yet no one hollers the national anthem at youor grows hysterical with patriotic pulp. Instead, the director gently salutes the spirit of nationalism in a seminal scene where the bunch of teenage revolutionaries discover the hypnotic allure of a hymn like 'vande mataram' while resting under the shade of the trees in their village. And the fact that it all begins with a bid to get back their football field makes the teenage uprising even more endearing.

The film has an interesting ensemble cast of young boys who enlist in their local school teacher's (Abhishek Bachchan) desi army. Abishek's Bachchan's Surjya Sen is simple, uncluttered and played straight from the heart as are Deepika Padukone's Kalpana Dutta, Vishakha Singh's Pritilata Waddedar and Sikandar Kher's Nirmal Sen. Like the revolution, the romance too is underplayed and both Deepika and Vishakha create a smouldering, yet silent ardour on screen for their respective heroes. For there isn't much time -- and opportunity -- for love under the shadow of the bullet and the bomb, is there? The film maker has tried to recreate the 1930s Chittagong in Goa, but the authenticity of the period piece doesn't suffer. Both the styling and the cinematography of the film exhibit an eye for detail. But it is the director's narrative style and his attempt to re-tell history through a racy-pacy tenor that gives the film its movement and manages to drive the message home.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey helps you rediscover forgotten heroes -- and a forgotten sentiment -- at a time when a scam-tainted nation needs to celebrate the national sentiment the most.

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~~~Martyrs never die~~~

By: Paulsb02 | Dec 02, 2010 07:52 PM

First thing first. The corrupt politicians of today, one and all, should be arrested and put into a jail and let them watch movies like ' KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY' to realise that the crores they earn doesn't worth a single drop of blood spilled to get the freedom. Brain covered financial experts may take a break and watch films like this to hear the stories of suffering the soil have to say. Courageous freedom struggle stories from India can only give martyrs but it is to those martyrs we owe our present and future.

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Based on the book 'Do And Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34' by Manini Chatterjee, KHJJS is an inspiring account of freedom struggle. Surjya Sen (Abhishekh Bachchan) is a respected school master who believes that the time of asking freedom in peace way is finished. When a group of youngsters lost their favorite football ground to British Police, they had no option but to approach the master for help. An army of revolutionaries are in the making with teenagers. With a great plan they moved forward to attack 5 destinations in Chittagong simultaneously and..............
KHJJS is a period film which transports us to a bygone era and the director, Ashutosh Gowariker succeeds in representing the period with great conviction. First half hour of the film is used for introduction of characters and situations which lead to the formation of revolutionary group, next hour engages us with great preparation for the attack. The attack was about 45 minutes in length and was engaging. The director however failed to trim the prolonged after loges before the end. It is a typical case of extra length diluting the impact like extra water reduces that of acids. Screen play slipped from cinematic to the one of documentary in the final half an hour. This is a film which a good dialogue writer would have celebrated but the dialogue writer fails to create any powerful dialogues, whatsoever. What saves the show is the characterisation and success in connecting them emotionally to the audience. More than anything, it is the spirit of fight for freedom holds the film together.

Abhishekh Bachchan did a good job as the revolutionary. It is not extra ordinary, but the actor comfortable handle the role with lot of maturity. Deepika Padukone impresses in a non glamorous role but her character was side lined when it mattered best. Sikandar Kher impresses, so is Vishaka Singh. Like in Lagaan, this film too has a good number of supporting actors where each one of them gets important roles and almost every one make their presence felt with brilliant acting. Great effort by the director in bringing out raw talent!

Cinematography is very good. There are certain scenes which will be remembered for cinematographic excellence but overall effect is limited to very good. Excess of light prevents shades and shadows, the much required cover to protect the baby of revolution which differentiates the freedom struggle from a sport.

Songs of the film are very good. Choreography however had little scope where the narration took care of it in most part. The romantic song didn't impress and it only succeeds in breaking the flow of story telling. Background scores are of superior quality. Excellent! Sound recorders did a fantastic job.

The film is a very good watch for the excellent performance by the cast, the patriotism the film has to offer, engaging nature of the content and above all, it is a well intended movie.

The movie's major problem is length, i.e. 3 hours and it could have been trimmed for 20 to 30 minutes without losing much of content to create a good impact. The screen play could have better close knitted. The screen play writer took a lot of cinematic liberties which is not good for a period like this. The film lacks punch of powerful dialogues, especially in the climax.

Overall, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is a very good attempt to recreate an era gone by to rekindle the lamp of patriotism so that we know the price our forefathers paid to get the freedom we enjoy today. The film fall short of excellent tag, but it is a good movie with a very good intention.

PS: Why o why there are back to back movies where teenagers had to make the big fight?

My rating: 3.75 stars

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