Khakee -> Review

Khakee

27th January 2004

A friend pointed out that there always is a set pattern about my reviews, starting with director's credentials. To stay away from cliches, I decided to change the pattern. And what better opportunity than writing the review for Khakee.

Not very long ago, people who are from my generation or thereabouts were sort of programmed by their elders, siblings or friends that Amitabh Bachchan is the best we have. Of course, those who said this had grown up on Zanjeer, Deewar, Trishul, Satte Pe Satta, Muqaddar ka Sikander, Coolie and scores of other movies. Bachchan had proved himself to them. For my generation, the verdict was already there. Agneepath, Shahenshah, Main Azaad hoon and Hum just reinforced it. The next generation saw Bachachan in Lal Badshah, Kohram, Major saab, Suryavansham, Mohabbatein, Armaan and Baghban. None of them doing justice to the great abilities of the original super star. His new persona, crafted out of the success of KBC, was hardly greater than Cyrus Broacha for this new generation. And the sort of roles he did, despite of his creditable performances, he was just a character artist.

Raj Kumar Santoshi, over the years, has been making perfect formula films. Although an occassional Lajja and Chinagate are minor aberrations. For Khakee, Santoshi has himself written the story, and penned the dialogues as well. And perhaps with Khakee, he has shown the new generation what Amitabh Bachchan is all about.

Khakee is a story of five cops who set off to bring an alleged ISI agent to Mumbai from the hinterland of ChandanGarh (not chandigarh!). The politician and the MLA from ChandanGarh aided by the DCP of police don't want the man to get to Mumbai, because he has a damning story to tell. They use a failed cop, Ajay Devgan, to stop Bachchan.

Ajay Devgan sets out to confront and beat Bachchan. And to settle old scores as well. Amitabh has Akshay Kumar and Tusshar Kapoor for company. Akshay Kumar puts in a delightful performance as the crooked cop but fails miserably when some real histrionics are needed. Tusshar Kapoor as the young and honest recruit is adequate and for a change the heroine(?), Aishwarya Rai has a significant role to play in the movie.

This is not a review, this is a paean in praise of that magnificient actor who finally has got a role where he can play his age, and importantly, play the hero as well. And when Bachchan performs, everyone is dwarfed in comparison. As the upright and honest cop, Bachchan delivers a sensational performance. He towers above the others. Right from the first shot, Amitabh Bachchan is in splendid form. Not to take any credit away from Khakee, technically its brilliantly executed. But in each scene in which Amitabh acts, looks like a lesson in acting. And being spell bound, you can't differentiate whether its the dialogues or the delivery, whether its splendid cinematogrpahy or its just Bachchans presence in the shot alone. See it to believe it. Even if you are not a Bachchan fan, or you used to be one, Khakee will have you hooked. Although Bachchan is the main course, it has plenty of assortments in the form of some very interesting twists. Its a gourmet's delight. Winner all the way.

Thanks Raj Kumar Santoshi.

P.S. I saw Ek Hasina thi last week, but due to my limitation of not being able to judge anything neutrally which involves the perenially distressed damsel Urmila, I didn't review it. Ek haseena thi is surely different but it also has Urmila. The choice is yours.