Movie Review: Khiladi 786 is Wacky Masala Entertainer

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Asin, Mithun Chakraborty, Himesh Reshammiya, Raj Babbar, Rahul Singh

Directed by: Ashish R Mohan

Rating: * * *

What can be said about a film where a couple named Mili and Bhagat conspire to bring their employer's empire down? 

Mili? Bhagat? Get it? 

Khiladi 786 is the kind comic orgy done in shades of green orange and pink which doesn't require us to strain our brain. The kicks and grunts, guffaws and chortles, the antics raillery and tomfoolery flow out unstoppered like an uncapped toothpaste tube.
The formula is simple. And stark. Get the audience to laugh at any cost. And some of it does work quite well. Shukriya. 

We have a hero, no make that a super-duper-hero, who flies across the air, pounds automobiles to a pulp with his bare fists, breaks down a jail cell's stone walls with a flick of his manly fist, gets goofy or gooey-eyed depending on his co-star on screen. 

Akshay's crazily improvised performance as a sham cop borrows dollops from Salman Khan's Dabangg and Akshay's own Rowdy Rathore. The derivative derringdo doesn't diminish the impact of the italicized antics that range from the arresting to the exasperating. 
Sample this. Asin (back in fetching form for the first time since Ghajini) loves a lout who is chronically incarcerated. Each time the jailed loverboy (Rahul Singh, well-cast effectively played) is about to be released he's sent back packing for some unintentional crime or the other. 

Aa ab 'lout' chalen? 

The script seems to be written by someone who loves Akshay Kumar's humorous heroics and his emphatic but spoofy hijinks. Both the traits are amply accentuated in the script. Khiladi 786 ultimately becomes a showcase for its insanely successful superstar hero's talents. 

Akshay as we all know, loves to play the Punjabi Devdas. He did it effectively in Vipul Shah's Namaste London where he stepped back gallantly to let his wife Katrina Kaif make a fool of herself with an undeserving boyfriend. 
Exactly the same triangular situation crops up in the second-half of Khiladi 786 when midway through the anarchic hilarity Akshay decides to play the bleeding teary-eyed martyr `gifting` Asin to the aforementioned jailed jerk. 

Mamta Kulkarni in the early Khiladi film Sabse Bada Khiladi had done the airheaded lovergirl running after the wrong man. Back then Akshay stood guard over Mamta with the same steadfast loyalty as he does for Asin. 

Some things never change in our cinema. Heroines may come and go. Heroes live on forever. 
A sense of continuity runs through all of Akshay Kumar's comedies. He doesn't do anything here that he hasn't done before. The trademark goofy grin and the self-deprecating humour are back. Here, the hero is desperate to get married. That's a sporting part whose subtext screams, 'Look, I am such a big star and I play a character who can't get a woman to marry me, ha ha. '

It's all done in fun, with plenty of unzippered zest and a comforting absence of vulgarity. The ensemble cast particularly Mithun Chakraborty and Raj Babbar, catches on to the shrill sur of a music that suggests a blend of parody and homage to the Formula Cinema. 

So we have long-lost brother of the hero showing up in the climax with a mocking mawkishness that Manmohan Deasi would have approved of. 
The music by Himesh Reshammiya is splendidly in-sync with the film's wacked-out mood. He often uses standard background effects from old Hindi films to remind us that we are laughing at conventions that never grew outdated in our cinema. 

Oh yes, Reshammiya also plays an important part in the film as a hopeless inept wedding planner. It's good to see Reshammiya doing a Gujju act. He was born to play Mansukh. 

As for Akshay Kumar's Khiladi act, he can do the parodic paces blindfolded. Adding adrenaline to the antics are the crashing, tumbling somersaulting cars provide thrills in a very Rohit Shetty way. 
Incidentally one character played by Sanjay Mishra thinks he looks like Amol Palekar. And bursts into Aanewala pal jaanewala hai from Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Gol Maal. 

Wondering if Mishra got the wrong Gol Maal. And did he mean Ajay Devgn instead of Amol Palekar? 

Khiladi 786 is an oddball of a dhamaka that blends slapstick with stunts. It is farcical fun from first frame to the last. Go, have a blast.

read more...

Khiladi 786 Team launches Angry Khiladi Game

With 'Dress Like a Khiladi' contest becoming a hit, the Khiladi team has gone a step ahead by launching an action game titled Angry Khiladi, which will give fans a chance to play as Akshay Kumar himself.

Sparks are expected to fly as Rohit Shetty who is known for the larger-than-life stunts in his films has directed the action sequences.

Akshay Kumar who plays a Punjabi Munda in the film has gone all out and taken action to another level. While even the gen-next stars depend upon harness, technology and body doubles for all action sequences, Akshay Kumar takes an opposite route.

The Khiladi fearlessly performances all the dare devil stunts and the 'Angry Khiladi' game gives their fans an opportunity to be the 'Khiladi'.

The action game kicked off yesterday and in no time the game has become popular across all age groups. Considering the fanfare of the Khiladi Bhaiyya, fans are enjoying the treat of being the next 'Angry Khiladi'.

read more...

Unwell Asin skips promotional events of Khiladi 786

Asin was in Bangalore for the promotion of 'Khiladi 786' along with Akshay Kumar

The actress suddenly fell ill and was in no position to do the rounds. The next day she even skipped going to Pune leaving her co-star Akki to go solo at the events. Now what ails Asin?

Is she is under the weather or have the hectic promotions tired her down? Hmmm...

read more...

Don't call females a prop: Asin

Bollywood actress Asin says it is unfair to call anyone, let alone a heroine, a prop in a male-oriented film. She says whatever the role may be, a heroine plays a part only she can essay in a movie.

"I don't think anybody is a prop (in a film). You need a female protagonist and only she can do the role. So it is not very fair to call anybody a prop," Asin told. 

After making her mark in the southern film industry, Asin made her Bollywood debut with "Ghajini" in 2008. Since then, she has been a part of many successful films like "Ready", "Bol Bachchan" and "Housefull 2".

"I think I am satisfied with the roles which I have got. They have become hit also. It is not easy to come from south to the north. Both audiences want different (types of) heroines. So it is not like it is an easy task. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it," she said. 

Even if any of her films don't manage to do too well, Asin knows how to take it in her stride.

"Only two of my films have had an ensemble cast. I am proud and happy that I did those films as I formed many professional relationships with many stars. I am sure that there are better films ahead," she added. 

Mostly all her Hindi films have generated success at the box office success. But she laughs it off and says her presence in a movie doesn't guarantee moolah.
"I don't give any guarantee. But it has all been a success so far, thanks to god's grace. But I have no set formula. I work with teams who I like to work with. I think that is the formula. Generally I select universally appealing and fun scripts," she said. 

Asin's new film ""Khiladi 786", co-starring Akshay Kumar, will hit the screens Dec 7. This is her second film with the star and Asin says she shares a comfortable rapport with him.

She is playing the role of a Marathi girl in the film. 

"I am playing a Marathi character for the first time. It is not a delicate character. It is a bit rough. The girl is very confident, and the experience was fun," she said.

read more...

Fan learns bharatnatyam for Asin

Actress Asin Thottumkal is a trained bharatnatyam dancer and her fan Pratyaksh made sure he learnt the dance form before meeting her.

Pratyaksh, 18, was one of the lucky fans of the actress, who got a chance to meet her on UTV Stars' show "Live My Life" and Asin wanted him to learn the dance form like she does. He didn't even hesitate.

The young fan also wrote a song for Asin. The episode will be aired Dec 2.

read more...