Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey in spite of the presence of Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey gets good reviews
By Raymond Ronamai
Saturday, December 4, 2010, 11:00 [IST]

Tags: khelein hum jee jaan sey, good reviews, actor abhishek bachchan, actress deepika padukone, director ashutosh gowarikar, vishakha singh, sikander kher, amin gazi, raymond ronamai


Films with big stars usually make much noise before release but there was not much hype around Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey in spite of the presence of Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone. Fortunately, the film has hit the headlines for all the good reasons. The good news is that it has got good reviews from the critics.

Most of the critics praised director Ashutosh Gowarikar for making such a patriotic film at a time when the nation is hit by numerous scams. Popular film critic Taran Adarsh wrote, “The expectations from Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey are minimal, but you can't overlook the fact that it's a genuinely honest effort that needs to be encouraged and appreciated,” he wrote, adding that it is an enlightening experience of a poignant, but little-known chapter in history. He however thinks that its success at the box office would depend on good word of mouth. “A film like Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, although very well made, may not appeal to those who relish the customary kitsch and masala. Therefore, the film will have to rely on a very strong word of mouth to create any kind of an impression or impact at the box-office,” he added.

Another popular film critic Prashant Sharad Mane wrote, “Director Ashutosh Gowarikar continues to recreate a bygone era in Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, like he did in Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar. Aided by a simple script and a simpler narration, Gowarikar manages to keep the audience spell-bound.” Phelim O'Neill is also all praise for Gowariker’s attempt. "As with his previous hit Lagaan, Gowariker proves he can handle a large cast and loves to compose frames full of chatting characters. Beautifully shot, it manages to hit hard even under the restrictions of Indian cinema," he wrote.

Film critic Nikhat Kazmi is of the opinion that the film has a good message for the people. “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,” she wrote.

However, Anupama Chopra is not very impressed with the film. She wrote, “Ashutosh recreates this largely forgotten event with sincerity and sweat but unfortunately Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey comes off a high school history lesson: plodding, stilted and in long stretches, staggeringly boring,” she wrote. Ashutosh Gowariker is Bollywood’s most earnest historian and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is a noble attempt at restoring glory to long-forgotten heroes but honestly, I felt more charged and patriotic in the last 40 minutes of Lagaan than I did in this entire film. I’m going with two and a half stars,” she added.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is based on Manini Chatterjee’s book Do And Die by, based on the Chittagong Uprising of 1930. It features Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Vishakha Singh, Sikander Kher and Amin Gazi in the lead roles.