Khakee - it’s my new obsession
Khakee - it’s the color of passion
Khakee - it was love at first sight
’in theatre when thy turn out the light
Khakee - got me high as a kite
and with Khakee - everything is going to be all right
No matter what I write !
I’d count the days to its release drawing the bars on cell walls. I’d fly across the hindering furniture with all my limbs swaying in air to get my eyeballs closest unto TV screen whenever its promos flashed on. I was so much pregnant with my expectations from the movie that I hardly realized u gotta ’ve a Gem of a movie to deliver it. So while I make do with half-delivered, or maybe more than half-delivered expectations it still is no less a pleasure !
A movie ’bout cops wouldn’t have me arrange myself a self-declared gazetted holiday off the work, only to run mad for a FDFS if it wasn’t for the most Awesome, Foursome ’A’s of the deck (AB, Akki, Ash n Ajay) So while my effort paid off well having seen ’em all putting up a crackerjack acting display, dominated by the A for Amitabh Bachchan in a movie I’d suggest everyone to c it, somehow I still can’t digest my bit disappointment over the sagging storyline increasingly apparent during the course of the movie that doesn’t seem to has evolved since the time first cop film was made. Okay, it starts off well enough for a commercial flick but halfway thru it u realize it treading towards the same trodden path.
For a movie like Khakee it needed more than a - corrupt politician whose notorious ’curriculum vitae’ can always be prepared by any honest smalltime scribe and stashed somewhere away in a ’File’ only for good cops to find it after he’s slain and then engage in climax fight to reach that ’File’ to the court of law for the judgement day - to make for a commendable story. So while storywise Khakee is not allergic to typical bollywood masala, where it excels is in the packaging of that masala which doesn’t leave u allergic either.
While u can anticipate the story, it’s possible to be surprised by its refreshing presentation (Mr. Bachchan’s entry n his speech), to be overwhelmed by the intensity of its scenes (AB tries to revive Atul Kulkarni on a stretcher), be touched by the subtleness of emotions (AB going thru his family photos, Tussahar’s embarrassment with the bribe culture ), be thought-provoked by the truthfulness of nailing dialogues ( AB’s baritone rendition of his frustration at the police station - Mind-blowing !), be able to let out that laughter starting from stomach at its genuine humor (All the scenes involving Akki playing a mean cop, with a perfected comic timing, he’s simply amazing! ). Script blunders are whisked away by how well-defined characters react to them n by what they’ve to say. Like that typical bollywoodish venue ’stadium’ fiasco towards the end is saved by what Akki has to say. That adds character man! That’s what we love in our heroes!
All this n a lot more of wonderful moments are what that make Khakee worth its salt (or its color, maybe!) Watch out for the climax also that makes movie a cool customer. Mr. Santosi has done what he’s been handsomely paid for.
Khakee also successfully shoulders the responsibility of being a moral-social film for a ’’junta’’ who finds it its prime prerogative to jump guns n pass judgements on its own without caring a fig ’bout the truth. I think it’ll be tax-free soon. But don’t wait till then to watch it!
To sum it up- Khakee belongs to AB. He begins the year with a performance that’s gonna rest heavily on the minds of Award Jury. While all the others are inevitable, a National Award wont be a surprise either !