Cast & Crew : Abhishek Bachchan,Deepika Padukone ,Vishakha Singh
Music : Sohail Sen
Cinematography : Kiran Deohans ,Seetha Sandhiri
Editing : Dilip Deo
Written by: Manini Chatterjee (book)
Screenplay : Ashutosh Gowariker,Raoul V Randolf
Directed : Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced : Ajay Bijli ,Sanjeev Bijli, Sunita A. Gowariker
Run Time :2 hours 50 minutes
Distributed by :PVR Pictures
Released date: December 3, 2010
Theater Watched : PVR Cinemas, Hyderabad.
Rating: 3. 75 / 5
Abishek Bachan and Ashutosh Gowariker New Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey Hindi Movie Review:
This is not the first time Ashutosh Gowariker has adapted a book into a film. KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is yet another book-to-movie adaptation by this talented storyteller [this one is based on the book 'Do And Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34' by Manini Chatterjee]. Again, this is not the first time Ashutosh Gowariker has revisited the bygone era. He did it successfully in LAGAAN [period], then JODHAA AKBAR [historical] and now KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY [period].
Recreating the bygone era is indeed demanding, laborious and strenuous. It's a challenge to present the era convincingly. Besides extensive detailing to lend authenticity, the director carries the responsibility of making the characters come alive to the present-day generation. Gowariker has successfully done that in the past and does it successfully yet again in KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY.
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?
Artist Performance:
Abhishek as Surjya Sen suits the character right. His character appears very fervent, but at the same time truly tranquil, incredibly unperturbed and really unruffled, which merges very well with the character of an educationalist that he illustrates. A freedom fighter with these attributes hasn't been presented in a motion picture before. Abhishek gets to the character a certain authority. The rebelliousness and boisterousness are depicted to perfection.
Deepika sheds her glam look and looks every bit the character she illustrates. Kudos to her first of all for accepting a challenging role [of a woman revolutionary of the 1930s] so early in her career and then almost living that character in the film, continuing to prove her mettle far ahead of her poise and exquisiteness.
Sikander Kher leaves a terrific impression. He excels in several scenes. Vishakha Singh is a complete natural. She catches one's attention instantly. Samrat Mukerji, Maninder and Feroz Wahid Khan, each actor is earnest and sincere to the core. In fact, every actor in the film looks most convincing in their respective parts. I would like to make a special mention of the young artists [most of them seem like first-time performers], who have a very unpolluted/uninfluenced approach to acting. Brownie points to each one of them.
Analysis:
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.
Technical and Other Departments:
Musically, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is embellished with soft and soothing compositions, but I have an issue with that. Sure, the album is high on patriotic sentiment, but the songs in the first hour act as a roadblock in the narrative. Ideally, it should've been a songless film. However, the background score [also by Sohail Sen] enhances every scene, making it more impactful. The production design [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] transports you to that era. It's that authentic. The stunts [Ravi Dewan] are true to life. Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri's cinematography captures the era to perfection.
Final View:
On the whole, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY, based on the Chittagong rebellion, is an enlightening experience of a poignant, but little-known chapter in history. It's a film of immense significance which evokes a colossal patriotic fervor. A motion picture like KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY isn't created targeting the box-office solely. It's also made for the gratification of the senses. And that it does in sufficient measure. In an industry obsessed by opening weekend business and box-office records, this is one of those rare films that doesn't compromise on its gracious objectives for the sake of becoming more box-office friendly. At the same time, 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.
Don't Miss it.
Music : Sohail Sen
Cinematography : Kiran Deohans ,Seetha Sandhiri
Editing : Dilip Deo
Written by: Manini Chatterjee (book)
Screenplay : Ashutosh Gowariker,Raoul V Randolf
Directed : Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced : Ajay Bijli ,Sanjeev Bijli, Sunita A. Gowariker
Run Time :2 hours 50 minutes
Distributed by :PVR Pictures
Released date: December 3, 2010
Theater Watched : PVR Cinemas, Hyderabad.
Rating: 3. 75 / 5
Abishek Bachan and Ashutosh Gowariker New Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey Hindi Movie Review:
This is not the first time Ashutosh Gowariker has adapted a book into a film. KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is yet another book-to-movie adaptation by this talented storyteller [this one is based on the book 'Do And Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34' by Manini Chatterjee]. Again, this is not the first time Ashutosh Gowariker has revisited the bygone era. He did it successfully in LAGAAN [period], then JODHAA AKBAR [historical] and now KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY [period].
Recreating the bygone era is indeed demanding, laborious and strenuous. It's a challenge to present the era convincingly. Besides extensive detailing to lend authenticity, the director carries the responsibility of making the characters come alive to the present-day generation. Gowariker has successfully done that in the past and does it successfully yet again in KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY.
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?
Artist Performance:
Abhishek as Surjya Sen suits the character right. His character appears very fervent, but at the same time truly tranquil, incredibly unperturbed and really unruffled, which merges very well with the character of an educationalist that he illustrates. A freedom fighter with these attributes hasn't been presented in a motion picture before. Abhishek gets to the character a certain authority. The rebelliousness and boisterousness are depicted to perfection.
Deepika sheds her glam look and looks every bit the character she illustrates. Kudos to her first of all for accepting a challenging role [of a woman revolutionary of the 1930s] so early in her career and then almost living that character in the film, continuing to prove her mettle far ahead of her poise and exquisiteness.
Sikander Kher leaves a terrific impression. He excels in several scenes. Vishakha Singh is a complete natural. She catches one's attention instantly. Samrat Mukerji, Maninder and Feroz Wahid Khan, each actor is earnest and sincere to the core. In fact, every actor in the film looks most convincing in their respective parts. I would like to make a special mention of the young artists [most of them seem like first-time performers], who have a very unpolluted/uninfluenced approach to acting. Brownie points to each one of them.
Analysis:
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.
Technical and Other Departments:
Musically, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY is embellished with soft and soothing compositions, but I have an issue with that. Sure, the album is high on patriotic sentiment, but the songs in the first hour act as a roadblock in the narrative. Ideally, it should've been a songless film. However, the background score [also by Sohail Sen] enhances every scene, making it more impactful. The production design [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] transports you to that era. It's that authentic. The stunts [Ravi Dewan] are true to life. Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri's cinematography captures the era to perfection.
Final View:
On the whole, KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY, based on the Chittagong rebellion, is an enlightening experience of a poignant, but little-known chapter in history. It's a film of immense significance which evokes a colossal patriotic fervor. A motion picture like KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY isn't created targeting the box-office solely. It's also made for the gratification of the senses. And that it does in sufficient measure. In an industry obsessed by opening weekend business and box-office records, this is one of those rare films that doesn't compromise on its gracious objectives for the sake of becoming more box-office friendly. At the same time, 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.
Don't Miss it.
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