Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey Movie Review

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sikandar Kher, Vishakha Singh, Mahinder Singh, Shreyas Pandit, Samrat Mukherjee, Feroz Wahid Khan etc

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is a movie about the Chittagong Armoury raid, that happened on April 18, 1930. The movie is very good as a movie, but as the rehash of a historical event which has its importance in the independence revolution of India, it is sadly a weak attempt from Ashutosh Gowariker. It has the things at right place, as a movie, but when a movie about a historical incident comes, the director has to pay attention to the real events that happened.Based on the book ‘Do and die’ by Manini Chatterjee, the movie slips away from the facts at several moments, eventhough it is a good work, as a film.

The movie starts with simple, yet awesome titles, and soon we are dragged into the Chotogram of 1930, a normal village of Bengal. Everything was fine there, until the british people capture an open ground, where the teenagers use to play football. And then, somebody suggests that if they can get their playground back, with the help of Surjyada, a Mathematics teacher in a school. Then we come to know that Surjyada and his friends Nirmal, Ambikada etc are revolutionaries who believe in the motto ‘Do and Die’. Soon, the teenagers are bonded with the revolutionaries and they plan to fight against the britishers. Meanwhile, two young girls Preetilata and Kalpana also join the team.

Then they planned a raid on police lines Armoury, Cantonment, Telegraph office and Railway lines. They study the entire places, prepare well, and plans to execute it on 18 April, 1930. Everything goes fine, until they come to know that it was a ‘Good Friday’ and the britishers are not there. Also, they could capture only the guns, but bullets were not found there. Anyway ,they hoist a flag of India, and escape to the hills. They are then chasec by the army, many are killed and others are captured, and are finally sentenced to death or life imprisonment. The story is almost real, but the director wanted to give the story a gentle flavour, and he included light hearted romance between Nirmal and Preetilata, and one side infatuation of Kalpana with Surjyada, and also those football playing kids, fighting to british for their playground. Also, he added enough sentiments added in the movie, to make us wet our eyes at times. But what the makers could have done was to mention like ‘This movie is based on the Chittagong Armoury Raid, and few events may vary from the real story.’

Coming to the movie, everyone have done good jobs. Abhishek Bachchan comes with a commendable performance after the commercially and critically dud, ‘Raavan’. He is apt for Surjya’s role and even he looks somewhat like the real Surjya Sen. His expressions are perfect. And I am happy to see Sikandar Kher on screen again, I always believed this guy has the talent in him, and he proved it again in this film. Deepika Padukone and Vishakha Singh look completely natural, and this will be a career booster for Vishakha Singh, after doing two forgettable movies in Tamil and one in Hindi. The rest of the cast is very good and everybody is perfect for their roles. Also, there is a strong chemistry between all of them that they look very good together on screen.

Sohail Sen has done an excellent job as the music composer of the film. All the songs are very good, and the BGM is also excellent. I guess Simaab Sen and Sohail Sen have worked together for BGM. The cinematography is fine.

On the whole, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is a very good movie, It would have been a classic if the director did some more research on the historical events and facts. Anyway, don’t miss it.

“Vande Mataram”

8/10