Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey

About the film

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (transl. We Play with Passion) is an Indian Hindi-language historical action-adventure film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and released on 3 December 2010. Starring Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Sikandar Kher, it was based on Manini Chatterjee's Do and Die, an account of the 1930 Chittagong armoury raid.

Although the film was set in Chittagong (in present-day Bangladesh), it was primarily shot in Goa; portions were filmed in Mumbai. Its first promo was posted on 12 October 2010 on the film's Facebook page. The film depicts the Chittagong Uprising from its beginning to its aftermath, an 18 April 1930 attempt to raid the armoury of police and auxiliary forces in Chittagong (then part of the British Raj's Bengal Presidency) by armed Indian independence fighters led by Surya Sen.

Plot

Sixteen young people are playing football in an open field when an army convoy arrives, ordering them to leave the field because they are setting up a base. When the young people object, the soldiers threaten them and then leave in anticipation of a meeting with (Surya Sen).

Surya Sen is a village schoolteacher and an activist for Indian independence. He has connections with other revolutionaries, who see him as their leader: Ganesh Ghosh (Samrat Mukerji), Lokenath Bal, Ambika Chakraborty, Nirmal Sen (Sikander Kher) and Ananta Singh (Maninder Singh). After his release from prison, Nirmal Sen (Sikandar Kher) meets Surya Sen and asks him what to do next. Surya Sen tells him and Nirmal meets Pritilata Waddedar (Vishakha Singh), who expresses the eagerness of her and her friend Kalpana Datta (Deepika Padukone) to join the Indian Republican Army. Pritilata and Kalpana meet Surya Sen, who has demonstrated their skills by asking them to collect information. Disguised as cleaners, they draw sketches of the cantonment.

Surya Sen divides the group into four, and asks them to separate. While he is staying with his sister in Patiya, police commanded by Major Cameron surround him; the major is shot dead by Nirmal Sen. The wounded Nirmal Sen tells Surya Sen to escape, sacrificing his own life.

Production

Asin was the first choice for Deepika's role in the film but due to several commitments Asin opted out.

Critical reception

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey opened to generally-positive reviews. Critics appreciated the film, although some said that (at almost three hours) it was excessively long. According to Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India, the filmmaker was able to "combine 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."

An NDTV reviewer rated the film 2.5 out of 5: "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". Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama rated the film four out of five, calling the bygone era's recreation "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. 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."

Sify, which also gave it a two-and-a half-rating, recommended the film. Rajeev Masand of CNN IBN gave it two stars: "It's a noble effort that gives you a glimpse of forgotten history".

Soundtrack

The film's songs and score were composed by Sohail Sen, who had worked on Ashutosh's previous film What's Your Raashee?. The lyrics were written by Javed Akhtar. The music was launched on 27 October 2010. Its track listing was posted on the film's Facebook page the day it was released. Malayalam playback singer Ranjini Jose made her Bollywood debut on "Naiyn Tere".

Nominations

Breakthrough Performance - Female: Vishakha Singh

Breakthrough Performance - Male: Sikander Kher

Standout Performance by a Music Director: Sohail Sen

Key details