Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal, Pragya Jaiswal, Fardeen Khan
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: 2
Welcome to Khel Khel Mein, the movie that takes “dinner party” to a whole new level by turning it into a full-blown soap opera with a side of forced humor and a sprinkle of mid-life crisis. If you’ve ever wanted to see Akshay Kumar play the most forgettable plastic surgeon ever while juggling a disastrous marriage and a bunch of over-the-top friends, then boy, do I have the film for you!
So, here’s the setup: Seven friends at a wedding decide to make their phones public property for one night. Sounds riveting, right? It’s like watching a group of adults play a very high-stakes game of “Who Wants to Be Exposed?” with the twist being that everyone’s secrets are about as juicy as a wet noodle. Rishabh (Akshay Kumar) and his wife Vartika (Vaani Kapoor) are trying to patch up their second marriage while their friends, who have the emotional range of a particularly unremarkable piece of cardboard, fumble through various ridiculous scenarios.
Akshay Kumar, in a role that feels like it was phoned in (pun intended), channels his inner Clive Owen with about as much success as a celebrity impersonator at a birthday party. Vaani Kapoor, bless her heart, is stuck trying to find a plot for her next book but might need to find a new career after this. Taapsee Pannu is reduced to a caricature of a social media addict, and Ammy Virk’s attempts to bring depth to his character are about as successful as a cake made out of sand.
Fardeen Khan, making a comeback that’s as surprising as a pie in the face, looks like he’s trying to remember his lines while sleepwalking. And the rest of the cast? They manage to blend into the background like a set of mismatched curtains in a tacky hotel lobby.
Director Mudassar Aziz, whose previous works probably involved crafting fine wine, seems to have produced a vinegar-like concoction here. The film’s attempt at comedy often lands with the grace of a lead balloon, mixing outdated gags with “serious” themes that are treated with the sensitivity of a bull in a china shop. The supposed “twists” are as predictable as a weather report, and the movie’s take on mental health and suicide as a punchline is about as tasteful as a pie in the face at a funeral.
Khel Khel Mein promises a breezy evening of laughs but delivers a spectacle of cringe-worthy missteps, particularly when it attempts to tackle sensitive topics like LGBTQ issues and safe sex practices. While the film seems ambitious in addressing these themes, it falls woefully short of any meaningful or intelligent discourse. The handling of LGBTQ representation feels superficial, reduced to stereotypes that do more harm than good. Similarly, safe sex practices are depicted with a lack of nuance, turning what could be an educational moment into an afterthought. Instead of fostering understanding or sparking thoughtful conversation, the film treats these critical subjects with the same level of depth as a sitcom punchline, making their inclusion seem more like a box-ticking exercise than a genuine effort at inclusion.
If you’re looking for a comedy that makes you laugh, you might want to keep looking. Khel Khel Mein has the rare ability to make you wish for a deep dive into the nearest available rabbit hole, just to escape the sheer absurdity on screen. The film’s biggest laugh comes not from its scripted jokes but from the sheer audacity of thinking that this hot mess was a good idea in the first place.
Khel Khel Mein might leave you with one question: Is there a return policy for this cinematic disaster? It promises a comedy but delivers an experience that’s less “laugh riot” and more “awkward dinner conversation.” Save your tickets and spend them on something that promises actual fun. Or, if you’re really desperate, just watch paint dry—it’ll probably be a more engaging experience.
