Khel Khel Mein (2024 film)

Indian film by Mudassar Aziz

Khel Khel Mein

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Mudassar Aziz
Screenplay by| Mudassar Aziz
Sara Bodinar
Story by| Mudassar Aziz
Based on| Perfect Strangers
by Paolo Genovese
Produced by| Bhushan Kumar
Krishan Kumar
Vipul D. Shah
Shashikant Sinha
Ashwin Varde
Rajesh Bahl
Starring|

* Akshay Kumar
* Fardeen Khan
* Taapsee Pannu
* Ammy Virk
* Vaani Kapoor
* Aditya Seal
* Pragya Jaiswal

Cinematography| Manoj Kumar Khatoi
Edited by| Ninad Khanolkar
Music by| Score:
John Stewart Eduri
Songs:
Tanishk Bagchi
Rochak Kohli
Guru Randhawa
Raj Ranjodh

Production
companies

T-Series Films
Wakaoo Films
White World Productions

Distributed by| Panorama Studios
AA Films

Release date

* 15 August 2024 (2024-08-15)

[1]

Running time

| 131 minutes[2]
Country| India
Language| Hindi
Budget| ₹100 crore[3][4]
Box office| est. ₹56.78 crore[5]

Khel Khel Mein (transl. All in fun and games) is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film[6] written and directed by Mudassar Aziz. Based on the 2016 Italian film Perfect Strangers, the film stars Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal and Pragya Jaiswal.

Filming was held in Udaipur and London, between October 2023 and March 2024. The film was released on 15 August 2024 to generally positive reviews from critics.[7]

## Premise

[edit]

Three married Indian couples with entirely different personalities, who are also friends, gather at a wedding in Jaipur. Rishabh Malik, a plastic surgeon habituated to lying, is about to get separated from his author wife, Vartika. After the Sangeet ceremony of Vartika's sister, Radhika, the couples decide to play a game. The three couples meet in Rishabh's room where Vartika puts across the rules of the game: everyone will place their cellphones on the table and whoever receives a call, message, or email will have to share the details with the rest of the participants.

Even though the game starts on a funny note, it gradually results in the unraveling of many secrets about each of the participants, and the couples are virtually shocked to learn the hidden facts about each other. All six realise that their real lives are far removed from their make-believe social media and rich lives that they put up for the world to see, leading to more misunderstandings between the couples.[8]

## Cast

[edit]

* Akshay Kumar as Dr. Rishabh Malik, a plastic surgeon
* Fardeen Khan as Kabir Deshmukh, a cricket coach
* Taapsee Pannu as Harpreet "Happy" Kaur Sodhi, a housewife and social media vlogger
* Vaani Kapoor as Vartika Khanna Malik, a writer
* Ammy Virk as Harpreet Singh Sandhu, an automobile dealer
* Aditya Seal as Samar "Sam" Tanwar, a brand manager
* Pragya Jaiswal as Naina Mehra Tanwar, a boutique owner
* Ishitta Arun as Malti Mehra, Samar's boss, Naina's employee
* Talat Aziz as Gagan Mehra, Naina's father, Samar's boss
* Kiran Kumar as Ranveer Khanna - Vartika and Radhika's father
* Alka Kaushal as Veena Khanna - Vartika and Radhika's mother
* Maahi Raj Jain as Anaya Malik, Rishabh's daughter; Vartika’s stepdaughter
* Diljot Chhabra as Radhika Khanna, Vartika's sister[9]
* Gaurav Manwane as Varun, Radhika's fiancè[10]
* Chitrangada Singh[11] as Kadambari Kapoor (special appearance)
* Jimmy Sheirgill[12] as Kabir's brother (voice appearance)
* Arjun Kapoor[12] as Gautam (voice appearance)
* Bhumi Pednekar[12] as Sandhya (voice appearance)
* Aparshakti Khurana[12] as Ricky Ahuja (voice appearance)
* Sunny Singh as [12] Hrithik (voice appearance)
* Ananya Panday[12] as Rehana (voice appearance)

## Production

[edit]

### Casting

[edit]

Akshay Kumar and Taapsee Pannu were cast as the leads.[13][14] Later, Fardeen Khan joined the cast marking his return to films after 14 years. Vaani Kapoor, Pragya Jaiswal, Ammy Virk and Aditya Seal were then cast in other prominent roles.[15][16][17]

### Filming

[edit]

Principal photography commenced by October 2023.[18] The film was mainly shot in London and Udaipur before wrapping in April 2024.[19][20]

## Music

[edit]

Khel Khel Mein

Soundtrack album by

Tanishk Bagchi, Rochak Kohli, Guru Randhawa and Raj Ranjodh

Released| 13 August 2024
Genre| Feature film soundtrack
Length| 17:03
Language| Hindi
Label| T-Series
Official audio
Khel Khel Mein (Audio Jukebox) on YouTube

The music of the film is composed by Tanishk Bagchi, Rochak Kohli, Guru Randhawa, Raj Ranjodh, Muhammad Sajid, Intense and Jassi Sidhu while the background score is composed by John Stewart Eduri. Lyrics are written by Kumaar, Guru Randhawa, Jaani, Raj Ranjodh, Khadim Hussain, Jassi Sidhu and Rahul Gill.[21]

The first single titled "Hauli Hauli" was released on 25 July 2024.[21] The second single titled "Duur Na Karin" was released on 30 July 2024 and is a remake of Nabeel Shaukat Ali's 2016 Punjabi single "Kooch".[22] The third single titled "Do U Know" by Diljit Dosanjh was released on 8 August 2024 which is a remake of Dosanjh's 2016 Punjabi single of the same name.[23]

Track listingNo.| Title| Lyrics| Music| Singer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|
|

1.| "Hauli Hauli"| Guru Randhawa| Guru Randhawa| Guru Randhawa, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Neha Kakkar| 2:48
2.| "Duur Na Karin"| Kumaar, Khadim Hussain| Tanishk Bagchi, Saji Ali| Vishal Mishra, Zahrah S Khan, Nabeel Shaukat Ali| 3:35
3.| "Do U Know"| Jaani| Tanishk Bagchi| Diljit Dosanjh| 2:49
4.| "Chal Ve Dilaa"| Kumaar| Rochak Kohli| Vishal Mishra, Rochak Kohli| 4:48
5.| "Baari Barsi"| Raj Ranjodh| Raj Ranjodh| Guru Randhawa, Raj Ranjodh| 3:03
Total length:| 17:03

## Release

[edit]

### Theatrical

[edit]

The film was earlier scheduled to release on 6 September 2024, but was advanced to 15 August 2024, for an Independence Day release.[24]

### Home media

[edit]

The streaming rights for the film were acquired by Netflix and it started streaming on the platform on 10 October 2024.[25][26]

## Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[27]

A critic for Bollywood Hungama rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote, "Khel Khel Mein rests on a novel plot that not only entertains but also boasts of excellent performances."[28] Dhaval Roy of The Times of India rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Khel Khel Mein has minor flaws, but its smart writing, tight direction, and performances make it worth a watch, especially with a bunch of friends. However, if you get too inspired by this game, do it at your own risk!"[29] Tushar Joshi of India Today rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Khel Khel Mein is a watchable family entertainer with a message. If you are looking for a clean comedy that doesn’t rely on double-meaning and innuendo-laden one-liners, this is the ticket to buy this Independence Day."[30] Titas Chowdhury of News18 rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Akshay Kumar is the glue that holds this fun comedy together. Taapsee Pannu emerges as a show stealer."[31]

Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com rated 3/5 stars and notes "The chemistry between the motley bunch of actors works in fits and starts but Akshay Kumar's gift of the gab, Taapsee's bumbling comedienne and Fardeen Khan's dry wit come out tops."[32] Tanmayi Savadi of Times Now rated the film 3 stars out of 5 and wrote "Khel Khel Mein switches between laughs and drama. As a whole product, it is entertaining. With the possibility of a sequel, this one could be a fun ride if watched with an unbiased lens."[33] Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost rated the film 2.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "The film is sadly undone by its second half that suffers from what can be best described as the Mood Swing syndrome. Only people with massive mood swings can relate to the jitteriness of the film’s narrative."[34]

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated the film 2.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "A little more of the some-men-will never-change just like leopards and their spots would have made this Akshay Kumar-Taapsee Pannu film a no-holds-barred banger."[35] Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times wrote, "It’s hard to nitpick a flaw in the project, which stars Akshay Kumar, because the film delivers what it promises - a chill time- and more."[36]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Akshay Kumar's 'Khel Khel Mein' gets U/A certificate, to have runtime of 134 mins". India Today. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
2. ^ "KHEL KHEL MEIN (12A)". BBFC. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
3. ^ "Khel Khel Mein Box office Collection Day 1: पहले दिन नहीं चला अक्षय कुमार स्टारर का जादू, कमाई देख निराश हुए मेकर्स". Times Now Navbharat (in Hindi). 16 August 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
4. ^ "60% of the film's budget and got paid almost 59 times more than other actors; find out how many Crores Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk and others received for the movie". GQ India. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
5. ^ "Khel Khel Mein Box Office". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
6. ^ Pait Chowdhury, Madhumant (21 October 2023). "Akshay Kumar Begins Filming Khel Khel Mein In London: "Can't Help But Smile When The Camera Rolls"". NDTV. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
7. ^ "Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Fardeen Khan starrer Khel Khel Mein gets preponed to August 15". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
8. ^ "India Box Office: 'Khel Khel Mein' Scores $3.6 Million In A Week". Forbes. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
9. ^ "Diljot Chhabra to share screen space with Akshay Kumar in Khel Khel Mein: 'He was so humble'". Times Now. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
10. ^ "Gaurav Manwane to make Bollywood debut in Akshay Kumar starrer Khel Khel Mein: "Watching him work is like a masterclass in acting"". Bollywood Hungama. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
11. ^ "'Desi Boyz Era Is Back!' Netizens laud Akshay Kumar and Chitrangda Singh's reunion in Khel Khel Mein". Firstpost. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
12. ^ a b c d e f "Here's why Ananya Panday, Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Jimmy Shergill, Aparshakti Khurana, Sunny Singh have been thanked in Khel Khel Mein". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
13. ^ "Khel Khel Mein: Fans call Akshay Kumar 'king of comedy' as he returns to the genre, this time with Fardeen Khan". Hindustan Times. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
14. ^ "Taapsee Pannu unveils first glimpse of 'Khel Khel Mein' with Akshay Kumar and others". The Times of India. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
15. ^ Mishra, Vinay MR (16 September 2023). "Akshay Kumar and Fardeen Khan's Khel Khel Mein is a remake of Perfect Strangers; Aditya Seal joins the cast". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
16. ^ "Pragya Jaiswal joins Akshay Kumar starrer Khel Khel Mein". Bollywood Hungama. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
17. ^ "Vaani Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan with Khel Khel Mein cast: Top Instagram moments". The Telegraph. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
18. ^ "Akshay Kumar commences shooting for 'Khel Khel Mein' in London". The Statesman. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
19. ^ "Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu in Udaipur for shoot of 'Khel Khel Mein'". The Times of India. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
20. ^ "Akshay Kumar and co. wraps up shooting of 'Khel Khel Mein'". The Hindu. 30 March 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
21. ^ a b "'Hauli Hauli': Akshay-Vaani, Ammy-Taapsee feature in generic Punjabi song". India Today. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
22. ^ "Khel Khel Mein: Check Out Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor's Romantic Chemistry In 'Duur Na Karin'". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
23. ^ "Khel Khel Mein song Do U Know: Akshay Kumar features in Diljit Dosanjh's party song, fans demand the singer's appearance. Watch video". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
24. ^ "Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu's 'Khel Khel Mein' to now release on Independence Day". The Print. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
25. ^ "Khel Khel Mein OTT Release: When and where you can watch Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Fardeen Khan, Vaani Kapoor starrer comedy drama". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
26. ^ Sharma, Bhawana (6 October 2024). "Khel Khel Mein OTT streaming details". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
27. ^ "Khel Khel Mein". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
28. ^ Hungama, Bollywood (15 August 2024). "Khel Khel Mein Movie Review: KHEL KHEL MEIN rests on a novel plot with excellent performances". Bollywood Hungama.
29. ^ "Khel Khel Mein Movie Review : A wildly entertaining comedy". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
30. ^ "'Khel Khel Mein' Review: Akshay Kumar shines in this game of love and betrayal". India Today. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
31. ^ "Khel Khel Mein Review: Taapsee Pannu Takes the Trophy Home, Akshay Kumar's Return to Comedy Is Laudable". News18. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
32. ^ Verma, Sukanya (15 August 2024). "Khel Khel Mein Review: Game Of Phones". Rediff.
33. ^ "Khel Khel Mein Movie Review: Akshay Kumar's Comedy Comeback Balances Humour And Relationship Sensitivity". Times Now. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
34. ^ "'Khel Khel Mein' movie review: Akshay Kumar returns to solid form in a remake that needed little more consistency". Firstpost. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
35. ^ "Khel Khel Mein movie review: Akshay Kumar exhibits flair in no-holds-barred comedy". The Indian Express. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
36. ^ "Khel Khel Mein movie review: Akshay Kumar is in terrific form in a smart laugh riot". Hindustan Times. 14 August 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Khel Khel Mein at IMDb
* Khel Khel Mein at Bollywood Hungama

* v
* t
* e

T-Series

Business figures|

* Gulshan Kumar
* Bhushan Kumar
* Krishan Kumar

Music composers|

* A. R. Rahman
* Anand–Milind
* Guru Randhawa
* Himesh Reshammiya
* Nadeem–Shravan
* Nikhil-Vinay
* Rajesh Roshan
* Sajid–Wajid
* Tanishk Bagchi
* Vishal–Shekhar
* Yo Yo Honey Singh
* Zack Knight

Songs|

* "Papa Kehte Hai" (1988)
* "Dheere Dheere" (1990)
* "Aankh Maarey" (1996)
* "Dilbar" (1999)
* "Tu Hai" (2016)
* "Bom Diggy" (2017)
* "Lahore" (2017)
* "Ek Do Teen" (2018)
* "O Saathi" (2018)
* "Dus Bahane 2.0" (2019)
* "Main Teri Hoon" (2019)
* "Vaaste" (2019)
* "Slowly Slowly" (2019)
* "Ek Chumma" (2019)
* "Aashiqui Aa Gayi" (2021)
* "Rangisari" (2022)
* "Zinda Banda" (2023)
* "Chaleya (2023)

Film productions|

* Aashiqui
* Bahaar Aane Tak
* Jeena Teri Gali Mein
* Ayee Milan Ki Raat
* Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin
* Jeena Marna Tere Sang
* Sangeet
* Bewafa Sanam
* Tum Bin
* Aapko Pehle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai
* Humko Deewana Kar Gaye
* Darling
* Bhool Bhulaiyaa
* Karzzzz
* Radio
* Ready
* Aashiqui 2
* Chef
* Hindi Medium
* Blackmail
* Satyameva Jayate
* Bharat
* Mogul
* Khandaani Shafakhana
* Saaho
* Pati Patni Aur Woh
* Tanhaji
* Street Dancer 3D
* Malang
* Sardar Ka Grandson
* Sherni
* Bhuj: The Pride of India
* Radhe Shyam
* Ek Villain Returns
* Cirkus
* Varisu
* Shehzada
* Adipurush

Related|

* PewDiePie vs T-Series
* Divya Khosla Kumar
* Khushalii Kumar
* Tulsi Kumar

* v
* t
* e

Perfect Strangers remakes

* Perfect Strangers (2017, Spain)
* Nothing to Hide (2018, France)
* Intimate Strangers (2018, South Korea)
* Perfect Strangers (2018, Mexico)
* Loud Connection (2019, Russia)
* Perfect Strangers (2022, Egypt/Lebanon/UAE)
* Wild Game (2023, Iceland)
* Khel Khel Mein (2024, India)

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*[No.]: Number
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