KHILADI 420, written-directed by Neeraj Vora, is the latest in the series of the khiladi films.
Ritu Bhardwaj (Mahima Chaudhary), the only daughter of multi-millionaire Shyam Prasad Bharadwaj (Alok Nath), is pursued by two men, Rahul (Sudhanshu Pandey) and Dev (Akshay Kumar). One is a childhood friend and the other, a friend she found in Canada.
KHILADI 420 is, to an extent, inspired by the Gujarati play MAHAPURUSH and has shades of BAAZIGAR too. As the reels unfold, the viewer realises that Akshay has been cast in a role that he has not essayed before.
Writer-director Neeraj Vora has been successful in making Akshay attempt a role that reveals an altogether new facet as a performer, but as a writer, Vora has not offered explanations that prompt the character to be so malevolent. Nevertheless, the first half has several moments that keep the viewer on tenterhooks, mainly the sequence after Akshay's marriage to Mahima.
Unfortunately, the film loses its grip in the post-interval portions when Akshay's twin brother steps in. Subsequently, the director resorts to oft-repeated punches to move the story ahead. Had the director kept Akshay's character negative throughout, like Shah Rukh's in BAAZIGAR, it would've kept the viewer's interest alive till the very end.
KHILADI 420 showcases Akshay Kumar's talent effectively. The actor does a great job in a role that has negative shades, but as a softie in the second half, he is just about okay. And that's mainly because he has been asked to do what he has been doing in film after film. Nevertheless, KHILADI 420 is amongst his finest performances.