Khap

wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable ^(?)

quick review:

While “good intentions” might be the culprit for the existence of this ineffective piece of social drama, it’s the shallow writing, horribly amateur acting and horrendous production values that truly drag the film to abysmal depths. You are more likely to find yourself laughing at the one-dimensional drivel harvested from newspaper articles rather than let real research work move you profoundly. Add a bland and unaffecting love story to the mix and you have a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Even Om Puri can’t salvage this one.

Director: Ajai Sinha

Cast: Om Puri, Uvika Choudhary, Anuradha Patel, Mohnish Behl

Genres: Docu-drama, Thriller

More Movie Info

I couldn't review Khap because it didn’t release in Pune. And looks like I didn't miss much. Thank you, Danish, for covering this one for wogma! - meetu

Honestly? Is it really that difficult to make a compelling, intelligent movie based on or inspired from real life incidents? ‘Khap’ should easily make a worthy case study as to how our filmmakers set off on “good intentions” only to turn a serious and deep issue into giggle worthy melodramatic drivel. So keeping in line with the USP of the site, I won’t give any details about the plot other than a brief outline.

An estranged son, Madhur (Mohnish Behl) who works for the National Human Rights Commission, returns to his village after sixteen years to investigate honour killings supposedly carried out at the behest of the Khap Panchayat. Madhur’s father Omkar Chaudhary (Om Puri) is one of the heads of the Panchayat and father and son don’t exactly see eye-to-eye on many issues with the son taking a firm stand against the practice of honour killings. So after much posturing and speeches back & forth about the “pros & cons” of Khap Panchayats and honour killings, cinematic co-incidence rears it’s ugly head in the form of Madhur’s daughter, Ria who elopes with a boy of the same gotra. Boy oh boy! Get those pitchforks and torches ready.

Last year Priyadarshan tried to tackle a similar topic with ~~Mississippi Burning~~ Aakrosh which again made a mockery of things by inserting such “credible” sequences in which Ajay Devgn slides under a moving train and stands atop a moving car dodging branches; but keeping the inherent silliness aside both Aakrosh & Khap suffer from a serious lack of research & good writing. Both seem content in painting a sensationalist picture of some serious issues which has more depth than the screenplay of any of these movies accords it; characters & situations aren’t credibly fleshed out but pointless love-songs run amok. I guess this kind of treatment does make you wonder what “good intentions” were the makers referring to.

I have no love for the Khaps or their ways but can’t help but find their portrayals utterly one-dimensional; sneering, glaring, moustachio-ed, hookah smoking men talk about prathas & hamara kanoon. The movie tries to overcome this problem by presenting Om Puri with a moral dilemma thus setting him up for an inevitable cultural transformation. However it’s the lecturing back and forth between all characters that gets tiresome and preachy thus never allowing any of them to grow beyond paper-thin clichés; moral one, amoral one, misguided one, turned a new leaf one, blood-thirsty one…you see?

The romantic track lays waste to what little chance of redemption laid with the other dramatic elements of the movie. It’s so bad & unconvincing that it almost makes you root for the Khap Panchayat to administer whatever punishment they deem fit and end our suffering right away.

The camerawork, background score & art direction will remind you of television grade material the onus of which lies solely with director Ajai Sinha, who was the man behind TV soaps such as Hasratein and Astitva- Ek Prem Katha. So, he brings the same small-screen sensibilities to this project, effectively making a two-hour pilot for a future TV series instead of a feature film.

Khap fails on every front, it’s ineffective as a social commentary, it’s overlong and preachy (not to mention unintentionally funny), it’s saddled with a love story which you hope ends as soon as it begins, though I would highly recommend Alok Nath’s little monologue about the dangers of inter-gotra marriages, it was the piece de resistance of the film and might be the funniest bit of cinema you might watch all year long.

What was supposed to send a shiver down your spine is more likely to tickle your funny bone or simply put you to sleep; avoid it at all costs.

This review is by guest reviewer Danish Bagdadi. Read more from Danish on his blog, moviesum and Desi Martini

20 reviewers^(?) - 0 yays 3 so-so 17 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

So-So, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Sadly Sinha dilutes the theme with dollops of formula-baazi. ... full review

So-So, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...KHAP is an honest effort that deserves to be encouraged. Of course, it may not be the most persuasive film that portrays an issue, but at least it makes a sincere effort to be there. ... full review

So-So, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...a bit of subtlety and a more artistic vision would have gone a long way in creating a strong social document on screen. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Nikhil Kumar, Apun Ka Choice : ...Commercial trappings make Khap trivial... full review

Thumbs down, by Charu Mahesh, Buzz in Town : ...a non-entertaining love-story, ends up being a B-grade regional film marked with many flaws... full review

Thumbs down, Daily Bhaskar : ...Too much of effort has gone into trying to show a little bit of everything, which makes the movie lose it’s actual essence. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Smita, Desi Martini : ...Good intentions but boring ... full review

Thumbs down, by Anaam, Glamsham.com : ...At times it seems as if it is made to launch or re-launch Sarrtaj Gill and Yuvika Chaudhry as the new stars of Indian cinema in the name of creating awareness about honour killings in Haryana... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...Everyone yells and shouts and brandishes swords... full review

Thumbs down, by Komal Nahta, koimoi : ...Watch it if you like meaningful cinema or issue-based cinema.... full review

Thumbs down, Movie Talkies : ...The film's chief irritants are the leads, Uvika Chaudhary and Sarrtaj, both of whom ham it up here like there's no tomorrow... full review

Thumbs down, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...juvenile attempt at a half-baked plot handled very amateurishly. Easily avoidable. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Namrata Joshi, Outlook India : ...What hurts it is its tackiness, resembling an amateurish TV serial .... full review

Thumbs down, by Stutee Ghosh, Planet Bollywood : ...Complete wastage of good actors like Om Puri, Mohnish Behl, Govind Namdev and Manoj Pahwa. The latter has been seen in a whole new avatar playing Sukhiram – quite commendable given the shortage of armour at his disposal. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters : ...To elaborate, he makes good actors like Om Puri and Govind Namdeo look and more importantly, sound silly.... full review

Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Then there’s the problem of characterization.... full review

Thumbs down, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...lofty idea lost... full review

Thumbs down, by Reel Reptile, Upper Stall : ...Special credit must be given to actress Uvika Chaudhary. Her insufferable presence, as hammy 16 year old Ria (a crime in itself), is probably the reason why the concept of honour killings may have been invented in first place. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Kunal Guha, yahoo! India : ...Using cinema as a medium to sensitize audiences about social evils like honour killing is noble indeed. But not if it turns out to be a criminal murder of time, like this film.... full review

Thumbs down, by SpiceZee Bureau, Zee News : ...Om Puri looks disillusioned; Yuvika is a glam doll and newcomer Sarrtaj fails to grab your attention... full review

7 tweeters^(?) - 0 yays 0 so-so 7 nays

rohitink1: Khap is Nothing Interesting | Movie Review http://boxofficereport.net/khap-is-nothing-interesting-movie-review/ via @rohitink1

NBR10_VFXismXD: khap watta fcuking movie..!!

lokesh113: Khap tries desperately but fails to sensitise one about the heinous crime of honour killing

facenfacts: 'Khap', an honest attempt goes in vain: 'Khap' was an honest attempt from the makers to showcase the evils of th... http://www.facenfacts.com/NewsDetails/13484/khap-an-honest-attempt-goes-in-vain.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

DrsushilJoshi: Review: Khap is weird, cheesy, and ineffective

DipakVasisht: #wtf khap - movie gt only 2.5 Stars by #TOI 'm wondering hw such movies gt any star...they r like a black hole for other movies... haahahah

BombayDrifter: Watched #Khap. Now I'm more terrified about somebody making a terrible film about my death than I am of the khap panchayats.

1 readers - 1 yays 0 so-so 0 nays

Yay! Thumbs Up, by bollywood celebrity : Khap projects too many things at one time, and fails to garner the attention of the audience. The fi

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