Khaali Peeli Movie Review: From scene one, there is no doubt that debutant Maqbool Khan's Khaali Peeli, produced by Ali Abbas Zafar, is an ode to masala films of the '70s, the '80s and the '90s. There is literally a scene of the hero growing up from a child to a young man through an edited montage. We have split scenes here, retro BG score, and even the return of Mumbaiyya lingo. Amitabh Bachchan's yesteryear movies are referenced, popular nostalgic songs like "Yeh Hai Jalwa" are played and films like Gupt, Rangeela etc. are also given an ode. Khaali Peeli is a fun ride when the film rolls alongside these homages. Unfortunately, the petrol runs out of this taxi as soon as it enters the cursed second half territory. Khaali Peeli: Where to Watch Ananya Panday-Ishaan Khatter's Film Online?

Blackie (Ishaan Khatter), who used to be a thief as a child in his village, is now working as a taxi-driver in Mumbai. One night, after accidentally stabbing a fellow taxi-driver in a skirmish, he is on the run. On the way, he picks up a girl, Pooja (Ananya Panday), who has run away from her own wedding with stolen jewellery and cash. Pooja was betrothed to marry a sleazy criminal Choksi (Swanand Kirkire) since she was a child. His main henchman Yusuf Chikna (Jaideep Ahlawat, rehashing his own role from Commando), an untitled king of Kamathipura, sends his men to catch Pooja.

Blackie is also being chased by the cops for attacking the taxi driver. While on the run, Blackie and Pooja keep bickering about their share in the loot she is carrying, unaware of the fact that they have a shared history together.

Watch the Trailer of Khaali Peeli:

The first half of Khaali Peeli, with its homages, treatment and the fun banter between the leads, holds a lot of promise. More than often, it is a very breezy ride, even if the film borrows its premise from Sadak, Inaam Dus Hazaar etc. The black humour works well, even if the frequent jumping to flashbacks irks you after some time. Ishaan and Ananya's Mumbaiyya lingo comes across as artificial, but the actors make that up with their effervescent performances and a fantastic chemistry. Ishaan exudes a lot of confidence in what is his first alpha male role, where he gets to kick ass and pout one liners. Ananya Panday, looking a million bucks, does well in the role of a street-smart girl. Also, the two child actors who play their young selves are very natural. Khaali Peeli Star Ishaan Khatter Shares How Important Is Fitness in Actor's Life.

I also liked how the director uses the 'Khaali Peeli' of the film to show the changing moods in the film. When the couple are together in the taxi first, it is in the combo of black and yellow, as they are unsure of what to do. When there is a chance that they could betray each other, the car is painted whole black. And when their love blossoms, it is painted yellow. In the climax, you also have the black vehicle of the villain, being chased down by the hero's yello car. Even when the writing lets down the film - we will get to that in a bit - Maqbool Khan's directorial flourishes try to amp up the proceedings. Adil Afsar's '80s tinged lenses add a retro flair to the

Which is why, I was very disappointed by the second half of the film. After an entertaining first half, things begins to go downhill from the mela scene, where a 'song and dance' routine is added. The charm Yash Kesarwani and Sima Agarwal's script begins to wane, as Khaali Peeli travels on familiar roads hereon, losing much of its smartness. The track of Satish Kaushik's bumbling police officer adds little to the plot, and comes across as very irritating.

The cinematic liberties taken by the film also come back to irk you. Like how the leads manage to reach Uttar Pradesh from Mumbai in the matter of a night and morning, even with the many detours they take. Or despite being childhood sweethearts, how come Pooja and Blackie never recognised each other after ten years, even though they meet again in the same locality? Sure, they were played by different actors in the movie to portray the characters at two different ages. But IRL, 10 years is too a less a time to forget someone, especially considering how close they were. Khaali Peeli: Ananya Panday Shares Pics of Her First Look Test Ahead of Film’s Release.

All these leads to a long drawn, convoluted climax with bullets and car-chases, as Khaali Peeli staggers towards the finishing point.

Yay!

- Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday

- Enjoyable First Half

Nay!

- The Second Half Disappoints

Final Thoughts

Khaali Peeli kind of lives up to its name of two contrasting emotions in one body. The first half is lithe and entertaining, the second half is blithe and disappointing, though Ishaan and Ananya are consistently good. Khaali Peeli is streaming on Zee Plex on pay-per-view basis.

Rating:2.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2020 04:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).