Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996)

Rekha! Rekha! Rekha how i love thee, as those who read this blog regularly know, i've nothing but love for Rekha and would gladly watch any film of hers no matter how rubbish or atrocious it might be. This film with its nonsensical storyline reminds me why i simply love Rekha, she's one bollywood heroine who fought hard against playing motherly roles when she was deemed to be past it by many, even if it meant she played ridiculous characters, Rekha fought hard gainst playing motherly roles and in Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi ( The Player of Players) Rekha plays a Villain and might i add she pulls it off mighty darn well, and of course this film also features Akshay in his 90's hairy chest action hero days

Madam Maya (Rekha) & King Don (Gulshan Grover) are underworld players who gamble with the lives of wrestlers

following the defeat of Crush (played by real life WWF wrestler Brian James) by Maya's The Undertaker (played by WWF wrestler Brian Lee). Ajay (Inder Kumar) one of Madam Maya's boys is ordered to dispose the body, He's caught by the police while trying to bury the body & is given the option of execution or outing Madam Maya if he wants to save his life

Maya comes to know to know through one of the corrupt police officers about Ajay's plan to out her, as a result she becomes eager to kill Ajay. Ajay is kidnapped

Akshay (Akshay Kumar) his brother in India hears of the news & travels to America in a bid to rescue his brother, on his way he meets and falls for Priya (Raveena Tandon) who happens to be Madam Maya's younger sister

When he arrives in America he finds out from Ajay's friends that Madam Maya may be responsible for Ajay's kidnap, as result he gets into her gang, with the intention that she might lead him to Ajay. Madam Maya is taken by Ajay's bravado when he rescues her from getting killed, she falls in love with him at which point she puts all feminists to shame by declaring 'his love has completed her'

Thus Akshay is now caught in between the love of two sisters



Will Akshay find Ajay his brother? What will be Madam Maya's reaction when she realises Akshay had merely been using her as a pawn that'll lead him to his brother?


A truly nonsensical action film in the very sense of the word, fans of early Akshay movies when he was going through his Jackie Chan phase will truely enjoy this film. The major highlight for me however was Rekha as the villain Madam Maya with all her fashion outfits and wig changes

I can totally see Rihanna in some of these looks

when i saw Rekha in this film i realised Lady Gaga's stylist must have watched this film to create some of her looks

Take that Gaga

Another reason this film will forever be in my mind is the Rekha and Akshay Kumar's frolicking in the song 'Dil Dhadke (In the night lose control)'

They wrestle each other in the mud

They shower together

He pretty much had her eating out of his hands

Now of course all this had tongues wagging that Rekha and Akshay were dating, some fans were worried of what had become of their favourite actress but she silenced all her critics when she was awarded the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress award and the Star Best Villain Award (Take that Haters)


Anu Malik as usual has concoted some fun catchy numbers like 'Aaj meri Zindagi' , 'itna mujhe pata hai' & 'Tu kaun hai' & my favourite number without a doubt is Dil Dhadke (In the night lose control) simply for its awesomeness as well as a brief sampling of Madonna's 'Secret', be sure to check out the video especially the beginning where Rekha says 'Even Naughty Girls Need love Hey na?' Atta Girl!

Paisa Vasool rating: 5/10 (Watch it mostly for Rekha and Akshay in his cheesy days as an Action Hero and oh for the 'Dil Dhadke' song, that alone made the movie worth watching)