Khakee (2004) is an underappreciated cop film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Aishwarya Rai and Tusshar Kapoor. It follows a small police team escorting an accused terrorist from Chandangarh to Mumbai. It was a box office average, yet it remains one of Hindi cinema’s most realistic police thrillers.
Released on 23 January 2004, the film was praised by critics for its screenplay and performances. More than 20 years later, it is still worth revisiting, especially for viewers who have only seen the louder cop films of recent years.
Khakee movie quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Release date | 23 January 2004 |
| Director | Rajkumar Santoshi |
| Writers | Rajkumar Santoshi and Shridhar Raghavan |
| Producer | Keshu Ramsay |
| Music | Ram Sampath, lyrics by Sameer |
| Box office verdict | Average (Box Office India); fifth highest grossing Hindi film of 2004 |
Why Khakee stands apart from other Bollywood cop films
Hindi cinema has a long tradition of hero-worship in police films. The angry lone officer of 1970s films such as Deewaar and Shakti gave way to the encounter specialists of Ab Tak Chhappan and Garv, and later to the swaggering cops of Dabangg and Simmba. In most of these, the officer is the hero and the system is just a backdrop.
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Khakee takes a different route. It shows police work as messy, slow and dangerous, with many people involved and far more unknowns than knowns. The officers are not supermen. They are tired, scared, sometimes corrupt, and often unsure who they can trust.
The story without spoilers
DCP Anant Kumar Shrivastav, played by Amitabh Bachchan, is given what looks like a routine job. He must escort Dr Iqbal Ansari (Atul Kulkarni), an accused ISI agent linked to riots, from Chandangarh to Mumbai to stand trial. His team is a mix of a senior inspector, a young sub-inspector and two constables.
The film opens with only the tip of the iceberg. The plot unfolds slowly, and the real adversaries are not fully revealed until well into the second half. Along the way, it mixes a chase thriller with communal politics and the everyday problems of ordinary policemen.
Writing and direction
Santoshi is better known for Ghayal, Damini and the cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna. Khakee shows a different side of him. The screenplay, written with Shridhar Raghavan, keeps a steady pace that neither drags nor rushes.
The dialogue is short and sharp without turning into lectures. A pre-mission pep talk by Bachchan’s character sums up the fear officers carry into such assignments. The film earned nominations for screenplay, story and dialogue, which shows how much the writing was valued.
The cast and their performances
Amitabh Bachchan as DCP Anant Kumar Shrivastav
Bachchan plays the senior officer who leads the young squad. It is a controlled, dependable performance, and it earned him a Best Actor nomination.
Akshay Kumar as Inspector Shekhar Verma
Akshay plays a corrupt officer who slowly finds his conscience. Coming soon after Hera Pheri, he brings a light comic touch to many scenes, such as betting on the team’s chances of surviving the trip. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Tusshar Kapoor as Sub-Inspector Ashwin Gupte
Tusshar plays the youngest officer on the team, earnest and serious about exposing flaws in the system he is part of. It is one of his more grounded roles.
Ajay Devgn as Yashwant Aangre
Ajay plays a former police inspector turned criminal. He moves easily between dry humour and real menace, and is one of the main reasons the film works as a thriller.
Aishwarya Rai as Mahalakshmi
Aishwarya has limited screen time, but her character is central to one of the film’s best twists. Our original reviewer ranked it among the top three twists in Hindi cinema, alongside the reveals in Gupt and Mohra.
Supporting cast
Atul Kulkarni, Prakash Raj, Jaya Prada, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Tanuja add weight to the story. D Santosh and Kamlesh Sawant play the two constables, and Sawant’s face became familiar to later audiences from roles such as Gaitonde in Drishyam. Lara Dutta appears in the song “Aisa Jadoo”.
Why Khakee did only average business
Khakee released on the same day as Aetbaar and came at a time when audiences were still flocking to the hits Kal Ho Naa Ho and Munna Bhai MBBS. Box Office India declared it an average grosser, although it still ended as the fifth highest grossing Hindi film of 2004.
Khakee film versus Khakee web series
The title has since been reused. Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022) and its sequel Khakee: The Bengal Chapter (2025) are crime thriller web series. They are not connected to the 2004 film’s story or characters.
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Frequently asked questions
Who directed Khakee (2004)?
Khakee was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, who co-wrote it with Shridhar Raghavan. Keshu Ramsay produced the film.
Was Khakee a hit or flop?
Box Office India rated Khakee an average grosser. It was still the fifth highest grossing Hindi film of 2004 and was widely praised by critics.
Who played the villain in Khakee?
Ajay Devgn played Yashwant Aangre, a former police inspector turned criminal, who is the film’s main antagonist.
Is Khakee: The Bihar Chapter a remake of the 2004 film?
No. Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022) is a separate crime thriller series that only shares the title.
Sources: Wikipedia: Khakee (film), Wikipedia: Khakee disambiguation, Box Office India.
