Akki tries for his Lagaan moment – Patiala House!

After the box office disappointment of Chandni Chowk to China, director Nikhil Advani returns with a film set in London with full on Punjabiyat and nationalism at its core. Right at the start we see racial riots, skinheads, racially motivated killing of a member of the Kahlon family and are given the back story for why Rishi Kappor is the kind of patriarch he is. He lives in his own little enclave, populated with his extended family that we are never really introduced to, other than to be told that they all have aspirations that do not match the expectations the patriarch has of them.

Patiala House - reviews

Ratings at 2/5 SO FAR!

Anupama Chopra - NDTV 2.5/5 gigantic loopholes hobble Patiala House. As does the lazy writing – none of the other family members make an impression and Bauji is such an exasperating character that even Rishi Kapoor can’t humanise him.
Kunal Guha yahoo movies 1.5/5 what's terribly disappointing for anyone who understands the game even a bit, is that our Punjab express chucks every single time (check bowling action!).
Taran Adarsh bollywoodhungama.com 4/5 On the whole, PATIALA HOUSE is a film about attachments, affiliations and familial bonding. It's a compelling watch, more for its drama and histrionics than anything else.
Sonia Chopra sify.com 2/5 Director Nikhil Advani's storytelling is archaic and simplistic... when Gattu explains .. that his dad's heart would break if he played cricket, you actually hear a thunder-and-lightening sound effect.
Mayank Shekhar Hindustan Times 2/5 To use popular journalese, the peg of this Patiala (House) story is British racism of the early '90s. . . If anything, this is one of the best of recent Akshay Kumar flicks, from a rapidly expanding annual inventory, of course.
Rajeev Masand CNN IBN 1.5/5 Akshay Kumar as Gattu ... it’s a labored performance, lacking the subtleties and nuances that could have made it truly heart-felt.

Khalid Mohamed passionforcinema.com 2/5 They’re U K, you’re not O K. In fact, you suffer in silence as the cliché-drops keep falling on your head
Nikhat Kazmi Times of India 3/5 Every little twist and turn of this self-realisation soap opera is pre-ordained and terribly familiar.