Crew

As I mentioned in the Laapataa Ladies review, I wanted to see that movie, Crew, and Madgaon Express. I got another evening free and I saw Crew. Why did I choose that over Madgaon Express, no specific reason. Maybe because it had three beautiful women in it? I saw it on a Friday for a whopping ₹450 ticket. It was not worth that much, especially after Laapataa was only 150. To make matters worse, I had to spend another 300 bucks on a cab to go watch it.

The movie was strictly average. The acting is good, but you don’t expect anything less from veteran actors like Kareena Kapoor and Tabu. They too did not especially sparkle. I think I went with too many expectations in this department at least.

Kriti Sanon – I don’t remember in which movie I last saw her, perhaps this is my first movie of hers. She is really cute and her outfits complemented her looks. Immediate crush. Then I read up about her. She has multiple brands of her own. Waah! Cute and interesting. Then she posted about “Vikas with Virasat” straight outta the BJP manifesto. Classic saffron flag. Udharich heartbreak.

Kareena played a selfish one-has-to-look-after-oneself image-obsessed person. Gave a lot of Geet vibes from JWM. Tabu, the bread-winning homemaker who is depending on her PF to live her dreams. Nothing new there for her to explore. Kriti played a young ex-sportsperson who is lying to her parents about being a pilot. Nothing khaas there too. Well, she looked the part. But props to the movie for showing the exhausting routine the cabin crew has to undertake beneath all the glamour. I am sure domestic flight employees have it worse.

In the supporting cast, thanks to Diljit there was something interesting happening. But I did not like the caricaturing of Marathi police personnel which usually often happens in Mumbai-based settings. Loud-mouthed, envious of the rich, broken Hindi. Portraying them as obnoxious for a cheap laugh. If you want to make a commentary on how the police are merely the “justified” violent arm of the state, there are better ways to do that. If.

I think it was fun overall just because it offers something new in the constant onslaught of propaganda and action movies that the Hindi film industry likes to churn out. The story and the suspense do build well. There is some rooting for the protagonists. And then there is the twist.

I liked it, it was unexpected. I did not expect this to be a heist movie in the second half. That was also executed well, and it did hook me, because there was no resolution till then, and almost an hour and a half of the reel still to go. Well done, scriptwriters. There were cute throwbacks to the brother being a computer geek (and so he can hack) and the airport in Kriti’s village. But at times, the disbelief fails to be suspended and you are like wtf. But those are forgivable lapses.

Overall, a passable experience I would have preferred to enjoy at a cheaper cost. Because I broke the cardinal rule and bought popcorn and coke. Another 800 gone. #AccheDin when?

Rating: 2 beards/5